Americans getting a driving license in France

Member since 26 December 2010

merquiadesNew member17 May 2012 10:23:33

According to the rules I have been told, you have to exchange your American driver's license (mine is from Ohio) within 1 year of moving to France and getting your first Carte de S茅jour. Otherwise, if you are a French citizen you have to go back to the States, stay there for 6 months, and register with the consulate before going back to France to exchange the license. Otherwise, if you wait too long or do not follow this bureaucratic process you have to go to a driving school, pay several hundred euros, and take a difficult written and practical exam which many fail.

Can anybody confirm to me that this is the only way to drive in France and/or get a driving license? I hope not! That doesn't leave me many options as I have already lived in France for several years (I now have dual nationality). I would be interested in hearing about your experiences driving and/or getting a French license, especially if you got around this seemingly rigid rule. Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences and/or advice! Rontay (blog floating in France)

Harmonie ViP

Member since 13 June 2011

HarmonieViP17 May 2012 11:18:08

19273

Hello merquiades and welcome to the forum!

Hope that other members will soon shed a light on you.

Harmonie.

merquiades New member

Member since 26 December 2010

merquiadesNew member17 May 2012 20:28:39

Thank you very much, Harmonie:) I'm crossing my fingers.

tlyn63 Member

Member since 07 December 2011

tlyn63Member22 May 2012 15:14:22

Hi, I am from Wisconsin and moved to France in 2009 and I hate to tell you this but "yes, you will have to get a French drivers license".聽 I don't know how long you've been living in France because you say you are a "French citizen", but that doesn't matter.聽 If you've been here longer than one year and you are not from one of the states that has reciprocity, you have no choice but to get a French drivers license (unless you want to driver illegally...which is up to you but could cause problems if you ever get in a serious car accident.聽 I was told you will lose all driving rights in France and have to deal with the French Embassy if that every happens). You do not have to move back to the U.S. for 6 months and apply again with the U.S. Consulate.聽 All you have to do is find a driving school and take the class.聽 Now, it is a headache and does cost at LEAST 1500 Euros but it's the requirements. Where are you living? I was able to find a school that taught in English but it all depends where you live.聽 I'm sure if you're a French citizen then you probably speak French so it will make it easier.聽 I didn't speak ANY French and I passed it.聽 I had to take the written test twice but most French people have to take it more than once.聽 It took me a total of 6 months (which includes on-the-road) but I made it.聽 Even though you've probably been driving in France for a while, the driving test is totally different so you will have to go to a driving school as well to know the "rules".聽 Now, you won't have to EXCHANGE your Ohio license...you'll just get a French license and you can keep your Ohio license.聽
I'm sorry to say this but it will be very difficult to get around the rules because you've been living here for a while.聽 You may have gotten around it if you wouldn't be living here yet, but because you've been here for a while, there is no way you can go to one of the states that has reciprocity and get a license and exchange it.聽 By now you know the French system and all the paperwork you have to provide, so I hate to tell you this but I don't think you have any choice if you want to be totally legal.聽
Sorry for the bad news.聽 My husband is French and we looked into any type of loop hole before I signing up for school.聽 Believe me, I wanted to avoid it too but I had no choice.
Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
Here is the link from the French Embassy website.聽
Good luck
Tammy