Exchange a Foreign Driver's License in France (2026)

Miss the one-year deadline and an executive with decades of clean driving may have to take the French driving test from scratch.

For assignees in central Paris, driving can wait. For those moving to Sophia Antipolis, suburban Toulouse or the western Paris suburbs, a car is often needed from day one. This guide explains how to exchange a foreign driver's license in France: who must do it, the deadline, which countries and US states qualify, and the documents to prepare.

The One-Year Rule

A license issued outside the EU and EEA is recognised in France for one year after the holder takes up normal residence. To keep driving after that, the holder must exchange it, if an exchange agreement exists, before the year is over.

For a holder of a long-stay visa that serves as a residence permit (VLS-TS), the year runs from the date the visa was validated online. For other residence permits, it runs from the date the first permit was issued.

Two traps

• Renewing a residence permit does not restart the clock. A later card or a change of status does not open a new exchange window. An assignee who waits until year two or three will be too late.
• The exchange is a one-time window. If the deadline passes, the foreign license can no longer be used to drive in France.

Who Can Exchange?

An exchange is possible only if the country, or for federal countries the specific state or province, that issued the license has an exchange agreement with France. The holder must also have been resident in that country or state when the license was issued.

The United States

France exchanges licenses state by state. As of 2026, 18 states have an agreement: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. Some agreements cover only car licenses (category B). Licenses from other states, such as California or New York, cannot be exchanged: their holders can drive for the first year, then must pass the French test.

Other origins

• EU and EEA licenses remain valid in France; an exchange is only required in specific cases, such as an offence in France leading to a restriction.
• UK and other non-EU countries: the rules depend on the current agreement and, sometimes, on the license's date of issue.

The list changes: always confirm with the official eligibility simulator on Service-Public.fr before filing.

Rules by License Origin

License issued in

Exchange possible?

Why the Certificate of Driving Rights Matters

Scanning the plastic card is not enough. The French authorities need an official document from the authority that issued the license, confirming that it is valid and not suspended, and recent enough to be accepted. Depending on the country, it is called a driving record, a driver abstract or a certificate of entitlement. It is the document most often missing from files, so request it early.

The Procedure

Applications are made online on the official ANTS (France Titres) website. Since 1 May 2026, an exchange requires a €40 tax stamp.

Prepare:

• Colour scans of both sides of the foreign license
• A recent certificate of driving rights (driving record) from the issuing authority
• Translations by a sworn translator where required
• Passport and residence document (with the visa validation date)
• Proof of address in France
• Proof of residence in the issuing state or country when the license was issued
• An official digital photo and signature code (e-photo)
• The €40 electronic tax stamp

At the end of the process, the original license is sent to the authorities and the French license is delivered by post. Make sure the assignee's name is on the mailbox.

Without an Exchange Agreement

An assignee from a non-agreement state or country must take the French theory test (code) and practical test before the end of the first year to keep driving. Start early: booking test slots can take time.

A Timeline That Works

Before departure

• Check eligibility with the official simulator.
• Order the certificate of driving rights from the issuing authority.
• Gather proof of residence in the state or country that issued the license.

First month in France

• Validate the long-stay visa and note the date: it starts the one-year clock.
• Get translations done where required.

Months two to six

• File the exchange online with all documents.
• Keep driving with the foreign license, within the first year, while the file is processed.

If no exchange is possible

• Register for the French driving test early and plan lessons if needed, so the tests are passed before the year ends.

Common Mistakes

Assuming a US license works everywhere in France. It does, but only for the first year, and exchange depends on the state that issued it.

Getting a new license in another state just before moving. The holder must have been resident in the issuing state when the license was issued; a last-minute license from another state is likely to be refused.

Waiting for the residence card renewal. A renewal does not reopen the window.

Forgetting the spouse. The accompanying partner faces the same deadline and the same rules.

How Le Mendèlle Helps

Le Mendèlle's Admin team checks license eligibility in the first month and manages the exchange file, alongside housing, through a single point of contact. See how it fits into the first 30 days in France, and, for families moving to the suburbs, our guide to Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

FAQ

Sources: Service-Public.fr – Exchanging a non-EU license · ANTS – France Titres