Sproken
B1French·20 cards

From Foreign Licence to French Permis

Find out if you can swap your licence, sign up at a driving school, survive your lessons and get through the French driving test.

If you hold a non-EU licence, you can usually swap it for a French one only during your first year of residence and only if your country has a reciprocity agreement with France; the request is made online on the ANTS website, now called France Titres. Otherwise you start from scratch: the theory test (le code), taken at an approved centre such as La Poste, then at least 20 hours of lessons with an auto-école before the practical test. New drivers get a permis probatoire with 6 points out of 12, and in towns watch out for priorité à droite.

Black and white photo of a vintage car on a city street, evoking nostalgia.
Photo: arnaud audoin on Pexels
  1. 1

    Je voudrais échanger mon permis étranger contre un permis français.

    I'd like to exchange my foreign licence for a French one.

  2. 2

    Il faut faire la demande en ligne, sur le site de l'ANTS.

    You have to apply online, on the ANTS website.

    Tip: ANTS is the state agency for licences and ID; its site is now branded France Titres.

  3. 3

    Votre pays n'a pas d'accord de réciprocité avec la France.

    Your country doesn't have a reciprocity agreement with France.

  4. 4

    Donc je dois repartir de zéro ?

    So I have to start again from scratch?

  5. 5

    Je voudrais m'inscrire au code.

    I'd like to sign up for the theory test.

  6. 6

    Combien coûte l'heure de conduite ?

    How much is an hour of driving lessons?

  7. 7

    Il faut au minimum vingt heures de conduite.

    You need at least twenty hours of lessons.

  8. 8

    Vous pouvez passer le code à La Poste.

    You can take the theory test at the post office.

  9. 9

    Vous l'avez eu ?

    Did you pass?

  10. 10

    Je l'ai raté à deux fautes près.

    I failed by two mistakes.

  11. 11

    Regardez dans le rétro avant de déboîter.

    Check your mirror before pulling out.

  12. 12

    Mettez votre clignotant !

    Indicate!

  13. 13

    Attention à la priorité à droite.

    Watch out, priority to the right.

    Tip: In France, at junctions without signs, traffic from your right has right of way.

  14. 14

    Vous avez calé.

    You stalled.

  15. 15

    Rétrogradez en seconde.

    Change down into second.

  16. 16

    Garez-vous entre les deux voitures.

    Park between the two cars.

  17. 17

    Je suis super stressé pour l'examen.

    I'm really stressed about the test.

  18. 18

    Quand est-ce que j'aurai les résultats ?

    When will I get the results?

  19. 19

    L'inspecteur était vraiment sympa.

    The examiner was really nice.

  20. 20

    Pendant trois ans, j'aurai un permis probatoire.

    For three years I'll have a probationary licence.