If your U.S. state has a reciprocal agreement with France, you can skip the French driving test and exchange your U.S. driver’s license for a French one. There is no code test. No driving test. Here’s the process and an updated list of reciprocal states.
Understanding License Reciprocity: What It Means for Americans in France
When your state has a reciprocal agreement with France, you can swap your U.S. driver’s license for a French license without the full French driving test process. This is a significant time saver, as it lets you avoid the written theory exam (code de la route) and the practical driving test.
The Timeline: When to Exchange Your U.S. License in France
As an American moving to France, you have one year from receiving your French residence permit (titre de sรฉjour) to exchange your U.S. driver’s license for a French one. After that, your U.S. license is no longer valid for driving in France. Failing to exchange within this window means you must take the French driving tests.
Steps to Exchange Your U.S. Driver’s License
If you’re from a reciprocal state, the process is relatively straightforward. Here’s what you need to do:
- Check if Your State is on the List: Verify that your home state is one of the U.S. states with a reciprocal agreement with France (list below).
- Gather Required Documents: You’ll need the following paperwork:
- Your valid U.S. driver’s license.
- A certified translation of your license.
- Proof of French residency (utility bill, lease agreement, etc.).
- Passport or residence permit.
- Application form from your local prรฉfecture.
- Passport-sized photos.
- Submit Your Application: Take the necessary documents to your local Prรฉfecture de Police. ย If approved, your French license will be mailed to you, and you must surrender your U.S. license.
U.S. States with Reciprocal Agreements with France (2024)
As of 2024, the following U.S. states have a reciprocal agreement with France, allowing you to exchange your U.S. license for a French one without taking a test:
- Arkansas (limited to Class B)
- Colorado (limited to Class B)
- Connecticut (limited to Classes A and B)
- Delaware (limited to Class B)
- Florida (limited to Classes A and B)
- Illinois, Iowa (limited to Class B)
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- Ohio (limited to Class B)
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania (limited to Classes A and B)
- South Carolina
- Texas (limited to Class B)
- Virginia (limited to Class B)
- West Virginia.
Be sure to confirm this list with your local prรฉfecture before applying, as agreements can change.
What If Your State Isn’t on the List?
If your state is not on the list, don’t worryโyou can still obtain a French driver’s license, but you must pass both the theory and practical driving exams. This process can take longer and requires enrolling in a French driving school (auto-รฉcole), but it’s necessary for getting behind the wheel legally.
Final Thoughts: Take Advantage of Reciprocity
For Americans moving to France, exchanging their U.S. driver’s licenses can be straightforward if their state has reciprocity. To avoid unnecessary complications, complete the exchange within the first year of living in France. With the proper paperwork and timeline, you’ll be cruising through the French countryside in no time.
2 Responses
I’m afraid this is not always correct. I arrived in France on my VLS-TS visa in November 2023. I have a VA license. You are not allowed to apply for a French license until you have been in France for 6 months. Because my license had been renewed in 2022 they told me that I needed to provide proof that I passed a driving test before then. I passed my driving test in New York in 1966. There are no records of it. I sent an attestation d’honneur saying that. And I sent driving records starting in 1992. They then told me that they accepted the attestation but that they cannot exchange the license because my visa was about to expire. I had registered to get a carte de sejour 4 months previously, but our Prefecture (Nimes) cannot get around to sending it to me. So not I cannot get a license.
Ohhh thatโs a complicated story, but not new. It seems almost everyone I know who is going through paperwork is delayed in the processโ even those wanting to travel home for the holidays and donโt have their new Carte de Sรฉjours. The whole license thing is behind, too. I understand that the French are well aware of the problems and try to work with you whenever possible. I found that Renestance is helpful with all things about relocatingโฆ you might ask. Keep in touch and let me know how itโs going. Best wishes. Meanwhile enjoy your life here and thanks for following the blog.