driving in france licences residance and the DVLA?
Discussion
Hi Can anyone explain the rules to me ?
We are still planning to relocate to France despite Brexit , if anything it has firmed our resolve to establish ourselves before the cut off point!
We have family already in France but they arrived in the 80s and are still driving round on old pre photo licences at old uk addresses with just the address in France filled in on the back by themselves.
What happens when they get to 70 and need to renew?
So what do we need to do ? We could follow their example but would need to renew our photo licences every few years so will DVLA change an address to France?
Do we need a French Licence?
We both have car and motorcycle use so would we need to take multiple tests?
Do we change our address to a family member in uk and just update them as and when ?
I trust there is a uk computer that tracks all data such as pensions and passports so the address would be a red flag anyway?
So what do you do, what is the correct procedure and do you think it will change dramatically post Brexit?
Many Thanks
We are still planning to relocate to France despite Brexit , if anything it has firmed our resolve to establish ourselves before the cut off point!
We have family already in France but they arrived in the 80s and are still driving round on old pre photo licences at old uk addresses with just the address in France filled in on the back by themselves.
What happens when they get to 70 and need to renew?
So what do we need to do ? We could follow their example but would need to renew our photo licences every few years so will DVLA change an address to France?
Do we need a French Licence?
We both have car and motorcycle use so would we need to take multiple tests?
Do we change our address to a family member in uk and just update them as and when ?
I trust there is a uk computer that tracks all data such as pensions and passports so the address would be a red flag anyway?
So what do you do, what is the correct procedure and do you think it will change dramatically post Brexit?
Many Thanks
With freedom of movement your UK license is European. I still have a UK address so have not encountered a problem updating it.
It is impossible to have an idea of what the eventual outcome of Brexit will be, but logically, Brits will, once again, have to have a residency permit just as Americans and Kiwis currently do. At that time, I am certain that we will also be required to have a French EU driving license.
Having been French resident for tax for the last 12-years I do not envisage a huge problem changing-over, only delays and hassle, but that is normal.
The main thing to beware of is arbitrary cut-off dates. At the moment, the only known is end of March 2019.
It is impossible to have an idea of what the eventual outcome of Brexit will be, but logically, Brits will, once again, have to have a residency permit just as Americans and Kiwis currently do. At that time, I am certain that we will also be required to have a French EU driving license.
Having been French resident for tax for the last 12-years I do not envisage a huge problem changing-over, only delays and hassle, but that is normal.
The main thing to beware of is arbitrary cut-off dates. At the moment, the only known is end of March 2019.
Your right to drive in France with your UK license is shown here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroi... You do not have to exchange for a french license unless you lose points . In France you start with 12 points - 6 for a new driver - and points are subtracted for infractions, and individually given back after a clean six months. They are not physically marked on your license.
Your right to exchange your license for a french one is shown here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroi... theres a link to the forms required. There's no test required to exchange, but keep a photocopy of your UK licence and check you've been given all the categories. You may lose certain categories after a short period of time, heavy vehicles, and towing over 750KG for example. Check these out beforehand if they are important to you.
Note that the right is for holders of licenses issued by an EEE (not UE) member state, and existing UK licenses thus qualify. Like everything else, whether UK licences will remain valid after brexit is anyone's guess.
We exchanged our licenses a few years ago to avoid the cut off at 70. Very smooth, fast, free of charge.
Steve
Your right to exchange your license for a french one is shown here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroi... theres a link to the forms required. There's no test required to exchange, but keep a photocopy of your UK licence and check you've been given all the categories. You may lose certain categories after a short period of time, heavy vehicles, and towing over 750KG for example. Check these out beforehand if they are important to you.
Note that the right is for holders of licenses issued by an EEE (not UE) member state, and existing UK licenses thus qualify. Like everything else, whether UK licences will remain valid after brexit is anyone's guess.
We exchanged our licenses a few years ago to avoid the cut off at 70. Very smooth, fast, free of charge.
Steve
Terryg4 said:
Our UK photo licences ran out a few years ago and we thought we would get French licences.
No problem at all, but we had to have a medical (very quick) to keep all the classes of the licence including trailer towing.
I think you can do it either way.
After I wrote my post above I came across this: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroi... Note the second point re what you can tow with a normal permis B. Digging further on French caravanning and boating sites, it appears that the government heeded leisure tower's concerns in 2013 and adopted the overall PTAC of vehicle + trailer, rather than that of the trailer alone.No problem at all, but we had to have a medical (very quick) to keep all the classes of the licence including trailer towing.
I think you can do it either way.
I hadn't heard of this before.
Steve
Not yet changed ours over but after enquiring we were told we needed proof of 0 points from the UK and a "traduction assermentée" meaning a translation by an approved translator. This is amongst other things for my wife for example who switched her French licence for a U.K. one 25 years ago and they are asking for proof of residency in the U.K. at that time (also translated). Finally check with your local office how many photos you need, the number varies from place to place and what is required on the form isn't gospel. You have to love French bureaucracy 
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