Foreign Driving License

You are allowed to use your foreign driving license (issued in your country) accompanied with a French translation:

• for the total validity of your driving license if your permit was issued by a member state of the European Union
• for the total duration or your studies if you have a Student Visa
• for one year (from the start date of your VLS-TS) if you have a Scientific Visa (Titre de séjour Chercheur Scientifique). Beyond the first year you need to exchange your driving license for a French issued one.

Exchanging a non-European driving license

Foreign residents with a non-European driver’s license, and whose country of origin has signed a bilateral agreement with France, must exchange their foreign license for a French license after their first year of residence.

Application for exchange should be submitted during the first year in France, otherwise it wouldn’t be possible.

You will get a temporary certificate that allows you to drive in France while your application is being instructed and your French driving license is being fabricated.

PS: you would be giving up your driving license (from your country), they will not give it back to you !