What do I need to drive in France? Can I use my American Driver's license in France?

Рет қаралды 10,319

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер

@chrystele-fr Ай бұрын

I’m French but only had an American driving license from {unfortunately} North Carolina. Back in France, I and my son passed the written test and it was very difficult (more difficult than in the past). We had to try many times to succeed. However, you can try every week even though each times it costs you about 30 €. Learning to drive is tough as well even with an automatic because so many things are different and the French DMV inspectors are often very unfriendly people. Currently driving schools are overbooked so it makes very difficult to book lessons. Get a date to pass the driving test is even more complicated as there are not enough inspectors. At least it is like this in the South of France.

@Henning_Rech 11 ай бұрын

1:24 It is important to make clear that this "International Driving Permit" is not what it says - a driving permit. It is just a translation of your national driving permit, not a document by itself. You always have to carry BOTH - the national document and its translation!

@BaguetteBound 11 ай бұрын

Yes! This is true.

@philippem5695 7 ай бұрын

Le permis international européen est un permis en tant que tel à l'étranger.

@philippenachtergal6077 7 ай бұрын

@@philippem5695 Yes. For that matter any EU driving license should work in any EU country for any length of time. Once it expires or if you lose it / have it stolen, you have to get it renewed in the country where you reside officially but that should normally be just a formality.

@harrystuart1 2 күн бұрын

I've been watching your channel for a while now and I love your presentation and easy way of delivering important information. Living in another country is challenging at times, but very rewarding overall. You just have to keep your sense of humor because things often won't go according to plan. It's great that you're sharing your experiences. Love your work.

@MarianneInmarsilia 11 ай бұрын

I lived in Paris when I first arrived and didn’t own a car, so didn’t need to drive….so unfortunately inquired too late. My state is now on the exchange list , but wasn’t when I arrived in France 34 years ago. The French government had sent an invitation to all 50 states to establish an exchange, but only several states responded to the proposition . So eventually I did do the written test and then the driving test. I would say that it’s a totally different experience depending on whether you live in a large city or rural area. The test in the countryside is easy as my friends and family there have told me….in a large city like Paris, Marseille or Lyon it will be much more challenging !

@BaguetteBound 11 ай бұрын

Oh wow, yeah, I didn't even think about how different it would be to take it in the city vs country! I don't mind driving in the countryside at all, but in the city...oh my gosh! Bikes, trams, pedestrians, other cars, motorcycles, buses...it's crazy!

@rickconnors4099 11 ай бұрын

It almost sounds easier and less expensive to change state residency before moving. I have seen a couple stories about French driving school and driving tests to make me think this. A couple months in Colorado might not be so bad…

@trthib 11 ай бұрын

If you don't need to drive long distances you could also consider buying a citroen ami (or rent) which isn't technically a car in france but a quadricycle and can be driven by teenagers for example too. It is electric with limited range and can't go over 45km/h I think but depending on where you live and what you need it for it could work

@Belaziraf 8 ай бұрын

That's just rumors. Written tests are a matter of luck. They prepare a few pools of tests and change or update some every year. Each prefecture then pick a few they set on rotation. Some are easier, some harder but the wider factor of luck isn't difficulty but that the test revolves around what you know best. Then you have those who really know almost the regulation book by heart. Driving test is the most biased. It depends on very subjective matters. Like the examiner's mood (yeah, that's a real thing. Hopefully it happens rarely, but it does happen). Strictly speaking, the test end up with a yes or no, but the examiner will often explain why you fail if it was due to a very small flaw. Otherwise, it is up to you to understand why you failed. In that, your instructor from the driving school is a bit of a cheater as he will tell you exactly where you failed. In recent years, with high demands from accompanied driving licence (from 17, but I think it's a waste of money as you will have to retake a test once you're 18), driving schools receive a quota of places for written and practical tests. That quota will change depending on the success rate and the amount of people he send to the tests in a set time period. That system was implemented to fight against both corruption and scams from some professionals. Inciting you to pay for more hours than you need. That new system is also a way to incite driving schools to teach you more effectively. But make no mistake. With the license in their pocket, some youngster drive like in GTA or Mad Max. And it's not an exaggeration. So, in any case, stay alert when you drive. Because you follow the rules don't mean others do.

@almaznegus5067 6 ай бұрын

I follow you most of the time, but never written a comment; I admire the way you talk to one another with mutual respect and care; love watching you. I’m an RN also planning to move to France, don’t know yet where to settle. Thought my situation is a bit different, I’m single, and wants to explore nearest Europe countries. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I also follow Adrian Leeds Conferences.

@BaguetteBound 6 ай бұрын

Aw, thank you for the kinds words. You'll find your place here in France. 😊 Sometimes it takes a move or two, but that's OK! It's hard to know sometimes until you're here for a little while. Good luck with everything, and thank you for the work you do as an RN. I have great reverence for the profession even if I'm not practicing anymore. Merci for watching!

@TaylorWilliamsnaturalisttaylor 11 ай бұрын

I will totally consider. Im from sweden originally, and live in Nj now. Now that im getting older in the states, in dying to leave.

@figfox2425 7 ай бұрын

The written test in France is really difficult compared to the US one, be aware of that fact...

@TheEstampe 6 ай бұрын

Driving in Europe is more difficult, there are more signs and rules too. And a big one to remember for Americans is that you cannot turn right at a red light (unless there is a green or a blinking yellow arrow).

@dthtr1 Ай бұрын

The french written test consists of fifty multiple choices questions , you fail if you make more than five wrong answers .

@kuramakyubi9935 Ай бұрын

@@dthtr1 it's 40 question and you need to pass 35 correct.

@ravipeiris4388 Ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing ❤

@francoishantz4088 3 ай бұрын

When Juliana turns 16, think about Early Driving Learning (AAFC). It is a good solution to learn how to drive well and pass the exam more easily. And it is better to have the final driving license (with its 12 points). And for insurance, it also reduces the young driver surcharge.

@rickconnors4099 11 ай бұрын

From some stories I have seen on French driving schools and tests, it seems changing state residency before leaving might be well worth considering. A couple months spent in Colorado might not be so bad…

@philippenachtergal6077 7 ай бұрын

Not being able to read French can be a problem on the road. Sometimes signals will have a white plaque underneath that limits the scope of the signal to certain situations or gives information or simply reinforce the message of the signal. And sometimes, not very often, that will be in text (in French) and important. Like you can have a simple "!" signal (meaning "Attention !") with a text below saying that the road can be under water when it rains or that the road is closed 100m ahead or whatever. A very common one is "Par temps de pluie" (when it rains) under a speed limit signal or under a slippery road signal.

@abarratt8869 Ай бұрын

Exchanging a US license for a French one whilst retaining a copy of your US one may not be a great idea, depending on the attitude of the State. France exchanges information with other countries about exchanged licenses and foreign residents - at least including the UK. If you’re British and resident in France and you keep your UK license, you end up with a nasty letter from the UK’s DVLA telling you that they’ve revoked your UK licence. This happens even if you haven’t exchanged it for a French one! I think countries do this so that you can’t discard a record of points (penalties) from your license or evade a driving ban simply by throwing it away and reverting to a retained license from another country.

@1CelloOne 7 ай бұрын

I am learning so much 😊 thank you for doing these videos for us!!

@philippenachtergal6077 7 ай бұрын

Actually, driving age in France has changed in January 2024. It is now 17. And the theoretical permit (first part of the test) can be passed as young as 15 or 16 depending on the situation. It is still 18 in most of Europe but many countries allow you to drive before that age and before you get your definitive permit under certain rather strict conditions (you do need after all some practice before you can hope to get the permit...) And for the anecdote, in Belgium, you can drive a tractor at age 16 (but I guess there are restrictions to that, I don't know the details)

@Marius-jg6sl 5 ай бұрын

Not exactly not.

@CarmenMcGuinness 7 күн бұрын

Your videos are so helpful! You two manage to be adorable and very professional at the same time. I appreciate your work very much. I will be moving to France for two years in February 2026. My situation is a bit confusing and I wonder if you can give me some clues as to what I might encounter with ANTS. I hold both Italian and US passports, But the only drivers license I hold is Florida. So, I will be living in France as an italian (with my Italian maiden name) and transferring my Florida drivers license (which is in my married name). I do have a 'same as' letter provided by an Italian notatio when I sold my home in Verona. But I don't know if ANTS allows upload of additional documentation like that. I'm just trying to prepare for the drama that might unfold. Any ideas of how this might go?

@StephanieHughesDesign Ай бұрын

Je peux comprendre. J'adore votre chaine et regarde souvent. Pour moi, c'est choisir droite ville et region en France. Prefere dans sud de France ou où c'est chaude et abordable. Merci.

@ManuenTesla 4 ай бұрын

Hello , thanks again for this video , just a comment to be more precise , when you're passing the exams (theory and driving) you have to know something which can be important. When you pass the 1st part of the exam (theoric part) if you achieve it , you have this result for 5 years or 5 attempts to the driving exam ... il you don t have the driving licence after the fifth attempt , you need to pass again the theoric part....

@johannerenaudie 7 ай бұрын

Speaking about online insurance, Direct assurance and l'Olivier are quite cheap and good value, we chose them for our car and house !😊

@yamrom1 5 ай бұрын

You both make fine videos, informative, fun, right to the point. I have visited France five times and in two of those rented a car. The first time, it was Paris, Dijon, Annecy, Arle,Ex-en-Province, Nice. The second time, Paris, Normandie. But this was more than 20 years ago. Now I am 77 and would like to spend a month or two in the SW of France. Would be a driving record be of any use when I rent a car, and I heard that renting fees are much higher for senior citizens. Any advice on this? Language is not a problem.

@zeitgeist888 11 ай бұрын

Nice concise and detailed overview of exchanging license or testing for one Thank you. Any idea on obtaining a motorcycle endorsement if the state only includes car recognition? Ohio is class B which is cars where other states are class A and B.

@Kim-J312 11 ай бұрын

Very great information, greatly appreciated. Im in US and will be considering moving to France. As far as the French language goes , I took 5 years in HS and college, that was 25 yrs ago 😮 . So relearning French will be fine . Why am I considering a move ? If trump wins as next president, no way will I stay in US with trump as my president.

@pei8136 11 ай бұрын

Totally with you!

@LetsBuyAChateau 11 ай бұрын

Same here!! We might move even before the election... Even if he doesn't win, there are so many problems that can't and won't be fixed.

@Tina-qp7py 8 ай бұрын

Same reason to move out of the US.

@olivierdelatouche9453 7 ай бұрын

You're welcome here ! Get here france is cool

@leandrahill 6 ай бұрын

@@LetsBuyAChateau Thankfully everywhere else is perfect...LOL. While I"m NOT disagreeing with your sentiments....please understand other countries are dealing with some of the same type of issues. E.g. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been gaining popularity in the polls for years, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has won. I'm just saying look before you leap, the grass is always greener.

@angelicapeach858 7 ай бұрын

0:02 Thank you for the information. You had a license to show from colorado, which is an exchange state, but only had 18 months driving record. Does that mean you were able to get a French license exchanged for the Colorado license? If I move to an exchange state for a couple months prior to moving to France, would that be sufficient to get my French license? And of course I can bring my driving records from California. Thank you again.

@pawlieblog7967 Ай бұрын

I’ve rented cars on trips in France without a translated license! I am on a tourist visa. Short term only. I thought you only needed it if you were going outside of France!

@Ellinillard 7 ай бұрын

No problem, you can.

@lohphat 7 ай бұрын

You need the international permit if you have an accident. Not having it adds penalties.

@nicolasberthon8577 6 ай бұрын

As far as insurance goes, be aware that car rental insurance deductibles are very high.

@lollygee172 10 ай бұрын

First time I heard about an international permit! Good thing I have AAA.

@tatoute1 6 ай бұрын

as stated by another comment: international licence is in fact an international translation of the licence, but it is not valid by itself, it must be together with the original licence.

@ciconia9159 7 ай бұрын

Driving with an uninsured car is considered very serious in France, leading to heavy penalties for the driver.

@nicolaspeigne1429 6 ай бұрын

A fine up to 3750 € and they tow your vehicle to the pound usually.

@icecreamforever 8 ай бұрын

Be careful to anyone trying to games the system re: moving State etc as an insurance company will go through every last detail to try to avoid paying. If they dont pay you WILL!

@gmichael9850 Ай бұрын

What if you just dip out of France for a bit once a year. Can you then just keep using your US DL?

@kerouac2 10 ай бұрын

Why do you people never mention the fact that any licence -- including many American states -- does not require a translation if it is in the international format with the numbered boxes? The numbered boxes ARE the translation. 1 = NAME 2 = FIRST NAME 3 = DATEOF BIRTH etc.

@rjh2772 2 ай бұрын

do we need to have our driving record translated into French

@rjh2772 2 ай бұрын

Colorado!!

@paulabroussard1824 2 ай бұрын

So what happens when you exchange your license? When it expires, will you then have to go through the test?

@philippenachtergal6077 7 ай бұрын

You might also want to be aware than in countries where you have points on the permit (as in France), they can remove points *for their country* from your permit if you commit some infraction. Lose all your points for a country and you lose the right to drive in that country (and I don't know how you get your right back in such a scenario). A country cannot remove points for another country, there is no equivalence.

@Marius-jg6sl 5 ай бұрын

Si ils peuvent pas enlever les points tu aura une interdiction de conduire sur le territoire.

@-white-elephant 10 ай бұрын

i always thank for your video. What are the consequences if I drive for two or three years with an international driving license without a French driving license while on a long- stay visa?

@BaguetteBound 10 ай бұрын

You are then driving without a license. If you are caught, driving a vehicle without a driving license in France it is punishable by one year of inprisonment and a fine of €15,000.

@francisleveque2939 7 ай бұрын

Le permis international est de plus en plus NON reconnu dans de nombreux pays ! D’ailleurs ici en Malaisie il faut passer le permis Malais , également ce permis Malais n’est plus valable en France ! Cela a changé depuis 3 ans ! Alors AWAS ( attention) en malaisien ! si accident😢? C direct l’avion comme à Madagascar 😢

@Tina-qp7py 8 ай бұрын

Do I need to drive because isn't public transportation really good in France?

@BaguetteBound 8 ай бұрын

Public transportation is great in the larger cities! But out in the countryside, it can be difficult without a car.

@tatoute1 6 ай бұрын

If you plan to visit Paris or any big city in France, you do not need to drive. Same for intercity, train is a cost effective and efficient way to travel. But outside of town this is another topic. So if you have already a licence, make sure you exchange it (and as explained, get a duplicate before leaving), because on the long term you never know when you need to go into some area with no public transportation, and need to loan a car. Also many job will ask you to have a driving licence.

@JaNouWatIkVind Ай бұрын

My father lived in the centre of France, smack in the middle in a village of about 430 souls. From the Netherlands, I could get to half an hour driving from his house by train in the same time it would have taken me by car, but he did have to come and pick me up from there. Cities, no problem. Paris by car is ludicrous.

@nicolaspeigne1429 6 ай бұрын

You're right, do it early. The french administrative quagmire is no easy opponent

@branlotin 6 ай бұрын

It's getting better especially with plenty of things you can now do online, but there's still room for improvements, especially the entitlement mentality that still lives on in the french administration.

@remiallaria9156 3 ай бұрын

No Turn on red in France 😊

@debvandusen3623 Ай бұрын

No exceptions?

@johnnydardenne7840 24 күн бұрын

Tip if someone abroad from EUROPE , ask for a European Driver License , not only for France :-) otherwise your cannot drive in Belgium , The Netherlands etc....

@-white-elephant 10 ай бұрын

Hello! Can I buy a car with a long-stay visa in France?

@Tina-qp7py 8 ай бұрын

Great question.

@tatoute1 6 ай бұрын

You need a "domiciliation", a proof of address in France. But it can be as simple as a signed letter by a french friend: ATTESTATION D'HÉBERGEMENT Je soussigné(e) [Prénom et nom de la personne qui héberge] , né(e) le [Date de naissance] à [Ville de naissance], déclare sur l'honneur héberger à mon domicile [Prénom et nom de la personne hébergée] , né(e) le [Date de naissance] à [Ville de naissance], depuis le [Date de début d'hébergement] à l'adresse suivante : [Adresse] [Code postal et commune] [Commune], le [date] [ Signez ici ] [Prénom et nom de la personne qui héberge] If you have a stable address, a commodity supply invoice (electricity, water...) or a lease contract, or even a proprietary document will obviously do the job as well. The trickiest part may be to get a loan for your car. Bank in France are very selective for the credit. Think to provide as many documents from your origin country showing you are a good bank client. France does not know "credit score". The best argument for the bank is a CDI (a permanent job) or some proof of garanteed regular income (like retirement).

@JohnMarcel666 4 ай бұрын

Yes, you can buy a car in France with a long-stay visa. Here are some key points to consider: 1. Driving License: - With a long-stay visitor visa, you can drive on your US driver's license for the duration of your visa (typically 1 year). - After that period, you'll need to obtain a French driver's license. 2. Car Purchase and Insurance : - You can buy and insure a car based on your long-stay visitor visa and your American license. 3. Visa Validity : - Remember that you can only stay in France for as long as your visa is valid. - A long-stay visa allows foreign nationals to stay in France for longer than three months, typically up to one year. 4. Visa Types : - There are different types of long-stay visas depending on the reason for your stay (e.g., work, study, family reasons). - Make sure your visa type allows for activities like purchasing a car. 5. Documentation : - When buying a car, you'll likely need to provide your passport, visa, proof of address in France, and potentially other documents. 6. Insurance Requirements : - You must have insurance coverage for medical and hospital expenses for the duration of your stay in France. 7. Residency Considerations : - If you plan to stay longer than your initial visa allows, you may need to apply for a residence permit (carte de séjour).

@tatoute1 4 ай бұрын

@@JohnMarcel666 chatgpt, leave this body

@JohnMarcel666 4 ай бұрын

@@tatoute1 The answer remains valid...