Last verified: 4 October 2026, based on the official pages cited at the bottom of the page.

The facts — your foreign licence only lasts one year

If you move to France with a licence issued outside the EU/EEA, it is valid for 1 year from the date you acquire your normal residence (résidence normale) in France — not from the date of your arrival flight. To drive after that, you must exchange it for a French licence. And if your licence is not exchangeable, you will have to retake the test.

Three situations change the rule:

• You are a student (residence permit (titre de séjour) "student") or hold a RECE (job search / business creation): no need to exchange: you can drive with your non-European licence as long as your residence permit (student or RECE) is valid — your licence must be valid, issued by the country where you had your normal residence before coming to study in France, and, if it is not in French, accompanied by an official translation.
• UK licence issued before 2021: recognised in France as long as it is valid, with no need to exchange — except if the licence is no longer valid, if it has been stolen, lost or damaged, if you apply for a new category, or if you commit an offence in France resulting in loss of points, restriction, suspension or cancellation: in these cases, exchange becomes compulsory.
• UK licence issued in 2021 or after: same rule as other non-European licences — recognised for 1 year, exchange must be requested within the deadline.

Step 1 — Check if your licence is exchangeable

It all depends on the list of countries whose licences are exchangeable with France (list from the Ministry of the Interior in force as of 1 May 2026). Your licence is exchangeable if all the following conditions are met:

• It was issued by a country on the list, for an equivalent category and issued according to requirements comparable to French standards.
• You had your normal residence (résidence normale) in the country of issue before moving to France.
• If you are not a national of the EU, EEA, Switzerland or Monaco: it was obtained before you received your first residence permit (titre de séjour) (or the validation of your VLS-TS; with international protection, the application receipt (récépissé) described in step 2).
• It is valid at the time you submit your application (this condition does not apply to refugees, stateless persons and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection), and it is a physical document: electronic or dematerialised licences cannot be exchanged, as the foreign licence must be handed in when exchanging.
• The right to drive was obtained by passing both the theory and practical tests and is not subject to any suspension, withdrawal or cancellation in the country of issue.

What the current list contains (extracts, not exhaustive — check your case on the official simulator at the bottom of the page):

• 🌍 Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Togo, South Africa, Mauritius…
• 🌏 Asia: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macao…
• 🌎 America: Brazil; Canada (only certain provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador…); United States (only certain states: Arkansas, South Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin…).
• 🇨🇳 China: exchange possible for licences issued from 1 April 2008 (Franco-Chinese agreement in force since 17 August 2021). The official list indicates French categories A (motorbike) and B (car); for motorbikes, the exchange does not directly give you an A licence: an A2 licence is issued, and the A licence is obtained after training, after 2 years.
• ❌ Not on the list: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria… → exchange impossible, you must retake the test in France.

💡 The list changes: diplomatie.gouv.fr, for example, announces the end of reciprocal exchange with several countries, including the Bahamas, Mali and Niger, from 1 May 2026. Always check the current version on the simulator when you apply.

Step 2 — The exchange application on France Titres - ANTS

The deadline: less than 1 year. The starting point depends on your situation:

• First residence permit (titre de séjour): less than 1 year after the date you receive your permit. Note: this deadline does not restart when you renew your permit or change status.
• VLS-TS (long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit): less than 1 year after the online validation of your visa or after the OFII sticker is placed in your passport.
• International protection (Ofpra): less than 1 year after you receive the application receipt (récépissé) for a residence permit application serving as a right to stay — the one that states "Recognised refugee", "has been granted subsidiary protection" or "has applied for the issue of a first residence permit as a beneficiary of stateless status".

After this deadline, you are no longer eligible for exchange: to continue driving, you will have to take the French driving test. diplomatie.gouv.fr — in its section on the agreement with Moldova, where it reminds of the rule for licences from outside the EU/EEA — advises not to wait for the physical residence permit to be handed over to you before starting the process, which can take some time: your online residence permit application account allows you to download certificates proving your right to stay.

Student changing status: at the end of your studies, if you obtain a residence permit other than student, apply for the exchange when you change permit, and at the latest within the year following receipt of your new permit.

The procedure, online at permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr (France Titres - ANTS):

1. On the France Titres (ANTS) website, log in to your ANTS account — you can log in with the username and password from an Impots.gouv, Ameli, L'Identité numérique (La Poste) or France identité account — then start the procedure "Exchange a foreign licence or one obtained in a Com for a French licence".
2. Upload the documents: colour image of both sides of your licence, translation if the licence is not written in French, proof of identity, proof of address (justificatif de domicile) less than 6 months old, proof of legal residence, photo code and digital signature (otherwise a photo-signature form to be sent by post), certificate of driving rights less than 6 months old issued by the foreign authorities (with translation if needed; except if you have international protection from Ofpra: in that case, the official list of documents does not require this certificate), and — if you do not have the nationality of the country that issued the licence — proof of normal residence (résidence normale) in that country at the time the licence was obtained (consular certificate, employment contract, payslips, etc.).
3. Licence translation: in France, by an authorised translator or the embassy of the issuing country; if done abroad, it must be legalised or apostilled. For the certificate of driving rights, the translation must be done in France by an authorised translator.
4. Fee: electronic tax stamp (timbre fiscal) of €40 (€20 in French Guiana), paid at the end of the online procedure.
5. The processing service may ask you for the originals if necessary.

While your application is being processed:

• You can continue to drive with your licence, as you keep it: processing can take several months depending on the complexity of your case.
• At the end of processing, your original licence will be requested for verification (to be sent by registered post, upon invitation by SMS and email). Once the original is received, you can download a secure deposit certificate (ADS) valid for 4 months, which allows you to drive while waiting for your French licence — within the limit of the recognition period of your foreign licence.
• Delivery: about 15 days after the validation SMS, your French licence arrives by Lettre suivie.

Step 3 — Special cases to know

🇺🇸 American licence (or issued by a country whose nationality you do not have) The United States list only applies to the states listed, and if you do not have the nationality of the country that issued the licence, you must prove normal residence (résidence normale) in that country at the time of issue (consular certificate, employment contract, payslips, work certificates, etc.).

🇨🇳 Chinese licence Exchange is possible for licences issued from 1 April 2008 onwards, to be requested within the year following the acquisition of your normal residence, on the France Titres - ANTS website.

📱 Electronic or dematerialised licence Not exchangeable: the regulations require you to hand in a physical licence. If your country no longer issues physical licences, check before counting on an exchange.

🎓 Licence obtained in your country while studying in France If you obtain your non-European licence during a stay in your country while you are a student in France, you can drive with it until the end of your studies.

🪪 Foreign probationary licence If your original licence is probationary, the French licence obtained in exchange will also be probationary, and the length of time you have held your foreign probationary licence will be taken into account. The French licence is then valid for 15 years from its date of issue.

🌐 International licence This is an official translation of your licence, not a standalone licence: it is not sufficient to drive and must be accompanied by the original licence.

Step 4 — If you have to retake the test: the official figures

For an Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or any other non-exchangeable licence, you must retake the test. Here is what the official pages say:

Theory test (Code de la route)

• Registration for the theory test: €30, to be paid again if you fail. Training fees vary depending on the school and the preparation chosen.

Practical driving

• Minimum duration of practical training for a first licence: 20 hours (at least 15 hours on open roads); for automatic cars, at least 13 hours, including 10 on open roads.
• Already know how to drive? According to France Diplomatie, anyone legally residing in France, holding a valid foreign licence, and proving they have already completed 20 hours of training, can be exempted from the minimum 20 hours before the practical test for licence B. To take the test in France as a foreigner, you must have lived there for at least 6 months and have a valid residence permit (titre de séjour).
• If you go through a driving school, they will book your spot for the practical test on the RdvPermis platform.

Tip: the total cost depends on the city, the driving school, and the number of hours you need. Ask for several quotes, and say up front that you already know how to drive.

Step 5 — Common pitfalls

🚨 Letting the year pass before requesting the exchange The exchange must be requested less than 1 year after the starting point that matches your situation (receipt of the permit, visa validation, OFII sticker). After this deadline, exchange is no longer possible: you will have to retake the test.

🚨 Submitting a translation "done by a friend" If your licence is not written in French, the translation must be done in France by an authorised translator or the embassy of the issuing country; if done abroad, it must be legalised or apostilled. An informal translation is not accepted.

🚨 Paying or sending things in the wrong order The tax stamp (timbre fiscal) (€40) is paid at the end of the online process. And only send your original licence after the request from the processing service, by registered mail.

🚨 Driving after the year without an exchange or French licence Driving without a valid licence is a criminal offence: up to 1 year in prison and a fine of up to €15,000, with the vehicle immobilised and impounded, and possible confiscation if you own it. For a first offence, committed by an adult, recorded by electronic report after being stopped, a fixed fine of €800 may be applied (€640 if paid promptly).

🚨 Relying on a digital licence or an invented timeframe Neither the processing time (several months, depending on the complexity of the case) nor the prices for driving hours are set by a single official figure: be wary of guides that promise you a specific timeframe.

Step 6 — Official resources

• 📋 Exchange of driving licence obtained outside Europe (EU/EEA) — settling in France — Service-Public
• 📋 Driving in France with a foreign licence during a short stay or for the duration of studies — Service-Public
• 📋 Fixed fine for the offence of driving without a licence — Service-Public
• 📋 Category B licence: car or van — Service-Public
• 🌍 List of countries whose licences are exchangeable (as of 1 May 2026) — Sécurité routière / Ministère de l'Intérieur
• 🌍 Driving abroad — France Diplomatie

And what about Pionra?

Pionra does not convert your licence. It's the place where newcomers share information: how it really went, in which city, and how long it took.

Have you just completed this process? Share your experience in a comment or in a note — that's what will help those who come after you the most.