Changing UK Driving licence for French one
#16
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Attempting a bit more digging, but back in 2008 the French Transport Minister promised to tighten laws to ensure 'foreign' drivers caught speeding at least paid their fines. This seemed to refer to tourists. There was and maybe still is, no cooperation between countries to share details via number pate recognition.
A comment at the time said:
A study by the French transport ministry found 900,000 German drivers, 550,000 Britons and 350,000 Italians are flashed by French cameras every year.
And although foreign motorists only make up five per cent of traffic on French roads, they are responsible for 27 per cent of all speeding offences.
I did find that the one year residency that meant you had to apply for a French licence was resinded. UK licence is permanent and need not be changed.
Martin may be correct, the law is a mess. This makes me wonder if demaning UK residents to swap licences for a French may not be legal.
A comment at the time said:
A study by the French transport ministry found 900,000 German drivers, 550,000 Britons and 350,000 Italians are flashed by French cameras every year.
And although foreign motorists only make up five per cent of traffic on French roads, they are responsible for 27 per cent of all speeding offences.
I did find that the one year residency that meant you had to apply for a French licence was resinded. UK licence is permanent and need not be changed.
Martin may be correct, the law is a mess. This makes me wonder if demaning UK residents to swap licences for a French may not be legal.
#17
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Location: SE Dordogne France
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Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
By telling a little fib (!!) and saying you have lost your UK licence, you can apply for a new one. The DVLA will send you a new licence to your registered address. Keep the old one and you have two. This also works if you change address.
If you are then forced to change to a French licence, you can hand over the old one and retain the newer version.
If you are then forced to change to a French licence, you can hand over the old one and retain the newer version.
When you exchange your UK licence for a French one the Prefecture will eventually send your surrendered one back to DVLA and when they receive it how long do you think it is going to take them to realise that you have handed in an old supposedly 'lost' - and therefore invalid - licence. When they inform the French of the fraud you will likely find yourself in very serious trouble.
Additionally, because of the dictat that only one EU licence may be held at any time, the issuance of a French licence will automatically void any and all previous EU licences so your fraudulently obtained UK replacement is instantly rendered worthless anyway.
From a strict legal stand point any infraction in France attracting a loss of points requires a licence exchange.
#18
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
From a strict legal stand point any infraction in France attracting a loss of points requires a licence exchange.
How does that apply to non-residents?
How does that apply to non-residents?
#19
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Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
It doesn't although it hasn't prevented cases of non resident holiday home owners being forced into an exchange.
#20
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
My actual point is the mess that the EU has made of this and the fact that we do not have a single EU licence.
#21
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Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
The directive for harmonisation of driving licences has been in place for over a decade, in UK the introduction of the photo licence was the first step towards it.
When you consider however that each and every EU member state has it's own unique licence system you can begin to imagine what a near impossible task it is and in reality is one which will take a generation or more to fully implement.
Essentially it can only really begin in earnest when the actual driving test is standardised and then the penalty system but to date I have seen no evidence of moves in either of those directions.
The only thing which is selectively being brought in is cross border fine enforcement.
When you consider however that each and every EU member state has it's own unique licence system you can begin to imagine what a near impossible task it is and in reality is one which will take a generation or more to fully implement.
Essentially it can only really begin in earnest when the actual driving test is standardised and then the penalty system but to date I have seen no evidence of moves in either of those directions.
The only thing which is selectively being brought in is cross border fine enforcement.
#22
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
I can't see the problem of a European licence, marked with the country of issue all controlled from a central point. Yes there are differences in the testing and type of vehicles you can drive, but that is covered by the country of issue stamp. In affect, that is the same as now but with a single licence instead of individual country licences.
Overtime, the testing and vehicle types could all be brought in to line across Europe, but at least a start has been made by having everyone on a single licence type.
This opens the other question of whether you actually want the EU to have that much control over our lives in the first place - an entirely separate debate!
#23
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
The responses from Martin and Im_and_Er rather confirm that the system is a mess. A single licence is a problem, as I said, the UK licence allows greater flex in what you can drive. A Gendarme who inspected my photo licence expressed surprise at what it covered.
Cameras tickets are still tough to enforce surely, as authorities do not exchange info.
I wasn't aware of a law that said you could only possess one EU licence, but it makes sense really. But, if I have a French licence and are caught on camera in UK, how do they get the fine?
The wheels for harmonisation turn slowly it seems.
Cameras tickets are still tough to enforce surely, as authorities do not exchange info.
I wasn't aware of a law that said you could only possess one EU licence, but it makes sense really. But, if I have a French licence and are caught on camera in UK, how do they get the fine?
The wheels for harmonisation turn slowly it seems.
#24
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Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
There is no doubt that it is a dogs breakfast. It doesn't help when you exchange a UK licence for a French one yet retain groups such as C1, C1E, and D1E when by default the French are limited to 3,500kg without a further test.
Mechanisms are in place for authoritities to exchange information but few countries seem to bother. Italy it seems is getting quite hot on it though and I believe that France and Belgium also routinely enforce fines, a convenience due to the common language no doubt.
If you are flashed in UK in a foreign registered vehicle then nothing will happen just the same as if you got flashed in a UK regged car in France, the process for tracing a driver is just too cumbersome. If you got stopped however then you would be fined, possibly even arrested and taken to court the next day, and DVLA would create a virtual licence in your name to record the points. Accumulate 12 and French licence or not you will effectively be banned from driving in UK.
Mechanisms are in place for authoritities to exchange information but few countries seem to bother. Italy it seems is getting quite hot on it though and I believe that France and Belgium also routinely enforce fines, a convenience due to the common language no doubt.
If you are flashed in UK in a foreign registered vehicle then nothing will happen just the same as if you got flashed in a UK regged car in France, the process for tracing a driver is just too cumbersome. If you got stopped however then you would be fined, possibly even arrested and taken to court the next day, and DVLA would create a virtual licence in your name to record the points. Accumulate 12 and French licence or not you will effectively be banned from driving in UK.
#25
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,551
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
There is no doubt that it is a dogs breakfast. It doesn't help when you exchange a UK licence for a French one yet retain groups such as C1, C1E, and D1E when by default the French are limited to 3,500kg without a further test.
Mechanisms are in place for authoritities to exchange information but few countries seem to bother. Italy it seems is getting quite hot on it though and I believe that France and Belgium also routinely enforce fines, a convenience due to the common language no doubt.
If you are flashed in UK in a foreign registered vehicle then nothing will happen just the same as if you got flashed in a UK regged car in France, the process for tracing a driver is just too cumbersome. If you got stopped however then you would be fined, possibly even arrested and taken to court the next day, and DVLA would create a virtual licence in your name to record the points. Accumulate 12 and French licence or not you will effectively be banned from driving in UK.
Mechanisms are in place for authoritities to exchange information but few countries seem to bother. Italy it seems is getting quite hot on it though and I believe that France and Belgium also routinely enforce fines, a convenience due to the common language no doubt.
If you are flashed in UK in a foreign registered vehicle then nothing will happen just the same as if you got flashed in a UK regged car in France, the process for tracing a driver is just too cumbersome. If you got stopped however then you would be fined, possibly even arrested and taken to court the next day, and DVLA would create a virtual licence in your name to record the points. Accumulate 12 and French licence or not you will effectively be banned from driving in UK.
Being flashed by a Camera Speed Trap is a blessing, When in a foreign car if you are leaving the country in the near future. If you remain in the area and that car has collected a bunch of Speed Trap fines there is probably not much stopping the Gendarmes getting quite shirty with you. ANPR systems are being rolled out here anyway. But I hear the French are working on their own version of ANPR and it keeps sending itself a fine for not having a Road Tax.
Last edited by Ka Ora!; Jun 18th 2010 at 11:14 am.
#27
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,551
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Last Year.
I don't know where the Official bit is but it applies to Non Dom drivers in the UK HERE.
It may have been a pilot scheme initially, But changes were made to the Road Traffic Act.
I know someone on the Task Farce
I don't know where the Official bit is but it applies to Non Dom drivers in the UK HERE.
It may have been a pilot scheme initially, But changes were made to the Road Traffic Act.
I know someone on the Task Farce
Last edited by Ka Ora!; Jun 18th 2010 at 1:48 pm.
#28
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Location: SE Dordogne France
Posts: 982
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Ah, a bit of a question of semantics then. I knew about the 'deposit' scheme but had not regarded it as an on the spot fine, which technically it isn't, hence my query
#29
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,551
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
And they will escort you to a Cash Point.
Last edited by Ka Ora!; Jun 18th 2010 at 4:31 pm.
#30
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
If someone can help me clarify something on this rather complicated driving license situation I would be truly grateful.
Firstly, I am a resident in France with a British driving license. Ive had a couple of speeding tickets on my British license, ive paid the fines.
So… Question 1: have I had any points taken off or not? i.e. am I still on 12 or have my offences reduced this, given the fact that I have a British license?
Secondly.. I believe that it is mandatory to change a British license to a French one when one commits a speeding offence. I have not done that (yet) if we assume that I HAVE lost some points and in the future I go to change my British license to a French one do you think the authorities will throw the book at me as I did not change my license after my first offence.
Many thanks for any advise,
Jason
Paris
Firstly, I am a resident in France with a British driving license. Ive had a couple of speeding tickets on my British license, ive paid the fines.
So… Question 1: have I had any points taken off or not? i.e. am I still on 12 or have my offences reduced this, given the fact that I have a British license?
Secondly.. I believe that it is mandatory to change a British license to a French one when one commits a speeding offence. I have not done that (yet) if we assume that I HAVE lost some points and in the future I go to change my British license to a French one do you think the authorities will throw the book at me as I did not change my license after my first offence.
Many thanks for any advise,
Jason
Paris