Do I need to exchange my UK driving licence in France?

At the end of June 2021, the French government issued new guidance. UK citizens who are resident in France do not need to exchange their licence if you passed your test before the 31st December 2020, unless the licence or the photocard are going to expire, in which case they can do so 6 months’ before the expiry date.

If you passed your test and got your licence on/after 1st January 2021, you will need to exchange it within the first 12 months of receiving your carte de séjour as set out below.

Bear in mind however that in theory, DVLA rules in the UK don’t allow licences to be registered to foreign addresses .  However if you are resident in France and don’t have an official address in the UK, and can’t swap your licence as the above criteria don’t apply you can/should contact the DVLA and let them know that you have left the country.

European & Pre-Brexit Licences

Legally, a European driving licence does not need to be exchanged for a French one unless you:

  • commit an infraction and incur points
  • need to renew a licence due to loss, theft or expiry
  • wish to add driving categories

These rules are outlined in French on the Service Public site.

Process for exchanging an EU & pre-Brexit UK driving licence for a French one

As of 3rd March 2020 a new online process has been launched to deal with European licence exchanges (including UK licences for those under the Withdrawal Agreement). This means that exchanges can no longer be done at the Mairie, Préfecture or police municipale, or by post to the centralised office in Nantes, as previously. Do not send any documents to the CERT (Centre d’Expertise et de Ressources des Titres) at Nantes.

The new website is https://permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr/ and this is the specific link for exchanging a European driving licence.

If you already have a FranceConnect account enabling you to access several public service sites with the same details you can use that, otherwise you will need to create an account on the ANTS site.

The best resource for up-to-date information on applying for a French driving licence is the Facebook group of the same name. You will find a list of all the documents required on the group page.  At the time of writing they were:

  • colour photocopy of both sides of your driving licence
  • proof of identity (passport)
  • proof of address (utilities bill or similar dated less than 6 months)
  • proof of the right to reside in France if British (titre de séjour, visa stamp in your passport), or proof of date of arrival in France (ferry/train/plane ticket or first avis d’impots), or attestation from your Mairie (if they will issue one).  Those on a one year visa will not be able to exchange.
  • proof of date of arrival in France.
  • photograph taken in a government approved photo booth which can be identified by the blue circle with Agréé Services en Ligne ANTS inside it.  You can find the location of one near you by inputting your post code on the ANTS site.  Your photos will have a 22 digit alphanumeric code to be included in your application.  There is also an app Smartphone ID that can be downloaded to take photos on your phone, although it wouldn’t take images using the front camera when I tried.  If you can’t get to an official booth, you can post a physical photo.
  • if you are not a national of the country which issued your licence you will need proof that you were resident in the issuing country at the time of issue (visa, registration at consul, work contract, pay slips etc…)
  • if you are not a national of the country which issued your licence you will need a document, dated less than three months, from the issuing body of your foreign licence declaring that you have the right to drive and the translation if not in French by a sworn translator as above.
  • if you have a “heavy vehicle” licence, a medical certificate saying you are fit to drive heavy vehicles or a renunciation of the right to drive these categories of vehicle.  See below for an explanation as categories that are included on the standard licence in the UK are covered by this, although there is currently a question over whether you can exchange them if you did not take a test specifically for the category.
  • Everybody needs to provide proof of their right to drive.  If you are British you can get this as set out below.  Please note that you do not need to translate the documents if they are in English.
    • If your licence is in date, even if your photocard has expired, you can go to the DVLA site and use their check code service to download a driving licence summary.  Please note the check code is not enough, you have to download the summary document.
    • If your licence has expired you need to contact the DVLA for a certificate of entitlement .  You can use webchat or phone on the DVLA main number 0044 300 7906801, but be aware that you will probably be cut off multiple times due to the lines being overwhelmed, and once you do get through you will be on hold for up to 30 minutes.  It helps to ring or chat at 9 am French time as that is when the lines open.



Exchanging a non EU/post-Brexit UK driving licence for a French one

Non-European licence holders have to follow  a different process to exchange their licence. This is simpler if the licence has been issued in a country which has a reciprocal agreement with France. You will find a list of those countries here.

The process is outlined (in French) here and has now also been moved on line with the link appearing on the aforementioned page.  You need to submit the following documents:

  • colour photocopy of both sides of your driving licence
  • Translation of your driving licence (if it is not in French or English) by a sworn translator or an apostilled translation from abroad
  • proof of identity (passport)
  • proof of address (utilities bill or similar dated less than 6 months)
  • proof of the right to reside in France (titre de séjour, visa stamp in your passport).  Those on a one year visa will not be able to exchange.
  • photograph taken in a government approved photo booth which can be identified by the blue circle with Agréé Services en Ligne ANTS inside it.  You can find the location of one near you by inputting your post code on the ANTS site.  Your photos will have a 22 digit alphanumeric code to be included in your application.  There is also an app Smartphone ID that can be downloaded to take photos on your phone, although it wouldn’t take images using the front camera when I tried.  If you can’t get to an official booth, you can post a physical photo.
  • original document, dated less than three months, from the issuing body of your foreign licence declaring that you have the right to drive and the translation if not in French or English by a sworn translator as above.
  • if you are not a national of the country which issued your non-EU licence you will need proof that you were resident in the issuing country at the time of issue (visa, registration at consul, work contract, pay slips etc…)
  • if you have an heavy vehicle licence, a medical certificate saying you are fit to drive heavy vehicles or a renunciation of the right to drive these categories of vehicle (see below).

Disclaimer: while we make every effort to keep information on our site correct and up-to-date you are advised to double check current requirements on the government website.

The French Driving LicenceFrench Driving Licence

The new licence will be sent to your home address.  It will be a full licence unless you had passed your test within the 3 years prior to the exchange in which case it will be a probational one.

The start date shown is the date of your French licence, so you are best to keep a photocopy of the old one to prove when you first started to drive for insurance purposes.

The French licence is valid for 15 years, unless you are allowed to drive HGVs in which case it will be valid for 5 years.  However all that is required at present is to update it with a new photo, as there is no age limit for driving in France and no requirement to attend a medical after a certain age, unlike in the UK.


Medium-Sized Vehicles/Minibuses

The French licence differs from the UK one in that in the UK you are automatically given the right to drive categories C1, D1, DE, C1E and D1E when you pass your test.  You can find an explanation of the categories on the UK government site.  In France the Cs and Ds are dependent on passing an additional test and a medical.

When you apply for your French licence,  there is a box asking you whether you have “poids lourds” categories and if you want to keep your entitlement to drive them.  If you are not bothered about driving a small lorry or a minibus then you just need to confirm that you are happy to lose the entitlement by uploading an “attestation de renonciation” which declares that you renounce your right to drive these vehicles.  If you want to keep the categories you need to provide a medical certificate from an approved doctor.  The list of doctors approved by your prefecture can be found on the prefectural website.  Please note that in 2022 CERT has started refusing to exchange categories that were given automatically without needing to pass a test, i.e. C1, D1, DE, C1E and D1E on a British licence.  This is currently being challenged but until it is resolved you will not be able to drive anything over 3.5 tonnes with a French licence unless you pass a test.

If you are able to keep your categories, and do decide to take the medical, then you will have to provide a medical certificate every 5 years till the age of 59 and then every 2 years from the age of 60 to 75 and every year from the age of 76 for HGV (category C), and every year from the age of 60 if you are driving a vehicle for more than 8 people (category D). Go on to the ANTS site to ask for the licence to be renewed before it expires.

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Comments


  1. I’ve been reading your site about exchanging UK driving licence for a French one. You say the rule is:

    ‘
If your UK driving licence was first issued on or after 1 January 2021’:
    Your licence will be recognised for 1 year from the date of issue of your residency permit (carte de séjour). If you intend to stay in France for longer than 1 year, you must exchange your UK licence for a French licence during this initial 1-year period.



    I take First Issued to mean your licence i.e 1983 for me, not the date the photocard was last issued….yes? Because many of those writing in seem to be confusing photocard issue date with first issued and let’s face it it’s not very clear. If my licence was first issued in 83 but my photocard last issued in 2022 after an address change what is it?

    Secondly, if I have passed my motorcycle test years ago, what is the situation? I read contradictory reports. Is it transferred or not?

    1. Bonjour, please can you advise me where I will find offical confirmation that it is date the licence was first issued that matters rather than the date given in (4a).

      Many thanks

    2. @G. Fercot
      It is the date that you took your test and obtained the licence, not the photocard that matters, otherwise I wouldn’t have said you don’t have exchange until the photocard expires. The same goes for the motorcycle licence.

  2. Hello and thanks for this useful info.

    I started the process to receive a french licence as soon as there were less than 6 months left on my UK one.
    However, with just 3 weeks now until my UK licence expires I am still waiting for the new french one (the process is still ongoing according to the website – “En cours d’analyse par le service instructeur.”)

    Any ideas what happens when the UK one expires and the french one still hasn’t arrived?

    1. Hello!
      I have applied for a french driving licence, with my british one due to expire in July. I am visiting family in UK in August, if I don’t yet have my French licence and my UK licence expired – does this mean i am unable to drive in UK?
      Also.. am I still able to drive in France while I am waiting?
      Thank you so much in advance!

      1. Hi Amy,
        You are not supposed to drive in the UK if your photocard has expired. In France it isn’t 100% clear whether you can or not. The advice from the exchanging your French driving licence facebook group is to carry a copy of the application receipt along with your licence as your driving rights are still valid, even if the photocard has run out.
        When did you apply for the exchange? You could try contacting CERT and pointing out that it will run out in July, and could they let you know when it might be ready. It sometimes helps move things along a bit.

    2. @Andrew Osborne
      It’s odd that you’ve not received a response yet as they have speeded up considerably in the last few months. You can try contacting them to see what the estimated time frame is and stress that you really need to be able to drive because you live in a rural area, need to go to work/get to doctor’s appointments etc. That can often speed the process up, by bringing their attention to the fact that you’ve been waiting a long time.
      If it’s your photocard that is expiring and not the licence then in theory you are still okay to drive while you are waiting, although you may meet a gendarme who doesn’t agree. I would keep the receipt that you got when you made the application on you along with your photocard, and a summary of driving rights from the DVLA to show that you are still allowed to drive.
      Sorry not to be more help.

  3. Hi, I applied to exchange my UK driving licence for a French one last year. Sent all my documents and my application was accepted without problem and I was asked to submit my UK licence. This is where my problems started because I couldn’t find it. I’d had it when I started my application but despite turning the house upside down I have been unable to find it. I emailed Ants and was told to send a written declaration on my honour to explain the licence was lost. I did this but got a reply back saying they couldn’t accept it and I had to restart my application and this time check the lost box. Tried numerous times but the site won’t accept my English driving licence number because the format is different to a french one. There is no longer link to directly email Ants through my accounts page but I have contacted them twice to explain the situation but have had no reply. I could apply for a UK replacement as I still have a postal address in England but as I’m now a French resident, I’m guessing this would probably be illegal? I’m getting desperate – any help you can give me on how to proceed would be very much appreciated.

    1. Hi,

      I’m in the final stages of submitting supporting documents for the exchange of my (pre-Brexit) UK passport for a French one, and the ANTS has requested that I send the hard version of my UK passport, together with a ‘courrier d’accompagnement’.

      Could you explan what the ‘courrier d’accompagnement’ is, and where I can obtain (& then submit) the document ? I can’t find anywhere on the ANTS website that explains this, or provides the document for download.

      Thanks a lot

      1. @Mike, it’s your driving licence they want, not your passport. You download the courrier d’accompagnement and the attestation ADS by clicking on the links that are in the message. You keep the latter on you with a photocopy of your UK licence when you are driving until your French licence turns up.

    2. @Jan, You need to choose the same option as before to start off with, i.e. exchanging a foreign licence and then tick lost licence as the reason you want to exchange.

      1. Hi Madeleine, thanks for your reply. but as I explained, I have tried to restart my application but when I tick the lost licence box, I have to give me driving licence number. The form won’t accept my English driving licence number because it’s in a different format to the French. I have contacted Ants twice but they haven’t replied. Before this I sent a signed declaration to say it was lost back in September but it was not accepted and I was told to declare the loss online….but… as I say, online won’t accept the different licence number format! Any advice on how I proceed would be very helpful.

        1. Hi Jan,
          It sounds to me as if you are trying to use the lost licence application form for French licences that have been lost. I repeat that is not what you want to do. You log in, choose échange permis étranger, twice in a row and at the bottom of the second screen, there is a box to tick if you have lost your licence. You then are taken onto the next screen where you have to fill in the UK licence number and other details, and upload the same docs as you did when you were applying for a straight forward exchange, and send them a timbre fiscal for €25.
          I’ve done several of these for my clients, but I charge for the time spent. If you want me to help, email madeleine@frenchpaperwork.fr.

          1. Thank You so much! That’s definitely what O was doing. Will give it a go.

  4. I made the application to change my licence for a French one some months ago, so that I would comply with the law. Having categories enabling me to drive up to 7.5 tonne vehicles and tow trailers, which I have done for nearly forty years, I followed the procedure and had a medical examination. I recently received my French driving licence, only to discover that they have removed several of the categories on the licence. The reason given is because these categories were obtained on the same date as the B category, and so were not obtained by a separate test. However, this was the law when I took my test in 1982, and to my knowledge, a separate test did not exist at that time for driving a vehicle of up to 7.5 tonnes or for towing a trailer! I am extremely angry with this situation, that the French government can take categories away from someone’s licence, and I would appreciate feedback from anyone else who has found themselves in the same situation.

    1. Hi Madeleine, thanks for your help, unfortunately it’s still not working. I’m on my Ants account page and have clicked twice that it’s to exchange my UK driving licence for a French one. I’ve also clicked on the option to say my licence is lost but the next screen doesn’t ask me to fill in my licence details. Instead on the document submission screen, I am immediately asked for a Declaration de Perte and asked to Joindre un Fichier which I don’t have and cannot get. I have tried to email you at madeleine@frenchpaperwork.fr. but the address is unknown. Have I got your email address incorrect? Many thanks yet again for your help.
      Regards Janine

    2. @MDEW
      I added this to the page a few months back:
      Please note that in 2022 CERT has started refusing to exchange categories that were given automatically without needing to pass a test, i.e. C1, D1, DE, C1E and D1E on a British licence. This is currently being challenged but until it is resolved you will not be able to drive anything over 3.5 tonnes with a French licence unless you pass a test.
      The situation at present hasn’t changed, although it may in future.
      Sorry that I can’t be of more help. This link explains the test that you have to pass if that is any help https://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/les-differents-permis-de-conduire/permis-professionnels-categories-c-et-d/les-permis-poids-lourds-1.

  5. Hello – I am a UK citizen, having moved permanently to France on April 1st 2022 with my EU citizen wife. I have been granted a ‘partner of an EU citizen’ Titre de Sejour, valid for a 5 year period from Nov 2022.

    Prior to moving to France, my UK driving license photocard expired and I needed to replace it. I was issued a new photocard license on 1st January 2021. I understand that this is unfortunately 1 day after the cut-off whereupon the license would have been valid in France until its expiry. I have a question regarding definitions … I passed my UK driving test in 1990 and have had an (EU-UK) license (in one form or another – paper/photocard) up until the renewal on 01/01/2021. The new photocard (with a UK rather than EU flag) cites a ‘Date of Issue’ of 01/01/2021 and a ‘Valid From’ date of 1990. For avoidance of doubt, do I need to transfer this, prior to its natural expiry, for a French driving license or not? My second question … if I do need to exchange for a French driving license, is the deadline period (of 1 year) from the effective date of issue of my Titre de Sejour (Nov 2022) or from my move to France (April 2022) … and, is it a deadline before which I need to make an application … or a deadline by which I actually need to have that new French driving license in my hand?

    My appreciation for any advice you may be able to give, Jeremy

    1. Hi Madeline,

      I have been reading a few of the comments, questions and answers here – great work on your in-depth incites – I am sure you will be able to help answer my query…

      I am a UK citizen now living in France with a French citizen. I have a ‘Carte De Sejour – Article 50 Tue’ residency permit which was issued on 02.12.21 (and is valid for 5 years).

      I do not currently drive, but now wish to pass my test and get a license.
      I am unsure of what to do regarding where to pass my test (France or UK) and I am looking for the fastest solution.
      My initial instinct was to learn in the UK as my French language skills are poor and I am worried about the amount of time it will take me to get my comprehension up to speed (as well as the potential financial costs should I fail a test), but I read the following on the UK Government website:

      ‘
If your UK driving licence was first issued on or after 1 January 2021’:
      Your licence will be recognised for 1 year from the date of issue of your residency permit (carte de séjour). If you intend to stay in France for longer than 1 year, you must exchange your UK licence for a French licence during this initial 1-year period.



      – Does this mean that if I obtain a driving licence in the UK (now) I will be unable to exchange it for a French one because I’ve already exceeded the one year period of living in France? 

      – Do I have no option but to try to obtain a driving licence / pass my test in France ?



      I can’t find concrete information anywhere about what options you have if you’ve already been living in France for over a year but want to pass your test in the UK.


      Any clarification of the rules / my options would be greatly appreciated.

      Many thanks,




      Jay.

      1. Hi Madeline,

        Thanks again for your expertise on the matter.
        It’s possible that I fall into the category of dual residency as I pay income tax in UK, but have my main (official) residence in France.
        I will have to look into this more…
        Having said that, all of this is pointing towards me passing my test in France (to avoid all the potential complications).
        Cheers, you have been a great help,

        Jay.

      2. Hi Madeleine,

        Thanks for the clarification on the residency issue. I didn’t know about the possibility of getting assistance from a translator – I will look into it.

        Suppose a person already had their UK driving licence (obtained after January 1st 2021) but had already been resident in France for over a year – what would happen if they tried to exchange their licence for a French one? Would it be possible?
        I am asking as I still can’t find an answer to this; my OCD side is getting the better of me!
        The official government sites (UK /France) only state that you have 1 year to exchange a non EU licence, but it doesn’t say what you can do if you’ve already exceeded this period – perhaps you can do nothing!?
        Any clarification on this would be great.
        Thanks,

        Jay.

        1. @Jay,
          The short answer is no. You have a year to exchange after arriving in France, if you have been in France for longer than a year, they will reject your application, and tell you to take a French driving test. The only get out might possibly be if you can prove that you are dual resident in the UK and France for whatever reason, but I’m not sure about that.

      3. @spaghettijay
        Hi Jay,
        You have to take the test in the country in which you are resident, so yes, you are supposed to take it in France. If you arrange it in advance you can take a translator to the test with you. They have to be court appointed, not just your mate, or a normal translator.
        Hope that helps. Good luck.

    2. @Jeremy, it’s the date that you passed your test not the date of the photocard that is the deciding factor. As you passed your test pre-Brexit, you do not have to exchange your licence, in fact you will not be allowed to exchange it until 6 months before it expires, unless you require points for an infraction.

      1. @Madeleine – thank you! I really appreciate your help.

  6. Hi, thank you for the info, It helped me in particular with the Licence summary and right to drive document that I got online on the DVLA website exactly as you described, no need for translation as you mentioned.
    Otherwise documentation required was clearly mentioned on the ANTS website under my application.
    Though not requested I added a birth certificate newly stamped, that I had requested online and received by post prior to sending my application.

    Application sent online on 22 November, French driving licence card received on 14 December (I am French so with French ID document, that might have made the process faster as easier to check my identity, this is just a guess please don’t jump on this, also my UK driving licence was still valid for years and when I received notification to send the original UK driving licence card by post I did that the same day).

    1. @Elise, as you start the application online, you get your online application file created, where all the documentation required is mentioned, you can log back in as you want, so you can later add the documentation required as you gather these, once you have added everything you can submit the application. For the translation, well I can only share feedback of my own case that was as mentioned on this website.

    2. Hello!
      Thank you so much for all this valuable information. We’re about to start the process as my husband’s conjoint de français visa expires soon. It’s wonderful to see that the translations don’t appear to be needed for documents in English (the ANTS lady on the phone mentioned they needed them but I’d prefer to try without than pay the money for nothing).
      I was just wondering if you can save the application and restart it later?
      Thank you

      1. @Elise
        As @Marie says, you can save and come back to the application as necessary although there is a time limit on it which I think is a month to get everything uploaded. You definitely don’t need to translate anything that is in English. I have done dozens of applications for different people and never translated anything.

    3. @Marie, you’re very welcome. Glad that you found it useful. I think that the speed of your application had everything to do with you being French, also the fact that they let you exchange it even though you had years left to run on your UK licence.
      That said the process has speeded up a lot even for Brits and seems to be around 3 months at the moment.

  7. If I change my English driver’s license when it is about to expire for a French driver’s license, will the motorcycle driver’s license that I now have on my English license be recognized on my French license? And if I understood correctly, until my English license expires can I use it to drive in France? Thank you

    1. Hello, my UK licence expired in 2010, I have a current NZ licence and certificate of particulars (in English), do I need translations of the NZ documents or should I try and proceed on my UK licence (not sure how to prove residence from so long ago)

      1. @Colin White – when you say expired, do you just mean that the photocard ran out? If so, and you have an NI number and the postcode that is on the licence then you can simply log on to the DVLA check code site and download your driving rights. If you are a NZ national and not a UK one, then you just need to prove that you were living over there – a bank statement with a UK address on it, or a pay slip or something will do.
        If you swopped it for an NZ licence, then you will have to use the NZ licence to apply for an exchange within 12 months of arriving in France. You shouldn’t need translations as long as everything is in English, but as the layout is different from an EU one, they may ask you for them.

    2. @Oscar,
      Yes your motorbike licence will be brought across. And yes you can use it till it expires. In fact they were refusing to exchange any licences until 6 months before they expire.

  8. Hi I have UK Driving License for over 10 years, and I legally live in UK , but my nationality is Spanish and I plan to move to France in 2 months. Can I exchange my UK license for a French one without taking the test? Thanks

    1. @Oscar – yes you can when the photocard runs out. You will need proof that you were legally resident in the UK at the time that you took your UK test.

  9. Hello
    I’ve just received my french driving license only to see they have removed several of my driving entitlements (not happy) I can now only drive up to 3.5 ton and not 7.5 , how can this be correct and what about my trailer I use for work ????

    1. @Helen – as stated in the article ” … in 2022 CERT has started refusing to exchange categories that were given automatically without needing to pass a test, i.e. C1, D1, DE, C1E and D1E on a British licence. This is currently being challenged but until it is resolved you will not be able to drive anything over 3.5 tonnes with a French licence unless you pass a test.”
      Sorry!

  10. Hi
    On the French ANTS website it appears that the translation is required of both the licence and the right to drive. see below

    • la traduction (par un traducteur agréé) de l’attestation des droits à conduire si elle n’est pas écrite en français

    • la traduction (par un traducteur agréé) du permis de conduire s’il n’est pas écrit en français

    As these translations are going to cost €€€’s are you sure that they are required?

    Thanks

    1. I received my licence yesterday and it took just 7 weeks from me sending off the forms to receiving the card licence.

    2. I sent my application recently and can confirm there’s no need to translate English ones.

      1. Thanks for the feedback Ruth !

        How long did it take for you to get the french driving license ? Or at least a positive feedback?

        Thanks

        1. @Radhi
          The length of time varies depending on the application. It is currently taking about 3 or 4 months from applying to receiving the go-ahead to send off the UK licence for production of the French, and a few weeks after that for the French one to come through. It can be quicker if there is some overriding reason why the licence is needed.

    3. Hi Robin,
      No, as stated in the article above they are not required if they are in English. I have handled loads of applications and none of them had any translations.

  11. Hello, has anyone recently exchanged their U.K. driving licence for a French one and could you tell me how long it takes? I called ANTS today and they told me it takes at least 9 months! My licence expires in 4 months and they told me I wouldn’t be allowed to drive once my U.K. licence has expired? Is this true as I think in the U.K. you can continue driving if your licence expires while you’re waiting to receive the renewal.

    1. @Ruth,
      It depends is the honest answer. Things have speeded up a bit and I’ve had some go through in 3 months, but I have one that went in at the end of May still waiting.
      The advice issued to Kim of the FB group exchanging your driving licence when there was a huge backlog post Brexit was that as long as the licence was still in date i.e. you were less than 70 years old, it shouldn’t matter if the photocard had run out, as long as you had applied. However she had nothing in writing to that effect. I used to carry my application receipt with my licence while I was waiting for the exchange to go through.

      1. I’ve just sent off my documents. Online they didn’t ask for a translation of my permit so I called to ask and the lady confirmed that if I have a photo card licence it doesn’t need translation. Also online they didn’t ask me for the DVLA certificate but I uploaded it anyway. Also it said that proof of arrival in France isn’t needed if have a titre de séjour. The lady I spoke to today also said the processing time is 9-12 months. I’m crossing my fingers it’ll be much faster!

        1. I think they are quoting that to stop people from hassling them.
          They may ask you for another DVLA certificate depending on how long it takes for them to process it, and who looks at the file, as it is supposed to only be 3 months old at the most.

      2. Thank you for your reply, that’s really helpful.

  12. I applied to change my UK licence for a French one on 17.12.20. I received a justifactif de dépot de demande on 18.12.20 but have heard nothing since and my application is still described on my ANTS éspace perso as ‘en course d’analyse par le service instructeur’. My UK licence expires in the last week in November. Que faire? Maybe i should just make another application? Any advice?

    1. @Alexander,
      Contact them and ask what is going on, as that is far too long. You can ring them on 3400 then 2 – 2 – 5 – 1, then listen to the whole message and press 2 to speak to a person. Or alternatively send them a message from the ANTS site.

  13. Hi,

    Do you please know if the DVLA check code summary for the ANTS to exchange a UK driving license ? Does it need to be translated ?

    Thanks

    1. Good afternoon,
      I am trying in vain to exchange my photo UK license which has 2 months left on it’s validity. Did everything it said on ANTS and all I managed to receive was a refusal letter! As a previous reader mentioned it seems to be because my CDS is my first resident permit but this is valid until 2026 not just a year. I will try and find a person to actually talk to this coming week otherwise it’s back to the paper version which has another 6 years on it!

      Any thoughts would be gratefully received!

      1. @Sheila Mary Peart. Your paper licence is definitely not valid any more. The UK has phased them out, and only the photocard is valid. They will also not accept the summary of driving rights or the certificate of entitlement, you need to exchange the licence, so the only thing you can do is to ring or email CERT and explain that your visa is a multi-year version so you can exchange. Email me if you need some help. You’ll find me in the directory under French Paperwork etc . Madeleine

      2. Be careful your paper licence may not be valid now. You may need to get a ‘Confirmation of GB Driving Licence Details’ from the DVLA. I think it’s form D737. You may be able to get this on line.

  14. Hi, I need some advice please
    I have a UK driving licence which I passed in 2013.
    I moved to france in December 2020 but lost my photo card in may 2021. I still hold an address in UK and applied for a new photo card with DVLA who duly sent it to me in may 2021.
    Now I’m being told by the french insurance companies that my driving licence is not valid in france anymore. Is that correct?
    My understanding was that if I passed my driving test in England before 1st January 2021, I am allowed to drive in france until the photo are expires ?

    1. My UK licence is due to expire in mid February because I am over 70 . I tried to exchange it on the ANTS site but have received a letter saying I can appeal but I believe the problem with my request might be this section on the forM:
      Avez-vous un titre de séjour avec l’une des mentions suivantes ?
      Recherche d’emploi ou création d’entreprise
      Jeune au pair
      Visa vacances-travail
      Retraité
      Stagiaire
      Saisonnier
      Travailleur temporaire (délivré pour moins de 185 jours)
      Oui Non

      I responded Oui but think now I should have responded Non. I find I am unable to go back and change that response. I tried the CONTACT US button but you cannot write anything in the box they just have a list of topics and none seem to fit with my concern. I have a Carte de Sejour valid until 01/06/2026 and all the neccesary documents for the exchange but I haven’t been able to put those into the system. Cn you advise me?

      1. @Margaret Jones
        Yes it is because you said yes to that option. You don’t have a card that has retired on it, that is only for people that have a certain type of French pension.
        You need to delete the current application if it will let you. And start again with a new one.

    2. My experience has been that because I have to renew my licence annually to retain my LGV entitlement the licence date is less than a year old (the issue date on the front). My last licence was issued in Sept 2021, i.e. post Brexit, and our French insurers say they cannot insure me until I exchange it for a French one or take a test in France. Luckily my wife is a good driver.
      This is frustrating as I have an EU Passport (Ireland) but a UK driving licence

      1. @Jonathan Maytham You need to apply for a French exchange, and you will have to visit an approved doctor (médécin agréé) to get a medical certificate to prove you are fit to drive. The exchanges have speeded up a bit, and the last few that I’ve done have gone through in about 3 months give or take a week or two.

    3. That’s not correct. It is only people who passed their test after Brexit who have to exchange immediately. You shouldn’t have applied for a new photocard from the UK. You should have asked for a French exchange, as a lost photocard is a valid reason for exchange, although you have to pay €25 for the privilege. However now you have the UK photocard, you will not be able to exchange it till it expires.
      This webpage is the official communiqué about it which you can send to your insurers. https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/actualites/communiques/accord-post-brexit-sur-reconnaissance-mutuelle-des-permis-de-conduire

  15. Hi,

    I moved to France from the UK in Oct 2021 and I would like to exchange a UK driving license which was issued in Feb 2022, slighty after I left the UK. I have some questions that would be great to get some help, if anyone knows:

    1) What is the best way to obtain a justificatif de residence normale if I am also an EU citizen, as well as a UK citizen? Is there a particular document?

    2) Equally, any ideas on the best way to obtain a justificatif de la date de arrivee if I am also an EU citizen, as well as a UK citizen? I actually took the Eurotunnel and the ticket is not on my name as I was travelling with my partner (we are not married, so this further complicates things as my name is not in the ticket!)

    3) Anyone knows if I am able to use the check code service to prove my right to drive or not? It is not clear if this is also an option for exchanging a non EU/post-Brexit UK driving licence for a French one. If it is, do you know if it also needs to be translated?

    Thank you so much!

    1. @Hernan,
      Did you pass your test before or after 31st Dec 2021? If it was before then you can’t exchange your licence until the photocard runs out.
      As an EU citizen, you are now supposed to register with your Mairie within 3 months of arriving to have proof of residency. Not all Mairies are aware of the requirement, so you may encounter some resistance.
      Otherwise, if you have proof that you have been living here such as bills, house rental agreements or purchase or similar, you can use those, or ask your Mairie to do you an attestation of residence in your commune.
      You can probably use the eurostar ticket as additional proof if you write a letter explaining the situation with a declaration from your partner that you are a couple and you travelled together.
      You should be able to use the check code service if you have a national insurance number. If not, you will need to ring the DVLA to get a certificate of entitlement. No documents in English need to be translated.

  16. Hello,

    I recently got a Provisional UK licence issued after Jan but due to unseen personal reasons, I had to move back to France (French and UK National). Can I exchange this for French licence or do I need to start from scratch?

    1. I applied in April to exchange my UK license phocard due to expire end of June. It was rejected. Went to mairie office no-one seemed to know why. They suggested French services. The lady there emailed them and made a list of all required documents. That was in May. In July she checked the site and all seemed on track. Third day of August I received a request for documents. I visited FS and the lady told me they need a birth certificate less than three months old. I have ordered one to be send by courrier at a cost of £50. I had previously provided the same for my catre Vitale plus an apostille from the embassy. At a cost of £90. I am hoping when it comes on Monday all will be well. Is this is usual document to be asked for? I will post the outcome when I aware of it.

      1. @Palmer – I don’t know who French Services are, unless you are talking about Maisons France Services, but you shouldn’t need to reorder the birth certificate. Even though it says less than 3 months’ old, they actually accept the original as long as it is the long form which shows your parents. The 3 month thing is because the French have livret de famille which are updated with all life events, they know that birth certificates don’t change once you’ve been born. If you already have the apostillate version from the carte vitale application, you could use that, but you don’t actually need to translate it if the original is in English.

    2. Hi, it’s June 2022, and I’ve just applied on the French Ants website to exchange my UK licence for a French one, as per all the information I’ve been reading. Successfully opened an Ants account and completed the necessary form and at the end of it received a rejection letter! The letter seemed to suggest as my French residence visa is a first residence visa I don’t need to exchange for a French licence! I’m over 70 and my Uk licence expires in July 2022. The rejection letter clearly states I only need to obtain an official French translation of my UK licence and that is sufficient. But that’s not how I interpret the situation. Can anyone assist or clarify please. Many thanks

      1. Hi Linda,
        Is your visa a one year visitor one? As you are allowed to drive in France for a year on a foreign licence and you don’t currently have the right to stay longer, I think they are treating you as a temporary resident, and therefore not eligible to exchange. You can try appealing it – but first I would try ringing them to confirm that that is the case. Ring 3400 then 2 – 2 – 5 – 1 – 2 to actually get to talk to a person.

  17. May I know what is the procedure to get a driving licence in UK

    1. I would recommend looking on the DVLA site. This site is about life in France not the UK and we can’t cover everything. Sorry.

  18. Hello I left UK in 2013, I need to convert my driving licence for a French one (mine will expired in feb 22) but French ANTS asks for a “Licence Summary” or “ certificate entitlement”. I tried to connect on DVLA website but they ask for a “National Insurance Number” I don’t have that ?! How can I get the required document by ANTS without this national insurance number ? Please help me :(((

    1. Hi everyone, I’m trying to exchange my license and I am having some problems and would welcome some clarifications. Background – U.K. photo card expired Dec 20. Only found this out in August 21 when got letter to renew but I lived in Germany then. Resident in France for just turned 6 months. Started application in Nov 21. I got a certificate of entitlement from DVLA, and got the first page translated – second two pages were the catergory types but thought this was info only

      Q1) should I have got these two information pages translated?

      Just received a message back yesterday that the CoE wasn’t valid for an online application? – and then they asked me to provide it. I have resubmitted doc and the translation but just interested to hear whether others have had this problem?

      2) if it comes back as not ok again. Should I upload a copy of the summary? I can get this but it says expired as the photo card has expired so though this would confuse. And – should I get this translated? It only last for 21 days according to gov website.

      Thank you for any clarity you can offer. Hope everyone’s get theirs resolved soon.

      1. Hi David,
        Q1 – you don’t need a translation, you can just use the English. The certificate of entitlement should be valid for an online application, but you need to upload all of it to show all of the categories that you can drive and the dates on which they expire.
        Q2 – if you have a CoE then you shouldn’t need the driving licence summary. If you do decide to use it as the CoE is over 3 months old or something, then you need to actually download a driving licence summary and not just the check code. Once you generate the code you should see a button you can click to download the summary, which gives all of your licence information. The check code itself is irrelevant. CERT will not use the code to check the licence details. Once again there is no need to translate.

    2. Hi Ana,
      If you don’t have a National Insurance number you can ring the DVLA on 0044 300 0830 013 or 0044 300 790 6801 and ask for a certificate of entitlement. You just need the address on your current licence. Be aware that the lines are very busy so it may take a while to get through.

  19. Thank you very much, Johnhouse, for your kind help! Will do!

  20. Hello,

    I seem to have run into a serious problem – please help!

    I’ve just received an update from the ANTS site and they want some extra documents, including a certificate of entitlement. They even provide a link to the British gov. site where to get the check code. However, in order to obtain the check code, I need to give them my National Security Number – but I left decades ago and wouldn’t know where to look for it! I’m not a British tax resident any longer, I don’t pay any taxes or receive any income – and I’m obliged to have an NSN number in order to get the certificate of entitlement! What a predicament. Any ideas?

    Thanks a lot in advance!

    1. Hi Neil
      If you paid tax and National Insurance contributions at any time in the UK then you are probably entitled to some State Pension, and you NINO (National Insurance Number) links you to this.
      I believe the DWP (Department for Work & Pensions) can help with finding out your NINO

    2. This comment forNeil
      Not a big problem Neil. Call D.V.L.A on 0044 300 0830 013. It is the office for Certificates of Entitlement. They require only your Postal address. It is a document that comes to you by post.
      The check code is entirely different, used in several ways and requires additional I.D. like the one you dont have to hand.

    3. I’ve just spoken to someone at ANTS. My application for a French licence is now ‘being analysed’ and I’ve been told I just have to wait. I asked for how long and was told current waiting times are approx 9 months for an exchange.
      I applied within a few days of the site being operational and my UK licence has just expired. If anyone has a solution I’d love to hear it.

      1. Is it your actual licence that has expired or the photo card? If it’s the photo card, the Ministry of Interior has apparently said that you can still drive as the driving rights have not run out. The only problem is that you run the risk of meeting a gendarme who might not agree.

        1. Just to add – I have also contacted the British Consulate about this. The problem is you can’t apply to exchange a UK licence until it is within 6 months of its expiry date. The process is taking approx 9 months which means that EVERYONE will be in this position of having no valid licence. So far I have simply received a generic reply outlining the process which is not helpful. If anyone has anything to add on this I would love to hear it.

        2. That’s very interesting – thank you. Do you have a link to something in writing please? It is only my photo card that has expired but as you say not everyone agrees with the definition of ‘licence’ when it comes to the expiry date!

          1. I don’t, I’m afraid, but I would keep a copy of your driving rights document (downloaded from the DVLA check code site), a copy of your ANTS application showing that you have applied within the time limit and are waiting for a response, and a copy of the French/UK agreement in your car to show to any gendarmes who stop you. https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A15049?xtor=EPR-141. At least you will be able to prove that your driving rights are still valid and that you have applied for an exchange within the rules and the correct time frame.

  21. “UPDATE -15/07/2021 – The Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that ANTS will now accept the DVLA driving licence summary available via the check code service, if your licence is in date rather than insisting on the certificate of entitlement. Directions on how to get this are below.”
    Well this does not work, I have been asked to send an Entitlement Certificate… I applied for my driving licence in September 2020 and I still have no news, my British driving licence stopped 2 weeks ago and I cannot find where to get the Certificate of Entitlement the French are still asking for…
    Can you tell me how I can get that document it is really urgent as I have no driving licence anymore…
    Thank you for your help

    1. For M.McCredie-Vermeire
      For your C.O.E try this number. 0044 300 083 0013 works for me. Short waiting time but you do get to speak with a person . Ants allowed my last document to lapse so I reordered another. Came by post after 18 days same as the first one.

    2. @Françoise McCredie-Vermeire
      It does work, as I’ve had my licence exchanged using the driving summary document and I’ve also had it accepted for clients. However, if your licence and not your photocard has run out because you are over 70, then you are right, you can’t get the driving licence summary, and need the certificate of entitlement (D737). To get this you have to follow the instructions above and ring the DVLA or use webchat, but as it also says the lines are always very busy and if you ring during the day you must be prepared to sit and hit redial for at least 30 mins and then be on hold for another 30 before you get to talk to a person. The only way to avoid this is to dial a minute or so before 9am French time so that you get through exactly on 9 when the phone line opens.

  22. I have tried to exchange my UK licence for a French one. I live in France and I have French nationality as well as British. I cannot get beyond the second page becuse it says” Personne concernée: la commune de naissance est incorrecte” but there is no box to enter “commune de naissance”. Can anyone help with this?

    1. Hi Ian,
      It should commune de naissance as the last box under the pays de naissance on the screen for the état civile de la personne concernée.

      1. Ira
        My ” Date de Creation” was 29/09/2020 for my French driving licence, I had 4 months left before my UK one expired and still nothing. Tried calling 3400 but got frustrated with not being able to speak to anyone.
        I am not efficient on a computer and probably not doing it well but is there organisation or individual who can help. I’ve had too many sleepless nights already

        1. For Ira Hughes.
          I applied in Sept.2020 also and heard nothing until May 2021 when the Ministry of the Interior invited me to join the June 28th sign up. Since then nothing.
          David Wheeler contributed to this forum in July
          (read his entry) and recommended Kristyne.agency56@gmail.com
          Tel:0615446898. for assistance. David did get his licence in August after more than 2 years waiting.

        2. Hi Ira,
          It’s very frustrating I know. The only way to actually speak to someone is to ring them on 3400 then 2 – 2 – 5 – 1 -2 and you will be connected to a person. Ignore what the actual questions say, they will just send you in circles and not cut you off.
          Somebody I know waited so long he got his local mairie involved and they personally fought his corner for him, but not every mairie is prepared to do that.
          Good luck,
          Madeleine

  23. I have just checked the new ANTS site and noticed that my application to change my UK driving (which expires in a week) has disappeared. Does anyone else have the same problem.?

    1. UPDATE: this afternoon I received an email asking for my UK licence and so it looks like my 3 year nightmare is nearly over! Moreover the downloadable attestation extends my nearly defunct licence for 4 months. (They also accepted my DVLA check code pdf.)

      Thanks once again to Madeleine and her team for providing such valuable information.

      1. Good news Tim, congratulations!

        1. Thanks, John. Hope yours gets sorted soon. (Just a guess but, because of the volume, they may leave current licences until near the end of their expiry before they act.)

    2. Yes Tim on hold and waiting. Will this never end?

    3. ANTS updated the site last Friday and it is bugging since then, particularly when it is under heavy demand. You need to try again as it should be there.

  24. Hi, I am gathering all the information together to enable the exchange to be put on ANTS, but it says a utility bill dated in 6 months. The EDF facture is dated 25/03/21 so has just gone past 6 months, they only issue one a year. The SAUR is from Dec 2020. What else is accepted? I have Orange for broadband/landline?

    1. Hello,

      I ha e applied to exchange my UK licence to a French one, many months ago, as I have a medical condition , which means that my UK licence has now expired (in March) due to the wait. In the UK, Type 1 diabetes means that you have to exchange the licence every 3 years, whereas in France, you have to state whether or not your medical condition causes any problems with driving (I can safely say, and my French dr has confirmed this, that my diabetes does not cause me any problems, as I have very good hypoglycemia awareness and my eyesight is good – these are the things they are concerned about). Therefore, in the application, I did not have to declare any medical condition. I received a “Justificatif de dépôt de demande” after the application went through – can anyone tell me whether this allows me to continue driving? I have not driven for months now as it really is not clear anywhere. It is is really impairing my life, as we live very rurally and I have completely lost any independence.

      1. I know first hand what losing your independence means if you have an expired card. Waiting since Sept. 2020 to hear something, anything about a licence , I bought 2 bicycles, one for the week and one for Sunday best ! Your Justificatif de Depot is only a proof of request to swap your expired card. I have one too with an impressive 23 digit number but it does not give me permission to drive.

  25. The ANTS site is by far the worst on-line service I have had the misfortune to encounter. Problems started right from the registration process when the confirmation link received by email would not take my proposed password and subsequently, I was unable to log in to the site. I eventually solved the problem by clicking on the forgotten password button. This allowed me to reset a new password and log in. Then when making my application I was constantly thrown out and had to keep logging on many times and keep accessing my pending application on my dashboard. By the way where does the site ask for the certificate of entitlement? I could not find it so did not attach one.

    1. You’re right, it’s appalling. I got through it eventually, but I wasn’t able to attach various bits of documentation unless I did it over & over until it was finally accepted. Re the COE, I attached it at the end under ‘any further documentation’.

      1. Good to know that it is not just me. That’s similar to what happened to me, only I was constantly being thrown out of the site and had to log back in many times. Did you see anything that specifically asked for the DVLA Driving Licence Summary or COE, or did you just volunteer it? My photo licence has just under six months left on it and my paper one expires in 2025 so I possess valid proof that I can drive legally. If they want a summary, I guess they will ask me for it but I would have thought that to save them time and work they would have asked for it up-front. In my work, I was always told that during audits, I should not volunteer information and to only answer questions asked and nothing else.

        1. No, there was no specific request for the COE & I did just volunteer it (although I agree with your last sentence) only because I believe the chances of them asking for a summary of driving rights of some kind is high. I could have used the print off one that you can get on line (because it’s only the photo that has expired) but as I had received the COE, I used that instead. I have read in the past that they can come back for more information months (or even years) after making the application, so I was hoping to save some time. Best of luck with yours.

          1. If you don’t volunteer the information using the ability to add information, they will come back and ask you for it once they have checked the application and made sure that everything else is in order, so you can do it either way.
            And yes you’re right, the ANTS site is very glitchy, often overloaded. If you can you are best trying before 7.30am or after 7.30pm. Otherwise you just have to persevere until it allows you to enter everything and then send.

  26. Today, I again tried to apply for an exchange of my U.K. licence for a French one as my licence expires 31 st December this year. I will be 73 shortly after that. My application is rejected but on what grounds I don’t understand as I am now a resident and according to rules my U.K. licence will be invalid after expiry date The rejection letter accepts I am retired and have a residence permit but according to ( Article L317 -1 of the CESEDA ) but Article5-II-A it deems that I haven’t acquired normal residency in France. A friend who speaks excellent French phoned ANTS explained my situation and ANTS said that I needed to visit my Prefecture and state my case. I am at a loss why, or are there other people in same situation as me and if so have they been successful in pursuing their application

    1. For JBruce
      Submitting my application Sept. 2020 , I came across that word Retraite did not have a clue what it meant but as it was lumped in with miscellaneous occupations which did not apply answered Non. Seems I got it right.
      Flipping through the internet on UK drivers licence swap, came across this snippet. Once the drivers licence swap application is validated and transmitted to the authority, no one can edit, change or delete the application except the authority itself. Interesting.
      So , with that in mind, why not contact your Prefecture as instructed and present your side of things? These are the people who will liase for you. Don’t give up.

    2. Thank you for your reply. I have tried to make a new request and done as you suggested and clicked « non » . However after answering further questions after clicking « non » which weren’t applicable, I clicked « Next » and a message popped up to say «  You already have a request in progress, it’s not possible to make another request « 
      How is this possible as my request was rejected ? Should I email them and state that in my previous application I clicked on « Yes » instead of « No ». I mistook the word « Retrait «  on my licence to mean « retired »
      not « Withdrawal « 

      1. Look in your drafts folder and if there is still a previous application delete it before starting again. Also try clearing the cache on your browser (it shouldn’t make a difference but it might be).
        If all else fails, yes email or ring them, explain and ask that the account is cleared so that you can submit a new application.

        1. I have gone back into my account but can’t find my drafts folder. What should I be looking for ?

          1. Sorry, should have been clearer – it’s not actually a folder. If you go into the section mon espace conducteur, you should be able to see all of the applications that are in progress and their status. Just check that there isn’t one that says “brouillon”. There probably isn’t as I’m sure you would have seen it, but it’s worth checking. If there is nothing there, then you will have to contact them.

    3. You didn’t click the box to say that you had a titre de séjour “avec mention retraité”, did you? That is only for people who are retired and allowed to live here as they have a French pension. You are supposed to answer “non” to that one.

  27. Hello,

    I wonder if someone could advise me, please? I applied for my license on the French site in February and received a rejection letter on the grounds that ” à ce jour, il n’existe pas d’accord de réciprocité entre la France et l’État de délivrance de votre permis.” That’s something that must have happened to many of us. I do know that the rules have changed and I don’t need to exchange my British license anymore.

    However, I now have less than 6 months left on my license so today I went back to the site in order to reapply and get a French one. But my application form is frozen and apparently, I can’t apply because my initial application in February was rejected! What am I supposed to do? I need to exchange my license and now I can’t do it. Any ideas?

    1. Hi Jamoral,
      ANTS is notoriously glitchy as a site and it could just be something temporary. Try clearing cookies and refreshing your screen, or using a different browser. If that doesn’t work, you can contact ANTS and ask them to delete the rejected dossier and try to start again.

      1. Thank you very much! I actually managed to work it out so I decided to post it here in case somebody else has the same problem.

        When my initial application was rejected, I wanted to start a new one, then abandoned it unfinished on their site. It was sitting in my application folder under “Brouillons” (“Drafts”). Apparently, once you have a draft, you can’t start a new application. You need to either modify the old draft or, if it’s not modifiable (as it was in my case), you need to delete it and start a new one.

        Once I deleted the old draft, I was able to start a new application.

  28. Having read all these comments and having started the ANTS exchange application I can tell you that the actual application form is easy to follow, once you have your ANTS account. Our biggest problem is that after over 6 weeks, after many phone calls and promises from the DVLA in the UK we have still not received the D737’s. The comment about using the code is false. The ANTS application will only accept a D737. But the DVLA are certainly not being helpful.

    1. I used the number supplied by David Wheeler below and got through in about 20 mins (0300 083 0013). The D737 came about a week later. I also emailed the D888 form above and the D737 came 4 weeks later. Unfortunately I had already uploaded the check code and can not seem to be able to replace it with the D737!

      I upoaded all the requested forms about 6 weeks ago and have yet to receive a reply. Is this normal? I’m getting a bit concerned as my licence runs out on the 18th of October.

      1. If you’ve uploaded the driving licence summary then you shouldn’t need either of your D737s, but hang on to them just in case.
        Nobody knows what normal is these days – I suspect that they are drowning in the pent up demand from Brits needing to exchange. I have requests that were made ages ago, and have still not moved beyond the stage of having been passed through to be examined. Before they authorised the UK exchanges, other countries were going through within a few weeks.

    2. Hi Janet,
      The statement about the driving licence summary document obtained from the DVLA check code service is certainly not false. I have used it for my own licence exchange and for other clients.
      However if your licence has expired and you are over 70, you will not be able to use it and have to have a D737. I found the DVLA helpful, but incompetent as far as faxing the thing went, however they put one in the post to me without a problem and I received it a couple of weeks later, although by that stage I didn’t need it as I had already used the driving licence summary.

      1. Incompetence knows no bounds these days. Having sent a D888 requesting a D737 (even though I then found out I didn’t need one as it’s only the photo that has expired), I received an email from the DVLA saying I need to telephone them in order to request the D737. I obviously didn’t bother as I didn’t need it, then lo & behold, a couple of weeks ago, guess what I received in the post. Yep, the D737. You have to laugh don’t you.

  29. I finally received my French licence after 14 months – but they left off C1E / D1 / D1E – so I sent them a letter.

    I just got this back –
    Les catégories C1E / D1 / D1E comportent un code (colonne 12, code 107 ou 101) qui indique qu’elles ont été acquises avec des restrictions propres au pays de délivrance.
    Ces catégories ne sont donc pas échangeables et ne peuvent être portées à votre permis de conduire français.
    Les catégories f, k, l, n, p ne peuvent être retranscrites sur un PC français.
    they I say I cannot have them! Despite my licence being issued in 1982 – when we go everything including tanks!

    Code 107 is < 8250 kg and 101 is not for hire. Nothing to do with country specific.

    And you point out in your article above that these are exchangeable with a medical (which I provided).

    Any ideas?

    1. Hi Julian,
      You have to say that you want to keep the categories when you apply for the exchange. It is one of the questions on the first page: Possedez-vous des catégories “poids lourds” O/N ? Or words to that effect, if you answer oui, you then have to say whether you want to keep them or not. If you do, you need a medical certificate from an approved doctor (not your GP), and if you don’t you have to provide a signed statement saying that you give up your right to drive those categories.
      You could try writing back and saying that you are really sorry, you didn’t realise that you needed to get the medical certificate to exchange them and can they make an exception please, sending the certificate and your old certificate of entitlement to drive to prove that you did have them.

      1. Hi Madeline and thank you for your answer.

        I did send a doctors certificate listing the categories that I want to keep. They seem to have ignored that.
        I will write back to them. I understood there would be equivalence and I know people who have got the categories changed over in the same way (medial certificate only).
        They’re a pain!

        1. Oh dear, I’m sorry. Do you have a record of the stuff that you sent with the application? I know the official receipt doesn’t show it, but if your application is still in your ANTS account, you should be able to see the answers to the questions that you provided and the documents uploaded. You could take some screenshots and send them as well.

  30. Many thanks for the various pieces of clear information regarding licence exchange ! Perhaps I’m missing something, but the ANTS online form does not appear to have a tick-box for a straightforward expiry of either photocard or licence, and so everything seems to grind to a halt and access to the next stage is denied ? Site overwhelmed ? or browser issue as you mentioned to one inquirer ?

    1. If it is a foreign licence that you are wanting to change for a French one, you just need to tick “exchange foreign licence” and continue to answer the questions from there. There is no particular box to tick for an expired foreign licence.

      1. Dear there, thank you for your very useful info as I am really confused by the french website and I did follow the steps and applied online but I got rejected. The reason seems to be my driving licence is before the 1st of January, 2021. It was a real pain to get all the paper work to apply and for me, it seems to be very strange that I cannot exchange it. I share with you the feedback from the ants website to my applicaiton here:

        En application des dispositions des notes verbales entre les autorités françaises et britanniques, le principe de reconnaissance demeure acquis pour les permis de conduire britanniques obtenus avant le 1er janvier 2021 quelle que soit la date d’acquisition de la résidence normale sur le territoire national du détenteur du titre de conduite. Par conséquent, vous n’êtes pas tenu de procéder à l’échange de votre permis de en cours de validité. Aussi, aucune suite ne sera donnée à votre demande.

        I am not sure what to do now, as I am definitely going to live in France and need a french permit but I cannot exchange it.

        Thank you so much!

        1. Has your licence expired (either photo or actual licence)? You don’t need to exchange it unless it has, or unless you have committed a traffic violation here & been caught.

  31. DEAR GROUP MEMBER I HOPE EVERYONE ARE OK.HOW CAN I GET CERTIFICATE OF ENTITLEMENT TO MY FRENCH ADDRESS FROM DVLA. AS I AM LIVING IN FRANCE MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. MY DRIVING LICENCE IS REGISTER IN UK ADDRESS. BUT I DID NOT CHANGE ADDRESS AS STILL REGISTER SAME ADDRESS IN UK . IF DVLA SEND ANY LETTER TO UK ADDRESS I CAN NOT OBTAIN. HOW CAN I GET D737 TO MY ADDRESS IN FRANCE .IF I DO ONLINE VERIFICATION DOES IT ACCEPTABLE TO ANTSGOUV.FR. I FEEL WHEN I DO ONLINE DOWNLOAD WITH MY DRIVING LICENCE NUMBER AND WITH OTHER DETAILS THEY MIGHT SEND ME D737 TO MY UK ADRESS IF THEY SEND I CAN NOT OBTAIN..ALSO I DID NOT DRIVE FOR SINCE I GOT LICENCE .I OBTAIN 2015 MAI . CAN MY LICENCE WILL BE STILL REMAIN VAILD AS I DID NOT DRIVE FOR AGES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY POINT OR ANYTHING TO MY DRIVING LICENCE.AS I DID NOT DRIVE SINCE I HAVE OBTAIN AFTER EXAM. I WILL BE REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOUR ANSWER. CAN I GET FULL POINT TO MY LICENCE AFTER EXCHANGE AS IT IS 5 YEARS OLD.IT Will be expaire 2025 I SHARE MY
    OPINION AS I BELIEVE MIGHT BE IN THIS GROUP SOMEONE WILL BE LIKE MY SITUATION.
    THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADING THIS GROUP. This group is very helful

    HAVE A NICE DAY

    YOUR SINCERLY

    AHMED RAJON

    1. Hi Ahmed,
      Your licence is still valid and you can still drive. You will not be able to change it till 6 months before it expires in 2025.
      If you have a UK NI number then you don’t need to ask for a D737, you can just download a copy of the driving licence summary document from the check code service. If you don’t have an NI number then you can tell them to send the D737 to your French address.
      In any case you should ring the DVLA and tell them that you have left the UK and give them your French address, so that their records are up to date.

  32. Can anyone tell me how long after you put in your application on the ANTS to exchange your UK driving licence for a French is it before your receive your plastic licence.

  33. Dear group member I hope you are well.
    My first uk driving licence was issued may 2015 it will expired June 2025. I was at student visa in UK.
    I am living in France since 2016. I am not British national. I got my first salary card in France 2020 June.
    My question is do I have to exchange now. Or if I want to exchange now how can I exchange. How can I get certificate of entitlement from DVLA I have lost it. I will be really happy for your answer. I have proof of residence
    permit when licence was issued. I have pay slip. I have original photocard of driving licence. But I don’t have counter part. My UK driving licence will be expired June 2025.
    But I wanted to exchange before if is it possible.
    I will be really grateful to you.
    Have a nice day

    1. @Husan,
      You will not be able to exchange until 6 months before the expiry date, unless you get caught speeding or committing an offence which involves points on your licence. The certificate of entitlement is only valid for 3 months, so you will have to contact the DVLA when you apply for the French exchange, and ask them to send you one at that point.

  34. i have tried to find the facebook page for information on exchanging a driving licence but nothing is coming up – does anyone have the link?

    1. It’s called ‘Applying for a French Driving Licence’ but it’s a private group & the person running it picks & chooses who she allows to join/remain in it. If she doesn’t like your FB profile (& especially your political views) then you don’t stand a chance. It may have been made unavailable to anyone new now due to ‘high demand’.

  35. What document do they require on the ANTS application to exchange my U K driving licence as proof of arrival in France ?

    1. If you have your Brexit carte de séjour that does as proof that you’ve been here longer than the 185 days. Otherwise, a ticket or receipt for the plane/train/ferry or an avis d’impots or something similar.

  36. Good Afternoon.

    I am looking for some help with exchanging my UK driving licence.
    The government page says

    ‘If your UK driving licence was issued before 1 January 2021. Your UK license is recognized in France for as long as it is valid. Paper licenses are usually valid until you are 70. For plastic photo card licenses, the expiry date is on the front. Check the expiry date. If your UK license has expired, or has less than 6 months remaining, you must exchange it for a French license from Monday 28 June. You do not need to take a driving test. After you have applied, you will receive your secure deposit certificate. You can use this document to drive in France until you receive your new licence.”

    Does this mean the “issue” number on this particular photo card or when my license was issued for the very first time???
    I received my license more than 6 years ago but because my card was recently stolen I had to replace the card which has a new issue date that is after January 2021? the card and my license do not expire until 2025.

    Many thanks
    Ryan

    1. Lets face it folks, This so called licence swap ‘deal’ is a non starter.
      There is nobody home ! Thanks to all the good people who really believed this would work and all the good info. but as I read through all the posts and some of them heart-breaking, I realised we are being played by both sides. I thought this was legit. to get us back in our cars and the road again, it is not. The cruel lesson is, I chose to stay here and even got a WARP card with no problem whatsoever. My UK passport expired during this time and I replaced it , no hassle in 8 working days. The UK passport office was just great.
      I am lost for words .I cannot express my disappointment at the foul treatment we Brits have been subjected to over a simple exchange of licence to drive. . I’m 72 now and caught by the 70 year rule. Hoping for a miracle , signing off.

      1. @John House – it was the British government’s fault that the French stopped exchanging licences, as they didn’t bother to put reciprocal arrangements in place for French citizens in the UK, and the only way to get them to focus on it was to stop exchanging UK licences over here.
        I am currently in the middle of helping someone who is also over 70 and whose licence ran out because of the pause. You simply need to get a certificate of entitlement from the DVLA showing your driving rights and you will be able to exchange.

    2. Hi Ryan,
      I would play safe and apply to exchange it as the date on the card is after January 2021. If they believe that you don’t need to, CERT/ANTS will tell you so.
      Madeleine

  37. Hi all… Like everyone here i’ve had two years of “misery” trying to change my driving licence, until on purpose’ I believe, it ran out in january.. But good news it looks like its finally going through!!!… fingers crossed ( they asked for my u/k licence to be sent to Nantes). Regards to the D737 form I had 4 sent to me over the period I’ve been trying because after 3 months in their system they simply reject the dossier.. but they contacted me to say I had to send a up to date 373 form , I couldn’t get through to DVLA so I downloaded the “view your licence” page on DVLA site and they accepted that. Afterwards I tried to call DVLA again just in case they asked for it later and got through to a human on 0300 083 0013 ( the official DVLA number just isn’t being answered)and they sent the D373 form to me free of charge no problem.. Best of luck! D Wheeler

    1. This post for Mr Wheeler who has actually had a form D737 sent to him. Did you have this document translated into French? There is now an article on the internet from a reliable source that says you have to have it translated

      1. Hi John House, I’ve sent ANTS three D737 forms over the last couple of years and they have never asked for a translation, ANTS have accepted my “dossier and asked for my old u/k licence to be forwarded in to them, so I assume it’s all going through now.. If download it on their site and they want it translated they will message you more or less straight away I think.. good luck !

      2. Hello John, RE. D737 forms… The simple answer is no I’ve not had to get the form translated.. I’ve sent three 737 forms to ANTS over the time I’ve been trying to exchange my licence. 1 to Lorient 1 to Nantes both by postal applications and finally again to Nantes via the on line application, and they have never asked for a translation.. Have you tried the view your licence document?. When ANTS started processing the backlog a few weeks ago they asked me for an up to date D737 form I couldn’t get through to DVLA ,so I downloaded and sent the V.Y.Licence doc. and ANTS accepted it .(By the way my licence expired 6mths ago.) I sent the actual document not just the code.. They may have accepted this because I already have a D737 in my file who knows? hope this helps.. In the meantime I’ve had another D737 form sent from DVLA just in case ANTS demand one later.. if you are having problems getting through to DVLA try this number..0300 083 0013..

    2. Glad that you managed to get through. As I said in the article, you can now get away with a DVLA check code document (view your licence page), if your licence is still in date. Hopefully you should get your licence soon.

      1. Hi,

        It seems that not all of us can get away with the DVLA check code page. ANTS have refused it this morning and are insisting on the D737 form.

        1. Well it all sounded very nice but in my opinion, I thought, too many variables. No blame being laid here but obviously form D 737 creating another bottleneck . I’m in the over 70 group, no easy way out for me except to comply and it is the pot of gold I seek. DVLA in no hurry to produce and ANTS using it as another delay tactic, because they can. I agree the situation is loaded..

        2. Regarding licence check code document, did you download the actual doc. and send stating you have a full u/k licence ect. or did you just send the code? Because my licence had run out in january and i downloaded the actual licence check code doc. to ANTS after they asked for a d737 form ( because i couldn’t get through to DVLA.) and it was accepted? I have to say ANTS had an out of date D737 form in my application dossier already that may be where this inconsistency arises from…

          1. Thanks for this information, David. I actually managed to get through to the DVLA after an hour on the phone yesterday, so the form should be on its way some time soon… hopefully. If it doesn’t arrive I will try again sending all the stuff you suggest.

        3. If your actual licence has expired rather than the photocard, you have to have the certificate of entitlement, not the check code document.

          1. That is really strange, as they actually linked to the check code document in one of my clients’ accounts and they accepted mine without a problem. Did you download the licence summary document and upload that, rather than just giving them the code?

          2. Well there appear to be inconsistencies because the licence has not expired, it is valid untill October. And yet ANTS refused the check code and are asking for the D737, which is infuriating because it’s impossible to get hold of the DVLA.

  38. Hello.
    Thanks for you helpful updates. I applied to ANTS before January 2020. I have just received a reply which asks for a CoE D737 even though my licence has not expired – I have sent the form 888.

    They also want me to provide a written note if I no longer need categories C&E even though I checked the box on the original application saying that I don’t want them included. I know that you need a medical if you want to keep C&E. However it would appear they seem to require one even if you don’t!

    Si vous n’avez pas encore réalisé la visite médicale, téléchargez ce document. Celui-ci devra être rempli et visé par un médecin agréé par votre préfecture, puis chargé en pièce justificative de la présente demande en ligne.

    Si vous avez déjà réalisé la visite médicale, veuillez charger le feuillet bleu remis par votre médecin.

    Si vous souhaitez conserver vos catégories lourdes (famille des catégories C et D): veuillez faire parvenir un avis médical RÉCENT délivré par un médecin de votre département, agréé pour le contrôle médical de l’aptitude à la conduite (liste téléchargeable sur le site internet de votre préfecture). Si vous ne souhaitez pas les conserver, faire parvenir une attestation manuscrite, datée et signée, le précisant. Vous perdrez vos catégories lourdes et devrez repasser les examens pour les récupérer

    1. Question, Has anyone received back the D 737 certificate from the DVLA yet?

      1. I sent the form 888 as suggested here & have received an email stating I need to ring them to request a D737. I’ve not had a reply yet, but now I see I don’t need the D737 after all. I’m just hoping ANTS don’t request it.

        1. Thanks for letting me know that you have to ring to receive the D737. I actually got mine in the post on Friday, having had a fiasco with them trying to fax it, but had already sent the licence check document to ANTS and had it accepted the same day.

    2. Applying for a French driving License.
      I filled in the application but they sent it back saying one section was not completed and that I need: Certificate of Entitlement, Licence summary – Form D737.
      My UK license expired at the end of December and I applied for the French one in November and only got this reply about Form D737 today.

      I emailed DVLA about this form and am waiting to hear.
      I feel slightly confused because in your info you mention Form 888. Ants said D737 so who is correct?

      1. I applied in November and my licence expired in February, Because of Brexit only just being processed and now asking for certificate of entitlement. Have rung DVLA numerous times and gone on chat line and after seeing this have printed D888 and emailed it in the hope that something will happen

      2. Form D888 is the one that you use to apply for D737 by email.
        As of Thursday, they changed the rules and if your licence is still valid, you can use the licence check code document. This applies even if your photo card is out of date.

    3. Hi What does refused by instruction mean I have no points on my UK licence.It refers to the Highway code.It says to apply again.I did get a speeding ticket a couple of years ago.I have no code to check up .Surely these have expired.Help.Regards Brian

      1. Brian,
        Your application has been refused for some reason. I’m afraid without seeing what they put I can’t help you. If you need further help then you can contact me and I will make the application for you, but I do charge for my time. Otherwise, if you are on Facebook, you can apply to join the Exchanging a UK driving licence group, and ask for help there.

    4. Hi Tim,
      You have misunderstood. You only need the medical if you are planning on keeping your licence, otherwise you have to supply an “attestation de renunciation” stating that you no longer require the “poids lourds” categories. I know that you ticked the box saying that you didn’t want to keep them originally but I guess they are taking a belt and braces approach.

  39. Hi So Re form D737anticipating the worst I went onto the DVLA chat at https://contact.dvla.gov.uk/driving-licence

    After some mucking about with the web bot I managed to get to an adviser after 20 mins or so and it went incredibly smoothly here is the relevant conversation.

    As a postscript I provided my address in France and was told it would take 2/3 weeks no one asked for any moneyLets see if it all happens

    Enquiry: I need to obtain and fill in a form D737 in order to exchange my licence to a french Licence.YTou website has led me to form 888 to apply to fill in form 737 it also staes that you are very busy and postal appilcations will be delayed so I should foillow online procedure howvere there is no indication of where I can find the aforementioned online procedure can you send me a link please/

    5:16:53 PM
    Thank you, you’ve been added to a queue.

    You will not receive any further messages until an advisor becomes available. There may be a short wait.

    Please do not start typing until you’re connected to an advisor as you may lose your position in the queue.

    5:16:54 PM
    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are busier than usual and we apologise for any delay this has caused. We will answer your query as soon as possible.

    Thanks for your patience.

    5:16:56 PM
    CHAT_TRANSFER_TO_BUTTON_INITIATED
    Laura is your new agent for the chat session.
    Laura
    Hi, you’re through to Laura. Please hold a moment while I read through the chat details.

    5:32:32 PM
    I can arrange for a certificate of entitlement to be sent via fax or post. Which would you prefer?

    5:34:03 PM
    You
    Hi Laura post would be fine to my address in France please

    5:34:30 PM
    Laura
    No problem, please provide the postal address to send this to.

    1. So now the question is, does Form 737 certificate need to be translated to French when it arrives? Anyone clear on that?

      1. According to the information regarding documents needed to exchange….yes it does.

        1. Madeleine, May I just double check with you that as it’s just the photo part of my license that has expired, I only need to download a summary of my driving license & I don’t need to apply for a COE please? And that it doesn’t need translating?

          Thank you

          1. Hi Karen,
            Yes, you can download the summary of the driving licence and no it doesn’t need translating. I uploaded mine yesterday and my application was approved a couple of hours later.

  40. The e-mail address you have given is incorrect, should all be in lower case

    1. Not on Orange they are, my message was rejected when I put the capitals in

      1. That’s odd. There are a very few cases where the server is set up to be case sensitive, but it was deprecated years ago. And Orange’s help pages actually state that their servers don’t distinguish between lower and upper case. Anyway, I’ll change it just in case.

    2. Email addresses are case-insensitive (if such a word exists). You can type them all in lower case, all in capitals or a mix of both, it doesn’t matter.

  41. Hi

    Resident in France and my UK licence expired in January. I had already applied to ANTS to exchange and this was “en cours d’instruction” until the two governments agreed the way forward. ANTS have now asked for a Certificate of Entitlement (Form D737) so I’m confused by the refernce to Form D888 as ANTS speified Form D737 on their message to me. Anyway, due to strikes & Covid at DVLA no one is answering the phones and the webchat can’t help as you have to pay for D737 so you be speak to an advisor to give card details.
    Anyone have any idea how I can proceed as I don’t want my application with ANTS to time out due to DVLA inaction.
    Many thanks

    1. Hi Alison,
      You use form D888 to request form D737. Do it by email at the address given above and include a fax number if you have one. Be sure to specify that you have to have a D737, an online licence check will not do.

  42. Unfortunately, the ANTS’ site sucks massively. I have tried three times this morning without success (“error”, “non valid”, “cannot do it” messages). I had a lot of hope from this announcement but nothing seems to have been changed.

    1. I agree. At this stage, all I want to know is what documentation I need to supply & whether they require translations. But I can’t get anywhere near the part where they tell me that due to ‘error’ messages. My UK photocard has expired (photo only) & as I haven’t even got my RDV for the new WA Residence card until August (which I know they want as part of the documentation) I don’t want to be applying for the ‘Certificate of Entitlement’ from the DVLA too soon as it’s supposed to be dated within 3 months. Bit of a palaver to say the least.

  43. Hallo, thank you for your posts.
    I have exchanged my Italian driving licence for a GB licence back in 1991 and have now been living in France for over 15 years.
    ANTS now asks me a Certificate of entitlement, but I cannot find where to apply for it. I have tried the website they indicate (https://contact.dvla.gov.uk/driving-licence) but all I get is a webchat that do not answers. No phone numbers to call.
    Any idea?
    Secondly: could you please tell me where you fond the news that since June 2021 I can actually keep my British driving licence until its expiry date? Thank you so much for your support.

    1. If you look at the process above it, gives a link to a form and an email address to use to contact the DVLA.
      The French and UK governments have issued a press release, and the Embassy has confirmed it. Kim Cranstoun on the FB group who is in communication with them all has also confirmed it on the group.

      1. Please be aware that not everybody can access the FB group run by Kim Cranstoun.

  44. Hi. Do you have a link to the live ANTS system for exchange as of 28/6/2021.

    I have a photocard license expired as of 2018. I didn’t actually try to exchange it before now but do you know if I will qualify for an exchange?

    1. Madeline, I’m not sure that applies to UK issued licenses whilst still part of the EU. For one thing, I’ve heard from Kim Cranston that we’ll need to show proof of the new Titre de Sejour. I’m sure she’s posted on her ‘Applying for a French Driving License’ site what documents are needed, but as I don’t have access to that site….. Perhaps someone reading this can confirm on here what’s needed.

      1. You need to have proof that you are entitled to live in France – so a residence permit (titre de séjour) will do that whether it is the Brexit one or not. If you arrived after Brexit, but your licence was issued before, you will have either a visa stamp in your passport, or a non-WARP titre de séjour.
        You also have to have proof that you have been in France for more than the requisite 185 days before you exchange.

    2. It is https://ants.gouv.fr.
      As long as your licence itself is still valid (i.e. you haven’t been disqualified for any reason), you should be fine to exchange but will need to get a certificate of entitlement to drive from the DVLA.

      1. Thank you so much for your quick response and reference to the DVLA doc I need.

        My question about the link was where in that particular website is the actual link for exchanging. I found this page but it only seems to have information:
        https://permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr/Vos-demarches/Echange-de-permis-etranger-pour-un-permis-francais

        I have my own login space and have been through it but haven’t yet found the right link. Apologies if I’m being really dumb (!) and have missed the obvious and, of course, if you don’t have this specific piece of information, no worries 🙂

        1. You log into your ANTS space, and click on mon espace conducteur. From there you can create an application to exchange the licence. If you want someone to do it for you, I run a business helping people with their paperwork. https://anglophone-direct.com/listing/french-paperwork-etc/
          In any case the site was flooded yesterday with too many people applying and they turned it off again temporarily to stop it crashing. If your licence isn’t about to run out imminently, I would leave it for a few days.

  45. Hi… We are confused. If the criteria for exchange is expiry of 4b or 11, which takes priority. I have a license where 4b expires in July 21 but 11 is 2034. Which do I take as the expiry date for exchange?? Also is the ANTS site up and running as it doesn’t make sense when going through the application process online. Thanks

    1. The 4B date is when the card expires, you need to renew the card by that date. The column 11 date is the expiry date for each category, if you want to use those categories then you need to renew before that date too, which will require a medical for C and D categories. I’m guessing you have a UK licence, in France C and D categories expire after 5 years, or less if you’re over 60.
      I’ve just renewed my French licence, the 4b date is June 2026, but for the C and D categories column 11 says October 2023, only valid until my 60th birthday, after which I will need a medical and apply for a new card to keep those categories every 2 years.

    2. The one that expires the soonest takes priority. I’ve not tried to exchange a licence on ANTS since the system was made live but it should be working now.

      1. Unfortunately it doesn’t work… if you answer that have a titre de sejoure it just refers you to a “letter” and won’t proceed on to the next section…. This is tiresome

        1. The ANTS site was flooded yesterday and they stopped people applying temporarily to stop it crashing. Are you sure that you are ticking the right thing? If you need help, I offer a paying service (see link above) or you can download Kim’s guides from the Facebook group “Applying for a French Driving Licence” – she has a backlog of people waiting to join, so it may take her a while to approve you.

          1. The list of documents is above, under the heading “Exchanging a non EU/post-Brexit UK driving licence for a French one”.
            The DVLA check code service is not the right one. I’ve altered the page above to give the link to the form that you will need to send to the DVLA to get the certificate of entitlement.

          2. The ANTS site still doesn’t appear to be working.
            I too cannot access the ‘Applying for a Driving License’ FB site & as this site seems to have the monopoly on the up to date information, it’s very frustrating having nowhere else to go. All I want to know is what documents are required in order to exchange. The photo part of my card has expired.

  46. Hi, my license is due to expire in September, I have tried to join the Facebook group but have been denied 3 times , and cannot find a way to message Kim. I called the prefecture yesterday and was told that I am not able to exchange my license at the moment because of brexit, and that I will be driving illegally if I drive after September. Is this true? I am questioning this because the person on the other end of the phone also told me that I had been driving illegally for the past four years and I should have exchanged my license after a year of being, which is not what I was told when I tried to do that. When I tried to exchange my license before I was told that I did not need to do this unless my license was up for renewal or I had an infraction involving points. Can somebody please clarify for me. Thanks in advance.

    1. Hi Caron,
      The person you spoke to at the Prefecture was wrong. You did not have to change your licence as the UK was in the EU, in fact UK citizens were stopped from doing so for a while because we were flooding the system.
      At the moment, all we can do is sit tight until the accord becomes law and then we will be told what to do next to apply for our licences to be exchanged.
      The latest news is that there is going to be an announcement this evening which is apparently good news, so check back in a couple of days when I’ve updated the article.
      Madeleine

  47. Hi all,

    Im french, left in Scotland for 4 years and passed my driving licence over there 3 years ago.

    I’m back to France since 2 weeks and I feel a bit lost and scared regarding driving licences exchange.

    Will I really have to take a french driving test within a year ? Do we have any indications yet regarding an accord ?

    Thank you for you help

    Capucine

    1. Hi Capucine,
      There will apparently be some news tonight. I’ll be updating the article in the next couple of days, but you shouldn’t have to take a French driving test, we should be able to exchange our licences.

  48. Hi how are you everyone. I have uk driving licence . It will expire 2025
    Normally driving licence should be exchange within 1 year from the date when i got my first salary card in france. My first salary card was for one year but i have to apply for before first card finish. It will be finish very soon. But ants is not allowing to apply for exchanging .
    I am worried can i apply for after one year if french and uk have reciporal agrément. I am worried as my first titre de sejour date will be finish soon on other hand because of reciporal agrément i can not apply for exchange within 1 year.
    Please give me advice but my driving licence will be expired 2025
    Thank you

  49. I applied for exchanging my UK to a French one on 2.9.2020. Ants recorded the application in early November and until now my application showed on the site as ‘under investigation’ . Today I logged onto find that there is now nothing under my name at all. It would seem that my application has just been deleted.

    1. James, sometimes applications disappear for a bit and then come back again. Has it showed back up? If not contact ANTS via the online contact form and send them the receipt that you will have had when you first applied. They should reinstate it.

  50. Why isn’t anyone mentioning our human rights and how Brexit negotiations or none negotiations by our selfish British government have left us stranded. Both my husband’s and my own licences have now expired. We tried exchanging them in 2018 2019 and again in 2020 on the online site ! We are now walking everywhere. If Mr.Stanley Johnson had retired to France would he have been treated like us ?

    1. I have been waiting for someone to bring this up and yes this is not right. We also applied 2018 2019 2020 and got only silence and the French shrug from ANTS.
      Now we have to go through the process one more time and it has cost us money. Lots of money and time. We have most of our docs. together now just waiting for after Brexit titre to arrive. Thanks for being honest about what is really a sham that should never have happened

  51. Thanks for the reply Madeleine. I have sent Kim a message and am waiting for a reply.

  52. Hi, in my experience there is no point wasting your time gathering forms together and making an exchange application. It will be refused until the UK and French governments have reached an agreement. If you collect all the documents needed now they will probably be out of date by the time an agreement is reached. If the UK government had not insisted on a short transition time these situations would probably not have occurred. Gary

  53. Hello,
    I have tried to apply to the ‘applying for a French driving licence’ Facebook group about three times now and have not heard anything. It has been about six months since my first application. Is there any other way at all that I can have access to the document that confirms my right to drive in France. I have lived in France since 2014 and my photo card has expired, so i would greatly appreciate a print out of the document for my car. Thanks for your help.

    1. Hi Paul,
      I don’t know why you’ve not been accepted, but I’m afraid that the document is one that is put together by Kim and is her copyright. One of the group rules is that documents must not be shared outside the group. Here is a link to the Ministere d’Intérieur site which gives the rules for British drivers post Brexit https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/Brexit-ce-qui-change-depuis-le-1er-janvier-2021/Permis-de-conduire. It doesn’t say anything about expired photocards but the prefecture de police has confirmed that it is the licence date that counts.

  54. Me and my husband moved to france in January 2020. My husband’s licence was due to expire last July. He applied to swap his license last June. It has been accepted but we last heard in January still ‘under instruction’. I take it he cannot drive in france until he receives his French license?

    1. If it is his actual licence that has expired then he is not allowed to drive. If it is his photocard and the licence itself is still valid then he should be okay to drive as long as he makes sure that he has proof that he has applied and is waiting for ANTS to process it.

  55. hello, the French Government website concerning uk driving licences swap is not up to date and misleading. I was in fact mislead into thinking I could still swap my very old , but still valid uk driving licence (one of those withouth picture). I applied a couple of months ago and my application was rejected. There’s no way I will pass the french code de la route despite the fact that I ‘ve been driving for the past 39 years…. My technical French is not good enough and I don’t fully understand the questions. I live in a place where there’s no public transports and I will not be able to go to work… Does anyobne know (more or less of course) when a decision is likely to be taken and where will we be able to find the information?

    1. @Cinzia Lorusso – if you read the bit in red at the top, it states very clearly that the French government is not swapping any British licences at the moment. We’ve not changed the main article, as once the UK government signs off the reciprocal agreement it will once again be relevant.

  56. Hi Sarah it probably won’t help, given my own experience. Gaz

  57. My experiences are no different from what I read here, and I’m no farther forward in exchanging my licence.

    The Cerfa links on gouv.fr are broken. If you want to find the documents, copy and search.
    https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/Brexit-ce-qui-change-depuis-le-1er-janvier-2021/Permis-de-conduire

    The ANTS site, which is the only place I can get this exchange organised, despite the offer of forms from the gouv.fr site, tells me:-
    “… à ce jour, il n’existe pas d’accord de réciprocité entre la France et l’État de délivrance de votre permis.” – that would be the UK.

    Patience, patience, patience.

    Derek

    1. Hello,

      I hope someone will be able to help me.

      I am French and I passed my driving licence in London in June 2017. I moved back to France in September 2020 via Eurostar.

      I read what the Service-Public.fr said about UK driving licence. I have contacted ANTS site and since January 2021 there is no agreement between France and UK. But what if you arrived before January 2021? Does It mean that before january 2021 it was possible to exchange your driving licence?

      The answer received from ANTS site was :
      “… à ce jour, il n’existe pas d’accord de réciprocité entre la France et l’État de délivrance de votre permis.”

      I decided to write to M. le Ministre de l’Interieur and give him all the documents proving that I was living in the UK when I passed my DL, the date when I arrived in France, translation of my DL…etc .

      Do you think it will help me?

      Many thanks!

      Sarah

      1. I have uk driving licence it will be expired 2025 june.
        But my first 1 year salary card will be finish 04.06.2021.
        Normally i should exchange within 1 year of first résidence card in France. But i coule not apply for exchange ants gouv.fr because still not reciporal contrat between france and uk.
        Please give me suggestion can i exchange when reciporal agrément créate between france and uk.
        Please give me advice what should i do
        One side few more days first salary card will be one year
        On the other hand i could not apply for exchange ants because of reciporal agrément

      2. Hi Sarah,
        Nobody can exchange their licence at the moment unless they actually applied before the site was shut to applications in early Jan 2021. There are two things you can do: the first is to sit and wait until the agreement between the UK gov and the French is signed. The second is to take a French driving test. Apparently negotiations are now underway, but the UK gov doesn’t seem to see the urgency and doesn’t care that thousands of people whose licences have expired have no choice but to either take a French test or drive illegally or not drive at all.

        1. Vraiment Madeleine!! I just want to cry. I don’t want take another test, it will cost me another 2000e. That is not fair for everybody who actually has their driving licence. Do you think it will be a waste of time if I write to Monsieur le Ministre de l’intérieur?

          Thank you for your reply.

          Sarah

  58. My UK driving licence expires June 2021. If and when the situation is resolved and hopefully we can swap UK licence to French (as before), will France accept my EXPIRED Uk licence!!??

    1. The Samse thing happened to me, Irish licence expired Icould not return there because of Covid and now the French won’t exchange an expired licence for a French one! So do your best to organize it before June! good luck Adele

      1. Hi Adele, I also have an expired (since March 2021) Irish driving licence, I have read so many contradictory comments on varias sites, but your experience with ANTS seems to be very clear, which means I am doomed to take the driving test here (& the code !!), have you taken the test ?, how did it go ?, is it obligatory to take 20 lessons (OMG!!) & do the full code exam ?
        Thank you so much in advance if you have any more info’ on this,
        All the best, Peadar

  59. My personal advice is, if you have not applied to exchange your licence yet, wait until the UK and French governments have reached a decision.
    This is supposed to be soon.
    I have tried just about every UK gov website/department and always get advised to try somewhere else.
    There is nothing we can do but wait and see.

  60. A friend of mine applied via ANTS in August last year, they won’t answer the phone and just send messages that it is still “under instruction”
    This is after her original application with the Préfecture at Nantes was rejected as she had not sent the old licence – which they then returned to her!!

  61. The latest information I have received is that you will need proof that you lived in the UK when your licence was issued. I have not found a way to do this.
    If you worked in the UK at the time a payslip may be accepted.
    I got my licence in 1980 do not have payslips from then.
    Good luck !!

  62. Hello, above you state that if a person was UK resident, with a UK licence, but not a UK national, they will need a a document, dated less than three months, from the issuing body of your foreign licence (in this case, DVLA) declaring that you have the right to drive. I have looked on the DVLA website and cannot find any contact details there within the DVLA to get this. Do you have any further details? Thank you

  63. As stated in the article, section ‘ Exchanging a non EU-driving licence for a French one‘ …..
    “Translation of your driving licence (if it is not in French) by a sworn translator or an apostilled translation from abroad “

  64. Hi , my english driving licence runs out in January next year , I am a tax payer in France have everything together for exchange, question is,, do I have to have an offical translation of my english licence and if so where do I get it from .

  65. Can you drive a small camping car on a B or BE or do you need a C1?

    Information much appreciated.

    1. The French licence differs from the UK one in that in the UK you are automatically given the right to drive categories C1, D1, DE, C1E and D1E when you pass your test. You can find an explanation of the categories on the UK government site. In France the Cs and Ds are dependent on passing an additional test and a medical.

  66. Reading this article it doesn’t sound like you need to translate either the photo card or the paper version of the licence. Is that correct?

    I’m just gathering all my documents together to go through this process, so would really appreciate confirmation on this from one of the admins or another member of the group who has already gone through this process.

    Merci beaucoup !

    1. Hello. That is correct according to the info we have at this time.

  67. @glynd and @rafemckenna – it’s apparently normal not to have heard anything. A friend rang after a few months and managed to get hold of somebody who confirmed that they had his application in the system but said that they had huge delays and that they would be in touch.

  68. i sent my application in january 2018 also.

    its been 9 months now and nothing.

    i sent it suive and it got deliverd

  69. We sent out application to Nantes in January 2018 and have not heard a thing. We have spoken to numerous people and they seem to have the same problem.

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