US Driver Liscense in France

Daisy:

How long did it take you to get a French driver's license and HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

Do you know where to find the States that offer reciprocity? Might be a solution to bunk in with a friend form a while and get license there.

A lot of my friends have flunked the test. Amazing considering how the French drive!

If you are here more than 3 months, you will need a visa de long sejour, then a carte de sejour which makes you a resident of France. AFTER you get the carte de sejour, you have 12 months to get a French driving license. 17 states have agreements with France where you just automatically exchange your US license for a French one. A lot depends on where in France you are living as far as how strict they are about enforcing or not enforcing the law. So basically, we're talking about maybe 9 months or considerably less where you might have to feel nervous.

Carey: You've been here for quite a while. What have you discovered? I suspect you've had zero problems renting cars with your US driver's license. Do tell!

Robertlsu, Much depends on how you define "touble". Let me assure you the Guillotine is not used anymore. However After 3 months you really not a simple tourist anymore, and have to adhere to French law, which includes that you have to have a French Drivers licence. So you can get into some trouble, depending how strictly they want to enforce the law. Stacy there below gives you detailed and good advice. I would follow it.

BP Chuck

Erin, you're right in that technically you're only entitled to use your American license in France for a year. That said, I've known some Americans who have lived here for years and have owned and rented cars without getting a French license and so far have had no problems, even when being stopped in routine traffic controls by the police. None of them have had accidents, so I don't know what would happen in that case.

US residents who have licenses issued in certain states can exchange them directly for a French license without having to take the French test.

An international driver's license has no validity on its own; it's simply an internationally recognized translation of an existing license already valid in another country.

I am not sure that that is legal, nor such a good idea. Although you could get away with it. If you are American, I believe that technically your license is good for a year in France. You can double check me on this, but I am pretty sure. You can check to see if France and the US have an agreement, where you just go to the Mairie and take care of some paperwork (big suprise) and pay a fee of 30€ or so (another big suprise). Or maybe you can check into an international driver's license. Fortunately, I just had to do some paperwork, since my state has an agreement with France.

You said it is for just taking weekend trips, but I don't know. I would look into it more. The French police (gendarmes) patrol more and more and can be known to be extremely picky. Like I said, I would check into it a bit more. If not, just drive really well and try not to get pulled over during one of the routine check points.

For more info, go check out the thread "International Driver's License" where they talk about American licenses and the international license. I know that some on the thread say that the Int'l license means nothing but... maybe you could have your American license a year and then the Int'l license a year, if you wanted to play it safe. Okay enough rambling for me.

Definitely. In fact my wife lived there for 8 years and never got a French driver's license! However, it is nice to have one as it is good for life!

I will be living in Paris for two years and the present plan is not to apply for a Paris driver's liscense. Question - if I decide to rent a car on the weekends to make trips outside Paris will my US drivers liscense be suffice?

Carey