What are the conditions for driving abroad?
Driving abroadWhether for work, vacation or expatriation, you may want to take your car when traveling in a foreign country or rent one locally .
Before setting out to conquer the roads and highways of the world and to avoid any disappointment, it is important to find out about the conditions of use of the foreign or international driving license.
Driving abroad with your French license
Holding a valid French driving license allows you to drive abroad, particularly within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA).
The 28 countries that make up the European Union are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, La Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. To this list are added Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to form the European Economic Area.
Since September 16, 2013, France has adopted the European driving license which is valid in all countries of the European Union. This new format is similar to that of a credit card. It incorporates new categories as well as an electronic chip containing all the information relating to the holder.
The pink licenses remain however valid until 2033, their replacement will be done gradually, at the level of the prefectures, from 2015. Unlike the old model which was valid for life, the new driving license is for 15 years for categories A and B, and 5 years for categories C and D.
Can I drive with a foreign license in France?
If you hold a driving license issued in a country of the European Economic Area , you can use it in France without any time limit. However, this permit must be valid and the holder must have reached the minimum age to drive in the required category. He is also obliged to follow the medical indications listed on the permit, for example the obligation to wear glasses.
In addition, the holder of the driving license cannot in any case have been subject to a measure of restriction, suspension or cancellation of the right to drive in his country of origin. For example, a Romanian can very well use the driving license issued in his country if he meets these conditions.
You can also exchange your license for a French licence, without this being compulsory. This exchange only becomes imperative if you commit an offense in France resulting in the withdrawal, suspension, restriction or cancellation of your license or even a loss of points. A Czech can thus drive with his national license on French roads, but if he runs a red light, he must necessarily exchange it for a French licence.
If you hold a driving license issued outside the borders of the European Economic Area , it remains valid for a maximum of one year from your arrival in France. The conditions of restrictions (validity, age, etc.) are identical to those of the driving license issued in an EEA country with, in addition, the obligation that this non-European driving license has been delivered well before the date validity of the residence permit in France. Concretely, a Senegalese can use the license issued by his country for one year, before applying for a French license if he wishes to continue driving in France.
What is the International Driving Permit?
As its name suggests, the international driving permit allows you to drive a vehicle in countries that do not accept foreign permits. It is translated into several languages in order to be understood by the authorities of many nations and it is valid for a maximum of 3 years.
It is important to find out about the usefulness of this document in your country of destination. Indeed, the French license is valid for a stay of three months in the United States, but the State of Florida requires the international driving license to circulate on its roads.
To obtain it, you must submit a request to the prefecture or sub-prefecture of your place of residence, or to the police prefecture if you live in Paris. Your file will consist of the application form duly completed and signed, two recent and identical passport photos, proof of identity and your French driving license which will be returned to you with the international driving licence. Depending on where you submit your file, the waiting period may vary from a few hours to 15 days.
The ideal, for countries like Seychelles, Qatar, Brazil, Morocco, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or Thailand, is to bring your international driving license with its French counterpart so as not to risk a fine from an overzealous policeman who does not recognize the French title.
Driving abroad allows you to move at your own pace and according to your desires, while freeing you from the constraints of public transport. It is important to be well informed in advance of the conditions of validity of the driving license so as not to be caught off guard and to be able to fully enjoy your stay.
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