For short visits, your national driving license is valid if you come from EU/EEA countries (EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway) and some US states. Otherwise, the national driving license should be accompanied by an international driving license.
If you are going to live in France, it is a little more complicated and depends on where your license was issued.
1) An EU/EEA license
This license is valid for driving in France and changing to a French license is not compulsory, as long as:
the license is valid
you are above the minimum age for driving the vehicle of the equivalent category in France
your license has not have been suspended, restricted or withdrawn in your country of origin.
However, a change of license is compulsory (within one year of moving to France) in the following cases:
if you commit an offence in France resulting in your license being suspended, restricted or cancelled, or in a loss of points;
if you have obtained the license in exchange for a license from a non-EEA country, with which no reciprocity agreement exists.
2) A non-EU/EEA license
You must apply to exchange your license for a French license within one year of moving to France.
To apply to exchanging a license, contact your local Préfecture de Police to submit:
the application form Cerfa n°11247*02 (available at the Préfecture)
original and photocopy of your passport (or national ID card for EU/EEA citizens)
original and photocopy of your original driver's license (along with a notarized translation into French or an International Driver's License)
original and photocopy of proof of residence (statement of domicile, electricity bill or rent receipt)
original and photocopy of your residency permit (Titre/Carte de Séjour)
two passport-size photographs
if a student, a photocopy indicating your status as a student for a period of at least six months
When the exchange is made, your original driving license/s will be taken from you and sent back to the issuing authorities.
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