Driving licence: exchange for a French one
A licence issued outside the EU is valid in France for 1 year after you settle here. To keep driving, you exchange it for a French one.
What to do
- With a first residence card (titre de séjour), apply within 1 year of the day it is handed to you. A renewal does not open this delay again.
- Apply online on France Titres (ANTS); the tax stamp is 40 €. Not every country and category can be exchanged: Service-Public has the list.
- Documents: both sides of the licence and a translation, a certificate of driving rights less than 6 months old with a translation, a proof of address less than 6 months old, your residence document.
- With an APS "bénéficiaire de la protection temporaire" (for example from Ukraine) you can drive with your valid licence, carrying your passport or APS.
Official sources
- Service-Public F1460: Exchanging a non-European licence (12 May 2026)
- Service-Public F36341: Ukrainian licence in France (20 February 2025)
Checked: 2 October 2026. Official pages are in French. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Start for freePrivate service, not affiliated with the French government. Information and preparation, not legal advice.