1:24 It is important to make clear that this "International Driving Permit" is not what it says - a driving permit. It is just a translation of your national driving permit, not a document by itself. You always have to carry BOTH - the national document and its translation!
@@philippem5695 Yes. For that matter any EU driving license should work in any EU country for any length of time. Once it expires or if you lose it / have it stolen, you have to get it renewed in the country where you reside officially but that should normally be just a formality.
Very great information, greatly appreciated. Im in US and will be considering moving to France. As far as the French language goes , I took 5 years in HS and college, that was 25 yrs ago 😮 . So relearning French will be fine . Why am I considering a move ? If trump wins as next president, no way will I stay in US with trump as my president.
@@LetsBuyAChateau Thankfully everywhere else is perfect...LOL. While I"m NOT disagreeing with your sentiments....please understand other countries are dealing with some of the same type of issues. E.g. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been gaining popularity in the polls for years, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has won. I'm just saying look before you leap, the grass is always greener.
Driving in Europe is more difficult, there are more signs and rules too. And a big one to remember for Americans is that you cannot turn right at a red light (unless there is a green or a blinking yellow arrow).
I follow you most of the time, but never written a comment; I admire the way you talk to one another with mutual respect and care; love watching you. I’m an RN also planning to move to France, don’t know yet where to settle. Thought my situation is a bit different, I’m single, and wants to explore nearest Europe countries. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I also follow Adrian Leeds Conferences.
Aw, thank you for the kinds words. You'll find your place here in France. 😊 Sometimes it takes a move or two, but that's OK! It's hard to know sometimes until you're here for a little while. Good luck with everything, and thank you for the work you do as an RN. I have great reverence for the profession even if I'm not practicing anymore. Merci for watching!
I lived in Paris when I first arrived and didn’t own a car, so didn’t need to drive….so unfortunately inquired too late. My state is now on the exchange list , but wasn’t when I arrived in France 34 years ago. The French government had sent an invitation to all 50 states to establish an exchange, but only several states responded to the proposition . So eventually I did do the written test and then the driving test. I would say that it’s a totally different experience depending on whether you live in a large city or rural area. The test in the countryside is easy as my friends and family there have told me….in a large city like Paris, Marseille or Lyon it will be much more challenging !
Oh wow, yeah, I didn't even think about how different it would be to take it in the city vs country! I don't mind driving in the countryside at all, but in the city...oh my gosh! Bikes, trams, pedestrians, other cars, motorcycles, buses...it's crazy!
It almost sounds easier and less expensive to change state residency before moving. I have seen a couple stories about French driving school and driving tests to make me think this. A couple months in Colorado might not be so bad…
If you don't need to drive long distances you could also consider buying a citroen ami (or rent) which isn't technically a car in france but a quadricycle and can be driven by teenagers for example too. It is electric with limited range and can't go over 45km/h I think but depending on where you live and what you need it for it could work
That's just rumors. Written tests are a matter of luck. They prepare a few pools of tests and change or update some every year. Each prefecture then pick a few they set on rotation. Some are easier, some harder but the wider factor of luck isn't difficulty but that the test revolves around what you know best. Then you have those who really know almost the regulation book by heart. Driving test is the most biased. It depends on very subjective matters. Like the examiner's mood (yeah, that's a real thing. Hopefully it happens rarely, but it does happen). Strictly speaking, the test end up with a yes or no, but the examiner will often explain why you fail if it was due to a very small flaw. Otherwise, it is up to you to understand why you failed. In that, your instructor from the driving school is a bit of a cheater as he will tell you exactly where you failed. In recent years, with high demands from accompanied driving licence (from 17, but I think it's a waste of money as you will have to retake a test once you're 18), driving schools receive a quota of places for written and practical tests. That quota will change depending on the success rate and the amount of people he send to the tests in a set time period. That system was implemented to fight against both corruption and scams from some professionals. Inciting you to pay for more hours than you need. That new system is also a way to incite driving schools to teach you more effectively. But make no mistake. With the license in their pocket, some youngster drive like in GTA or Mad Max. And it's not an exaggeration. So, in any case, stay alert when you drive. Because you follow the rules don't mean others do.
Hello , thanks again for this video , just a comment to be more precise , when you're passing the exams (theory and driving) you have to know something which can be important. When you pass the 1st part of the exam (theoric part) if you achieve it , you have this result for 5 years or 5 attempts to the driving exam ... il you don t have the driving licence after the fifth attempt , you need to pass again the theoric part....
Not being able to read French can be a problem on the road. Sometimes signals will have a white plaque underneath that limits the scope of the signal to certain situations or gives information or simply reinforce the message of the signal. And sometimes, not very often, that will be in text (in French) and important. Like you can have a simple "!" signal (meaning "Attention !") with a text below saying that the road can be under water when it rains or that the road is closed 100m ahead or whatever. A very common one is "Par temps de pluie" (when it rains) under a speed limit signal or under a slippery road signal.
From some stories I have seen on French driving schools and tests, it seems changing state residency before leaving might be well worth considering. A couple months spent in Colorado might not be so bad…
You both make fine videos, informative, fun, right to the point. I have visited France five times and in two of those rented a car. The first time, it was Paris, Dijon, Annecy, Arle,Ex-en-Province, Nice. The second time, Paris, Normandie. But this was more than 20 years ago. Now I am 77 and would like to spend a month or two in the SW of France. Would be a driving record be of any use when I rent a car, and I heard that renting fees are much higher for senior citizens. Any advice on this? Language is not a problem.
Be careful to anyone trying to games the system re: moving State etc as an insurance company will go through every last detail to try to avoid paying. If they dont pay you WILL!
as stated by another comment: international licence is in fact an international translation of the licence, but it is not valid by itself, it must be together with the original licence.
Actually, driving age in France has changed in January 2024. It is now 17. And the theoretical permit (first part of the test) can be passed as young as 15 or 16 depending on the situation. It is still 18 in most of Europe but many countries allow you to drive before that age and before you get your definitive permit under certain rather strict conditions (you do need after all some practice before you can hope to get the permit...) And for the anecdote, in Belgium, you can drive a tractor at age 16 (but I guess there are restrictions to that, I don't know the details)
Why do you people never mention the fact that any licence -- including many American states -- does not require a translation if it is in the international format with the numbered boxes? The numbered boxes ARE the translation. 1 = NAME 2 = FIRST NAME 3 = DATEOF BIRTH etc.
Le permis international est de plus en plus NON reconnu dans de nombreux pays ! D’ailleurs ici en Malaisie il faut passer le permis Malais , également ce permis Malais n’est plus valable en France ! Cela a changé depuis 3 ans ! Alors AWAS ( attention) en malaisien ! si accident😢? C direct l’avion comme à Madagascar 😢
You might also want to be aware than in countries where you have points on the permit (as in France), they can remove points *for their country* from your permit if you commit some infraction. Lose all your points for a country and you lose the right to drive in that country (and I don't know how you get your right back in such a scenario). A country cannot remove points for another country, there is no equivalence.
Nice concise and detailed overview of exchanging license or testing for one Thank you. Any idea on obtaining a motorcycle endorsement if the state only includes car recognition? Ohio is class B which is cars where other states are class A and B.
0:02 Thank you for the information. You had a license to show from colorado, which is an exchange state, but only had 18 months driving record. Does that mean you were able to get a French license exchanged for the Colorado license? If I move to an exchange state for a couple months prior to moving to France, would that be sufficient to get my French license? And of course I can bring my driving records from California. Thank you again.
It's getting better especially with plenty of things you can now do online, but there's still room for improvements, especially the entitlement mentality that still lives on in the french administration.
i always thank for your video. What are the consequences if I drive for two or three years with an international driving license without a French driving license while on a long- stay visa?
You are then driving without a license. If you are caught, driving a vehicle without a driving license in France it is punishable by one year of inprisonment and a fine of €15,000.
If you plan to visit Paris or any big city in France, you do not need to drive. Same for intercity, train is a cost effective and efficient way to travel. But outside of town this is another topic. So if you have already a licence, make sure you exchange it (and as explained, get a duplicate before leaving), because on the long term you never know when you need to go into some area with no public transportation, and need to loan a car. Also many job will ask you to have a driving licence.
You need a "domiciliation", a proof of address in France. But it can be as simple as a signed letter by a french friend: ATTESTATION D'HÉBERGEMENT Je soussigné(e) [Prénom et nom de la personne qui héberge] , né(e) le [Date de naissance] à [Ville de naissance], déclare sur l'honneur héberger à mon domicile [Prénom et nom de la personne hébergée] , né(e) le [Date de naissance] à [Ville de naissance], depuis le [Date de début d'hébergement] à l'adresse suivante : [Adresse] [Code postal et commune] [Commune], le [date] [ Signez ici ] [Prénom et nom de la personne qui héberge] If you have a stable address, a commodity supply invoice (electricity, water...) or a lease contract, or even a proprietary document will obviously do the job as well. The trickiest part may be to get a loan for your car. Bank in France are very selective for the credit. Think to provide as many documents from your origin country showing you are a good bank client. France does not know "credit score". The best argument for the bank is a CDI (a permanent job) or some proof of garanteed regular income (like retirement).
Yes, you can buy a car in France with a long-stay visa. Here are some key points to consider: 1. Driving License: - With a long-stay visitor visa, you can drive on your US driver's license for the duration of your visa (typically 1 year). - After that period, you'll need to obtain a French driver's license. 2. Car Purchase and Insurance : - You can buy and insure a car based on your long-stay visitor visa and your American license. 3. Visa Validity : - Remember that you can only stay in France for as long as your visa is valid. - A long-stay visa allows foreign nationals to stay in France for longer than three months, typically up to one year. 4. Visa Types : - There are different types of long-stay visas depending on the reason for your stay (e.g., work, study, family reasons). - Make sure your visa type allows for activities like purchasing a car. 5. Documentation : - When buying a car, you'll likely need to provide your passport, visa, proof of address in France, and potentially other documents. 6. Insurance Requirements : - You must have insurance coverage for medical and hospital expenses for the duration of your stay in France. 7. Residency Considerations : - If you plan to stay longer than your initial visa allows, you may need to apply for a residence permit (carte de séjour).
