It’s designed to help people who don’t necessarily have the French skills to make the application.
Danny White
February 12th, 2020 at 8:44 am
Hello, wondering if anyone knows if the driving record or traffic history you download suffices or do you need the original posted copy from the RMS?
Rosemary Kneipp
February 12th, 2020 at 4:44 pm
Hi, if you are talking about NSW, it seems you need the original one that is posted, annoying as that may be.
Josephine RUFFELS
February 17th, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Yes, I had the original sent here for my husband’s licence last year, from memory it is more official looking, though I can’t recall how!
Marie
May 8th, 2020 at 1:06 am
Thank you for this information! Very very helpful 🙂
I have heard that you cannot get your licence back if you exchange it in France and you cannot drive if you come back to Australia.
Is this true?
What is the process of getting your Australian licence back and driving again in Australia?
Thanks
Rosemary Kneipp
May 9th, 2020 at 9:13 am
Unfortunately it is true that you don’t get your licence back but you can drive in Australia with your French licence in some states and an international licence or a translation in others.
Glen
August 7th, 2020 at 12:18 pm
I lodged all the required paper work on 03/05/2019 and received my French Licence 06/07/2020. I have had an open motorcycle and car licence for over 30 years. Despite this my motorcycle licence was not exchanged directly even though the list of countries that have agreements with France for licence exchange states that for Australia it is both Category A and B. At the moment the categories listed on my French licence are AM and A1 which limits me to riding nothing more than a 125cc. I’m now trying to sort this out as I have had a 1200cc moto here since 2017. This presents a real problem with my motorcycle insurance.
The thing that concerns me is that the link below says that they haven’t directly exchanged A category licences since 2016. This conflicts with the list mention above. http://www.loire-atlantique.gouv.fr/Outils/FAQ/FAQ-CERT-de-Nantes-Echange-de-permis-de-conduire-etranger
Rosemary Kneipp
August 13th, 2020 at 12:16 pm
Hi, I have not come across this before. I’ll check with the people with motorcycle licences for whom I have done translations and get back to you. There is nothing on the loire-atlantique.gouv.fr website that indicates the last time it was updated, as far as I can see.
adriab
August 24th, 2020 at 3:00 pm
Hello, I have just come across the same problem. Have you had any luck resolving this issue??
I lodged 6/19 and received my licence 8/20…
I came across this article that says we should get category A2, then in 2 years we have to retest, even so i now have a bike that its illegal for me to ride ….
No luck so far but am looking into it. Maybe with the new on-line application it may be possible. You may need to make sure that the translation of the licence and driver history give details about your motorbike licence and what is required to obtain one in Australia.
JY
October 12th, 2020 at 12:32 pm
Hi – I just received my licence also (I lodged in January 2019 and got it October 2020)!! Also, do not have the full moto licence on my French card – this is a huge problem!
Rosemary Kneipp
October 15th, 2020 at 11:15 pm
Yes and no one seems to know why they are being refused.
Tessa
September 15th, 2020 at 10:06 pm
Thank you for providing thorough information. Can you clarify on that first initial year regarding the international drivers license? I’ve just arrived in France and hold both an Aussie and a Qatar DL. Is there a specific company or association that France recognises the IDL? Don’t want to pay on a scam website. Thanks in advance
Rosemary Kneipp
September 24th, 2020 at 2:16 pm
If you don’t have an international licence which you obtained in Australia, you can have your licence translated into French by a certified translator and use that. I would be happy to translate it.
Lee
September 18th, 2020 at 10:25 am
would you advise me how to apply NSW driving record from overseas? I tried but it requires Aus mobile number to verify security code.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 24th, 2020 at 2:14 pm
I don’t know about this problem. Do you have anyone in Australia who can accept the security code?
I am moving to France in Dec 2020 From Australia. I have applied for my full driving history report from VicRoads who will email it to me. The post says that it must be mailed to and Australian address. Will it being emailed to me be a problem?
What is the cost of translating it?
Thanks.
Rosemary Kneipp
October 5th, 2020 at 5:38 pm
I shall email you privately.
David Shelton
November 25th, 2020 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for the informative site. I am already in France and have a similar question – the driving report will be emailed. Will the emailed report be sufficient?
Rosemary Kneipp
November 29th, 2020 at 6:07 pm
It certainly works for other countries so I don’t see why not.
Peter Smith
December 18th, 2020 at 4:02 pm
Hi Rosemary,
I have been having a difficult time
trying to exchange my Australian driving licence
to a French one, (2 years) this has been because
I have a British passport, anyway I have now reached
the point where they are asking for my original
licence, but on my online application it is saying
“ you must download from the ANTS site a certificate of secure deposit of your driving license as well as an accompanying letter that must be attached to your original for your request to be processed “
I can’t find any such download, am I reading this wrong
Hope you can help
Thanks
Peter Smith
Rosemary Kneipp
December 19th, 2020 at 9:04 am
I wonder if you can find the corresponding French text. The translations are not always spot on and I can’t consult it myself if I’m not exchanging a licence.
SALLY BUTLER
February 8th, 2021 at 1:08 pm
If I require an International Driver’s licence for when/if I return to Australia, where can I apply ?
I have made the application and submitted all the documents I had but I got rejected for not having justification of “residence” or “installation”. I submitted my rental contract but I have Norwegian citizenship so I don’t need a job etc to be here and can’t provide “inscription at the employment office, work contract, rent contract of a commercial shop (bail), first registration the the health office, registration in a school, or certificate issued from the consulate” it took me 4 months to hear back from the process and there isn’t an easy way to reply. Is there some option to just go to the police station with your passport and get a stamp to say I’m here?
Noni
January 25th, 2022 at 2:11 pm
Hi Rosemary,
Thank you so much for your interesting blog. It is also considerably relevant to me! I am Australian, from Tasmania, but also just lived in FNQ for the past two years, in Kuranda, and funnily enough I also live in the Loire Valley now, in Orleans. I moved here 3 months ago, my husband is French. Not my first time living in France, but my first time on a resident visa (my first time was a working holiday visa). My husband and are are 30, he is an ecologist and I am studying to be an English Language teacher. Thank you for your blog, I will read and refer to it a lot in the coming year! I just had a question about transferring my drivers licence as you seem to be very knowledgable about the topic – and thank you for your detailed information on the subject, it has been incredibly helpful! My question is related to my Australian drivers licence expiry date. It expires October 2023 (I only renewed it for a short time because I knew I was moving overseas) so does that mean that when I change it over to the French licence I will be on probationary licence because it is under 3 years? What does this imply? I had the idea to extend my Australian licence to more than 3 years online to avoid being on a probationary licence in France but then maybe it doesn’t really matter. I am wondering what you think and what is your advice/and or experience on this matter. i look forward to your reply. Thank you kindly Rosemary, Noni Hyland
Caitlin
March 8th, 2022 at 12:17 pm
Hi,
I’m wondering what process I have to go through if I’ve been living in France with a Titre de Sejour for more than 1 year (now 2 1/2 years and only just realised about the rules!!)? I’ve heard I have to pass the full driving test as if I’m a French national applying for a permit for the first time…is this the case? Many thanks.
Mark Phillips
May 30th, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Aussie motorcycle riders – don’t bother with swapping your license. Your extended visa will probably have expired by the time they issue it to you (3 years in our case).
The new requirements for 2 years with an A2 license is also poor process – its merely a technical bureaucratic issue that you will not have an A2 license for 2 years on the day the government issues it. It has nothing to do with the decades of experience riding in Australia you may have beforehand., or of the higher standards of training required in Australia.
Hello, I am looking at the WA site for driving history and there seems to be 2 different documents: 1) Certified Copy ofTraffic Infringements; and 2) National Police Certificate.
Do I need both or is one sufficient?
All help greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Nicole
Rosemary Kneipp
March 2nd, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Hi, this might be too late but I will check and reply when I get back from holidays next week.
Hettie Ashwin
January 10th, 2024 at 7:48 pm
great content. We are about to get on the merry-go-round. We have motorbikes, and this A1 will be an issue as we don’t have a car. We have a year up our sleeve (international licences) but then what? After 2 years can we upgrade for a larger bike category? We’ve been riding for 40 + years.
Rosemary Kneipp
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Sorry, was off the air a bit. The only way to upgrade is through lessons. You will see an updated version of this post on kneipp@kneipp-traduction.com
As it is, I think I would only visit.
Wow – you were thorough!!
It’s designed to help people who don’t necessarily have the French skills to make the application.
Hello, wondering if anyone knows if the driving record or traffic history you download suffices or do you need the original posted copy from the RMS?
Hi, if you are talking about NSW, it seems you need the original one that is posted, annoying as that may be.
Yes, I had the original sent here for my husband’s licence last year, from memory it is more official looking, though I can’t recall how!
Thank you for this information! Very very helpful 🙂
I have heard that you cannot get your licence back if you exchange it in France and you cannot drive if you come back to Australia.
Is this true?
What is the process of getting your Australian licence back and driving again in Australia?
Thanks
Unfortunately it is true that you don’t get your licence back but you can drive in Australia with your French licence in some states and an international licence or a translation in others.
I lodged all the required paper work on 03/05/2019 and received my French Licence 06/07/2020. I have had an open motorcycle and car licence for over 30 years. Despite this my motorcycle licence was not exchanged directly even though the list of countries that have agreements with France for licence exchange states that for Australia it is both Category A and B. At the moment the categories listed on my French licence are AM and A1 which limits me to riding nothing more than a 125cc. I’m now trying to sort this out as I have had a 1200cc moto here since 2017. This presents a real problem with my motorcycle insurance.
The thing that concerns me is that the link below says that they haven’t directly exchanged A category licences since 2016. This conflicts with the list mention above.
http://www.loire-atlantique.gouv.fr/Outils/FAQ/FAQ-CERT-de-Nantes-Echange-de-permis-de-conduire-etranger
Hi, I have not come across this before. I’ll check with the people with motorcycle licences for whom I have done translations and get back to you. There is nothing on the loire-atlantique.gouv.fr website that indicates the last time it was updated, as far as I can see.
Hello, I have just come across the same problem. Have you had any luck resolving this issue??
I lodged 6/19 and received my licence 8/20…
I came across this article that says we should get category A2, then in 2 years we have to retest, even so i now have a bike that its illegal for me to ride ….
https://permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr/Questions-frequentes/Echange-de-permis-de-conduire-etranger/J-ai-recu-mon-permis-francais-mais-la-categorie-A-permis-moto-n-a-pas-ete-echangee-est-ce-normal
No luck so far but am looking into it. Maybe with the new on-line application it may be possible. You may need to make sure that the translation of the licence and driver history give details about your motorbike licence and what is required to obtain one in Australia.
Hi – I just received my licence also (I lodged in January 2019 and got it October 2020)!! Also, do not have the full moto licence on my French card – this is a huge problem!
Yes and no one seems to know why they are being refused.
Thank you for providing thorough information. Can you clarify on that first initial year regarding the international drivers license? I’ve just arrived in France and hold both an Aussie and a Qatar DL. Is there a specific company or association that France recognises the IDL? Don’t want to pay on a scam website. Thanks in advance
If you don’t have an international licence which you obtained in Australia, you can have your licence translated into French by a certified translator and use that. I would be happy to translate it.
would you advise me how to apply NSW driving record from overseas? I tried but it requires Aus mobile number to verify security code.
I don’t know about this problem. Do you have anyone in Australia who can accept the security code?
I am moving to France in Dec 2020 From Australia. I have applied for my full driving history report from VicRoads who will email it to me. The post says that it must be mailed to and Australian address. Will it being emailed to me be a problem?
What is the cost of translating it?
Thanks.
I shall email you privately.
Thanks for the informative site. I am already in France and have a similar question – the driving report will be emailed. Will the emailed report be sufficient?
It certainly works for other countries so I don’t see why not.
Hi Rosemary,
I have been having a difficult time
trying to exchange my Australian driving licence
to a French one, (2 years) this has been because
I have a British passport, anyway I have now reached
the point where they are asking for my original
licence, but on my online application it is saying
“ you must download from the ANTS site a certificate of secure deposit of your driving license as well as an accompanying letter that must be attached to your original for your request to be processed “
I can’t find any such download, am I reading this wrong
Hope you can help
Thanks
Peter Smith
I wonder if you can find the corresponding French text. The translations are not always spot on and I can’t consult it myself if I’m not exchanging a licence.
If I require an International Driver’s licence for when/if I return to Australia, where can I apply ?
Hi, you can go on-line to the French website and get it free. https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F11534 then click accès au service en-ligne https://permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr/Services-associes/Effectuer-une-demande-de-permis-de-conduire-en-ligne It’s a bit strange, because I expected to see something like “Demander un permis international” but in fact, it’s under “Demander le permis en-ligne”. When you see “Les 5 Ă©tapes pour rĂ©aliser votre demande de permis de conduire : 1/ CrĂ©ez votre compte ANTS 2/ Remplissez votre demande en ligne 3/ Validez votre demande 4/ Suivez l’instruction de votre demande 5/ Suivez l’acheminement de votre permis” click on number 2/ votre demande en ligne. It should be easy from then on. It’s free and is valid 3 years so you should get one now while there is no queue! Ours came through in just a couple of weeks.
Hi,
I have made the application and submitted all the documents I had but I got rejected for not having justification of “residence” or “installation”. I submitted my rental contract but I have Norwegian citizenship so I don’t need a job etc to be here and can’t provide “inscription at the employment office, work contract, rent contract of a commercial shop (bail), first registration the the health office, registration in a school, or certificate issued from the consulate” it took me 4 months to hear back from the process and there isn’t an easy way to reply. Is there some option to just go to the police station with your passport and get a stamp to say I’m here?
Hi Rosemary,
Thank you so much for your interesting blog. It is also considerably relevant to me! I am Australian, from Tasmania, but also just lived in FNQ for the past two years, in Kuranda, and funnily enough I also live in the Loire Valley now, in Orleans. I moved here 3 months ago, my husband is French. Not my first time living in France, but my first time on a resident visa (my first time was a working holiday visa). My husband and are are 30, he is an ecologist and I am studying to be an English Language teacher. Thank you for your blog, I will read and refer to it a lot in the coming year! I just had a question about transferring my drivers licence as you seem to be very knowledgable about the topic – and thank you for your detailed information on the subject, it has been incredibly helpful! My question is related to my Australian drivers licence expiry date. It expires October 2023 (I only renewed it for a short time because I knew I was moving overseas) so does that mean that when I change it over to the French licence I will be on probationary licence because it is under 3 years? What does this imply? I had the idea to extend my Australian licence to more than 3 years online to avoid being on a probationary licence in France but then maybe it doesn’t really matter. I am wondering what you think and what is your advice/and or experience on this matter. i look forward to your reply. Thank you kindly Rosemary, Noni Hyland
Hi,
I’m wondering what process I have to go through if I’ve been living in France with a Titre de Sejour for more than 1 year (now 2 1/2 years and only just realised about the rules!!)? I’ve heard I have to pass the full driving test as if I’m a French national applying for a permit for the first time…is this the case? Many thanks.
Aussie motorcycle riders – don’t bother with swapping your license. Your extended visa will probably have expired by the time they issue it to you (3 years in our case).
The new requirements for 2 years with an A2 license is also poor process – its merely a technical bureaucratic issue that you will not have an A2 license for 2 years on the day the government issues it. It has nothing to do with the decades of experience riding in Australia you may have beforehand., or of the higher standards of training required in Australia.
Hello, I am looking at the WA site for driving history and there seems to be 2 different documents: 1) Certified Copy ofTraffic Infringements; and 2) National Police Certificate.
Do I need both or is one sufficient?
All help greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Nicole
Hi, this might be too late but I will check and reply when I get back from holidays next week.
great content. We are about to get on the merry-go-round. We have motorbikes, and this A1 will be an issue as we don’t have a car. We have a year up our sleeve (international licences) but then what? After 2 years can we upgrade for a larger bike category? We’ve been riding for 40 + years.
Sorry, was off the air a bit. The only way to upgrade is through lessons. You will see an updated version of this post on kneipp@kneipp-traduction.com