Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Feb 28th 2012 | 3:52 am
#151
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,459
From: On the edge
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
An ongoing topic I know....I am in the process of selling up in the UK. I believe from the DVLA I do not have to notify them of the incorrect address on the licence,as they aren't too bothered about this. However am I OK to keep the UK licence going until it expireswith the wrong address on? I understand you have to be resident for a year in France before you can do anything with the prefecteur and transfering your licence to a french one? Also, the hire car company in the UK picked up two different addresses on my husbands documents yesterday, does this cause a problem if you have an invalid UK address on your licence but reside in France? Yesterday wasn't a problem, but may be if we didn't have the UK address any more.
Yes, the DVLA accept that there will be an incorrect address on your licence, as part of the licence agreement between the countries
A UK photo licence is OK to use in most EU countries instead of one of the licences of the country you are living in. The DVLA however do not renew licences to non UK addresses for non UK residents. Therefore if you come to the 10 year renewal point on your licence, you will have to take a French one instead.
I never had a problem with car hire companies, as my UK licence is registered to my UK address which is also where my credit card is registered to. I always take a utility bill from both addresses just in case
Feb 28th 2012 | 3:53 am
#152
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
From: Scotland & Touraine [37]
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
An ongoing topic I know....I am in the process of selling up in the UK. I believe from the DVLA I do not have to notify them of the incorrect address on the licence,as they aren't too bothered about this. However am I OK to keep the UK licence going until it expireswith the wrong address on? I understand you have to be resident for a year in France before you can do anything with the prefecteur and transfering your licence to a french one? Also, the hire car company in the UK picked up two different addresses on my husbands documents yesterday, does this cause a problem if you have an invalid UK address on your licence but reside in France? Yesterday wasn't a problem, but may be if we didn't have the UK address any more.
Apart from age limits, it is the photo that expires.
If possible change your photo before you leave the UK and you will have 10 years before the next renewal.
Feb 28th 2012 | 4:29 am
#153
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,343
From: Le Givre 85
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Feb 28th 2012 | 4:33 am
#154
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
From: Scotland & Touraine [37]
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Your licence will need renewal at age 70.
My daughter moved home last year and I advised her to supply a new photo because you don't pay a fee for change of address and the new photo starts the clock on the 10 year cycle again
Feb 28th 2012 | 5:45 am
#155
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,343
From: Le Givre 85
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
That is what the "apart from age limits" means.
Your licence will need renewal at age 70.
My daughter moved home last year and I advised her to supply a new photo because you don't pay a fee for change of address and the new photo starts the clock on the 10 year cycle again
Your licence will need renewal at age 70.
My daughter moved home last year and I advised her to supply a new photo because you don't pay a fee for change of address and the new photo starts the clock on the 10 year cycle again
Last edited by cjm; Feb 28th 2012 at 6:03 am. Reason: Incompetent writtting!
Feb 28th 2012 | 6:38 am
#156
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 982
From: SE Dordogne France
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
The defining document you need in order to exchange your licence is a bona-fide French address typically demonstrated by a utility bill. This means that say you had a holiday home but decided to move permanently since you would already have utility bills you could pop down to the prefecture on day one and exchange your licence if you felt like it.
Feb 29th 2012 | 5:08 am
#157
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,395
From: 32 Gers ; Between Toulouse and Auch
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Hi there; yes no basis in fact but the prefecture in Toulouse stated it as fact when I went to change my licence.
Luckily I had been there that long then; I think they do it to avoid the hassle of issuing a new licence for a temporary resident
Luckily I had been there that long then; I think they do it to avoid the hassle of issuing a new licence for a temporary resident
Feb 29th 2012 | 7:42 am
#158
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 982
From: SE Dordogne France
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Possibly but it sounds more to me like a perverse misapplication of the old rule which said that you had to exchange a foreign licence after a year, as most non EU licence holders still have to.
Disappointing that a prefecture in a big city like Toulouse are making such mistakes.
Disappointing that a prefecture in a big city like Toulouse are making such mistakes.
Mar 1st 2012 | 1:16 am
#159
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,343
From: Le Givre 85
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
You seem to be very confused unless you are talking about countries outside the EU.
You may drive your car a hired car or indeed a car purchased in the said country, without being a permanent resident. Off course in France we don't have road tax other countries I am no longer sure because Italy and Spain used to have a form of tax but I suspect they now put it on the fuel. In my opinion the best way the more you use the more you pay, but to be fair it should be on the mileage, but that means fitting a meter.
Now it's interesting that you have bought another problem because if you live in France and you have a English licence, are you allowed to drive a french reg 7.5 ton truck or a trailer over 500kilos. For example a French reg landrover pulling a 4 meter English trailer seems to be a no no.
You may drive your car a hired car or indeed a car purchased in the said country, without being a permanent resident. Off course in France we don't have road tax other countries I am no longer sure because Italy and Spain used to have a form of tax but I suspect they now put it on the fuel. In my opinion the best way the more you use the more you pay, but to be fair it should be on the mileage, but that means fitting a meter.
Now it's interesting that you have bought another problem because if you live in France and you have a English licence, are you allowed to drive a french reg 7.5 ton truck or a trailer over 500kilos. For example a French reg landrover pulling a 4 meter English trailer seems to be a no no.
I was advised that what is on your UK/EU licence is accepted authority to drive these other classes and if you switch to a French licence they remain part of the driving permissions.
Perhaps someone who has made that change in licences can advise us.
Mar 1st 2012 | 1:22 am
#160
Robert
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 153
From: Cher France
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Cjm,
My son applied for a French licence in November and was promised that he would keep his entitlement however it still has not arrived. We have been advise d that we are not entitled to use our trailer in France with a French reg vehicle, but may do so with a UK reg vehicle. Reason that one has to have insurance and a log book for trailers over 500kg and both are not cheap.
My son applied for a French licence in November and was promised that he would keep his entitlement however it still has not arrived. We have been advise d that we are not entitled to use our trailer in France with a French reg vehicle, but may do so with a UK reg vehicle. Reason that one has to have insurance and a log book for trailers over 500kg and both are not cheap.
Mar 1st 2012 | 2:25 am
#161
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,343
From: Le Givre 85
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Cjm,
My son applied for a French licence in November and was promised that he would keep his entitlement however it still has not arrived. We have been advise d that we are not entitled to use our trailer in France with a French reg vehicle, but may do so with a UK reg vehicle. Reason that one has to have insurance and a log book for trailers over 500kg and both are not cheap.
My son applied for a French licence in November and was promised that he would keep his entitlement however it still has not arrived. We have been advise d that we are not entitled to use our trailer in France with a French reg vehicle, but may do so with a UK reg vehicle. Reason that one has to have insurance and a log book for trailers over 500kg and both are not cheap.
Mar 1st 2012 | 8:08 am
#162
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 982
From: SE Dordogne France
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
If you exchange a UK licence for a French one you retain the groups and entitlements from your UK one. The fact that a French licence would normally be limited to 3500kg is irrelevant. I believe there may be an anomaly with UK automatic only licences as the French do not have this distinction so your exchanged automatic licence turns into a car licence for both auto and manual.
Trailers over 500kg requiring registration are cheap to insure, typically around €40/pa. no insurance is required in UK.
A point not appreciated by some: If you have a 500kg+ trailer with it's own registration and want to lend it to somebody then they MUST insure it themselves with their own car insurer, your insurance does not cover it for that purpose.
Trailers over 500kg requiring registration are cheap to insure, typically around €40/pa. no insurance is required in UK.
A point not appreciated by some: If you have a 500kg+ trailer with it's own registration and want to lend it to somebody then they MUST insure it themselves with their own car insurer, your insurance does not cover it for that purpose.
Mar 3rd 2012 | 9:09 am
#163
BE Co-Founder
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 25,930
From: Florida
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
Just an FYI to let you know that I've moved a load of posts into their own thread as there seemed to be a discussion going on about EU countries and travelers rather than exchanging a UK license for a French one (which is the title of this thread).
As you were.
As you were.
Mar 3rd 2012 | 12:03 pm
#164
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 83
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
so where is my posts on the subject now, whats the new topic
Mar 3rd 2012 | 12:11 pm
#165
BE Co-Founder
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 25,930
From: Florida
Re: Changing UK Driving licence for French one
See my post above: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=163
Which I might add you've already posted in .......
Which I might add you've already posted in .......
