Can You Exchange a UK Driving Licence for a French One? How Long You Can Use It and How to Apply (2026)

Whether you can keep driving in France on your British licence, and for how long, depends on one date: when your licence was issued. This guide sets out what the UK and French official pages say, step by step. If you are still planning the move as a whole, start with moving to France from the UK.

The rule in one line

Both governments draw the same line at 1 January 2021.

• Issued before 1 January 2021: service-public.gouv.fr treats a British licence from that period like a European one. You can drive in France with it while it remains valid. GOV.UK says the same: you can use it until it expires.
• Issued after 1 January 2021: GOV.UK says you must exchange it for a French licence, within 12 months of your arrival in France. Service-public.gouv.fr says the exchange of a British licence issued in 2021 or after follows the rules for licences from non-European states.

Short stays are different. GOV.UK says you can drive in France for short stays, or if you are a student, with a licence issued in the UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.

You cannot renew or replace it from France

GOV.UK states that you cannot replace or renew a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence if you live in France. That is why the exchange matters even for older licences: there is no way to extend a British licence once you are resident.

When an exchange is required

GOV.UK says you must exchange your UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence for a French one if:

• it was issued after 1 January 2021 (make the exchange within 12 months of your arrival in France), or
• it was issued before 1 January 2021 and has expired, or will expire in the next 12 months.

For a pre-2021 licence, service-public.gouv.fr lists the cases where exchange is mandatory:

• the licence reaches the end of its validity,
• you ask for a new category,
• you commit an offence in France that leads to a loss of points, a restriction, a suspension or an annulment,
• the licence is lost, stolen or damaged.

Outside those cases, the page does not require an exchange for a pre-2021 licence.

How long you have

For a licence issued in 2021 or later, service-public.gouv.fr gives the deadline for a foreigner who arrived regularly in France for the first time: one year from the moment you acquire normal residence in France. If you hold a first residence permit, the period runs from the date it was handed to you. Renewing the permit does not restart the clock.

Service-public.gouv.fr also runs a simulator that lists the non-European states whose licences can be exchanged. When I selected the United Kingdom (page verified 1 May 2026, read on 17 October 2026), it answered that a British licence is exchangeable for a French one, and noted that exchange is not compulsory if the licence was issued before 2021. The same page says the exchange only works for licences of an equivalent category issued under conditions that meet French standards, and gives the example of a foreign B licence with significant restrictions such as limited driving hours or limited passengers, which cannot be exchanged for a French B. It also states that from 12 May 2026 the exchange of a foreign licence for a French one is paid, with a tax stamp of 40 euros (20 euros in Guyana).

GOV.UK words it as 12 months from arrival and warns that applications may take time to process and that you need your French licence to drive legally. Apply well before the end of the period.

The decree behind this rule is the arrêté of 12 January 2012 on the recognition and exchange of licences issued by states outside the EU and the EEA (Légifrance, read on 17 October 2026, the version of its Article 3 in force since 18 May 2022). It says that such a licence is recognised in France until one year after you acquire normal residence there, that you must ask for the exchange within that year, and that for a foreign national who is not an EU citizen the date of normal residence is the date the first residence permit is handed over. I could not read the annex that lists the states, so for the United Kingdom this guide relies on the service-public simulator described above. The ANTS page on exchanging a foreign licence (read on 17 October 2026) confirms the 40 euro stamp duty from 12 May 2026 and asks for proof of identity, proof of legal residence (a valid residence permit), proof of address less than six months old, your current licence, a certificate of entitlement to drive less than six months old from the issuing authority, a photo, and, if you are not a national of the issuing country, proof of normal residence there when the licence was issued. It asks for a translation by an approved translator of the licence and the certificate if they are not in French.

How to apply

The exchange is made online through the France Titres (ANTS) service. The steps below combine what GOV.UK and service-public.gouv.fr say.

1. Get your proof from the UK side

GOV.UK sets out what you need depending on where your licence was issued:

• England, Wales and Scotland: a check code from the DVLA.
• Northern Ireland: a check code from the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).
• Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man: a letter or certificate of entitlement from the relevant licensing authority.

For a Great Britain licence, the DVLA’s view or share your driving licence service creates the check code. You need your licence number, your National Insurance number and the postcode on your licence. GOV.UK states a check code is valid for 21 days, and that the service covers licences issued in England, Wales or Scotland, with Northern Ireland handled on a separate nidirect service. So create the code close to the day you apply.

2. Gather your documents

For a pre-2021 British licence, service-public.gouv.fr lists:

• an attestation of driving entitlements issued by the British authorities less than 6 months earlier, which lets the French side check that the licence has not been suspended, withdrawn or cancelled,
• a translation of that attestation if it is not in French, by a sworn translator in France,
• proof of normal residence in the UK when the licence was issued (for example a consular registration record or an employment contract), if you are not a British national.

The same page lists the usual documents: a colour copy of the front and back of the licence, proof of identity, proof of address less than 6 months old, proof of normal residence in France, a digital photo and signature, and the electronic fiscal stamp. Check the current list in the online service, because the French pages set out the documents by case.

3. Pay the stamp

Service-public.gouv.fr states that the electronic fiscal stamp costs 40 euros (20 euros in Guyane). It is paid at the end of the online application or bought beforehand.

4. Send the original if asked

The page says your original licence may be requested, and that you will be contacted by SMS and email to send it by registered mail.

5. Drive on the receipt

Once the original is received, you can download an attestation de dépôt sécurisée (ADS). Service-public.gouv.fr says it is valid for 4 months and lets you drive in France until your new licence arrives, within the period your foreign licence is recognised. GOV.UK describes the same receipt.

Conditions for the exchange

Service-public.gouv.fr says the licence must be valid, of an equivalent category and issued by a country on the reciprocity list. You must have passed the test in the issuing country and not have been suspended or cancelled. An official translation is needed if the licence is not in French. The page also refers to an online simulator that checks whether a non-European licence can be exchanged.

Licence categories

The official pages read for this guide give little detail on British categories. One rule is stated: the motorbike licence A cannot be obtained by exchange, and an A2 is issued. The page says training is then required after 2 years to move to the A. For any other category, check the result in the online service rather than assuming it carries across.

Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies

GOV.UK treats them together with Great Britain on the deadline: the same rules apply to UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences. Only the proof differs: the DVA check code for Northern Ireland, and a letter or certificate of entitlement from the licensing authority for Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The service-public.gouv.fr page read does not name Northern Ireland or the Crown Dependencies.

International Driving Permit

GOV.UK’s driving abroad page says not to apply for an International Driving Permit if you are moving abroad. Instead, exchange your UK licence or apply for a new one in the country you are moving to.

Points and penalties

The pages read do not describe a points system for British drivers, only that an offence in France leading to a loss of points, a restriction, a suspension or an annulment makes the exchange mandatory for a pre-2021 licence. Ask the ANTS helpline or the prefecture about anything specific to your record.

If you are bringing your car too

Your licence is one half of the picture. For the vehicle side, see bringing a UK car to France.

FAQ

Can I drive in France on my UK licence if I live there?

Yes, if it was issued before 1 January 2021 and is still valid, according to service-public.gouv.fr and GOV.UK. If it was issued after that date, GOV.UK says to exchange it within 12 months of your arrival.

Do I have to take a driving test?

For a licence that qualifies for exchange, the pages I read describe a paperwork procedure with no driving test. Service-public.gouv.fr says that if the conditions for exchange are not met, you must pass the French driving licence exam, and that a foreign licence which is not exchanged is valid for 1 year from the date you acquire normal residence in France (the page makes an exception for a British licence issued before 2021).

Can I renew my UK licence while living in France?

No. GOV.UK says you cannot replace or renew a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence if you live in France.

How much does the exchange cost?

Service-public.gouv.fr states an electronic fiscal stamp of 40 euros (20 euros in Guyane).

Can I drive while my application is processed?

Once your original licence is received, you can download an ADS valid for 4 months, according to service-public.gouv.fr. It lets you drive until the new licence arrives.

Where do I get a DVLA check code?

From the DVLA’s view or share your driving licence service, for licences issued in England, Wales or Scotland. Northern Irish licences use the DVA and nidirect.