Introduction
You just arrived in France with a driving licence issued abroad, and the question is on a loop: can I drive? For how long? And after that, do I really have to start from zero again, theory test and practical, like a beginner?
The answer depends entirely on two things: your country of origin, and the date you became a resident in France. A Chinese licence does not follow the same path as a Moroccan one, which does not follow the same path as a Brazilian one. This article untangles the 2026 rules for the main diasporas living in France, with realistic timelines, the actual paperwork, and the traps that cost people months.
How long is my foreign licence valid in France?
This is the first question, and it shapes your whole strategy. The 2026 baseline:
- EU/EEA/Swiss licences: valid indefinitely as long as not expired in the country of issue. No mandatory swap (unless you commit a serious offence in France or your licence has a limited validity that expires).
- Non-EU licences: valid for one year from the date you acquired normal residence in France (the date your residence permit was issued, or your effective installation). After that: driving becomes illegal, unless you have started the exchange procedure within the deadline.
This one-year rule is strict. Mehdi, an Algerian student who arrived in Lyon in September 2024, kept driving with his Algerian licence until November 2025 without exchanging. A roadside check cost him a 135 € fine and the impounding of his car. He then had to retake the theory and the practical (1,800 €) because he was past the deadline.
International driving permit: useful only as an official translation of your national licence during short tourist stays (Schengen visa, etc.). Once you become a resident, the international permit is no longer relevant — what counts is your national licence.
Countries with a bilateral agreement: the "no-test" exchange
France has signed reciprocity agreements with around fifty states allowing direct exchange of the licence, with no theory and no practical test to retake. The most relevant ones for diasporas active on Pionra:
Countries WITHOUT an agreement (you must retake both the theory AND the practical at a French driving school):
- China (no agreement in 2026)
- Vietnam (no agreement)
- India (no agreement)
- Russia (no agreement since 2022)
- Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (no agreements)
Wei, a Chinese designer based in Paris, had been driving in China for eight years. On arrival she discovered no agreement covered her licence. She had to register at a driving school (theory + 20 hours of practical: 1,350 € at ECF, 1,580 € at CER), pass the theory in two months, and obtained the French B licence five months later. Frustrating, but those are the rules. Tip: if you have more than 3 years of licence in your country of origin, mention it to the driving school — you will probably save 5 to 10 of the mandatory practical hours.
The ANTS procedure step by step (direct exchange)
For countries with an agreement, the exchange is done on the official ANTS website (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés): permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr. Any other platform asking you for fees is a scam.
Documents to prepare as PDFs (sharp scans, white background):
- (front + back, perfectly readable)
Online steps:
- Account creation on ants.gouv.fr (FranceConnect+ accepted)
- Choose the procedure: "Demander l'échange d'un permis étranger"
- Enter country of origin, category (usually B)
- Upload all documents
- Validate and submit
- Tracking in your personal area — a CERT (Centre d'Expertise et de Ressources Titres) officer is assigned (Nantes for non-European licences since 2020).
No fiscal stamp for the first exchange (free). However, if ANTS rejects the file and you need a replacement after loss or damage, the duplicate costs 25 € in fiscal stamps.
Realistic 2026 timelines
Officially: "3 to 6 months". In practice in 2026:
- Maghreb (DZ, MA, TN): 4 to 8 months (the authenticity certificate from the country of origin is the bottleneck)
- Senegal, Ivory Coast: 3 to 6 months
- East Asia with agreement (Korea, Japan): 2 to 4 months
- Brazil, Argentina: 4 to 7 months
- EU (voluntary exchange): 1 to 2 months
During the processing, ANTS issues a secured deposit certificate (ADS — attestation de dépôt sécurisée) which acts as your driving authorisation in France throughout the procedure, provided you applied within the one-year window. Print it, keep it in your car — it saves you from a fine in case of a roadside check.
Aïssatou, a Senegalese nurse who arrived in Marseille in March 2025, filed her request in April (right after her residence permit). She received the ADS within 3 weeks, and her final French licence in November 2025 — 7 months total. Without the ADS, she would have had to park the car between August and November.
Comparison: 6 countries of origin
| Country | Agreement? | Test to retake? | Average 2026 time | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Yes | No | 4-8 months | 30-60 € (translation if required) |
| Morocco | Yes | No | 4-7 months | 30-60 € |
| Tunisia | Yes | No | 3-6 months | 30-60 € |
| Senegal | Yes | No | 3-6 months | 0-40 € |
| China | No | Theory + Practical | 4-8 months | 1,200-1,800 € (driving school) |
| Vietnam | No | Theory + Practical | 4-8 months | 1,200-1,800 € |
| Portugal (EU) | EU | Not mandatory | 1-2 months if voluntary | 0 € |
In short
- Non-EU licence: valid 1 year from your installation date
- Countries with agreement (Maghreb, Senegal, Brazil, Japan, Korea…): ANTS exchange without retaking the test
- Countries without agreement (China, Vietnam, India, Russia): driving school is mandatory
- ANTS procedure: permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr, free, 2 to 8 months
On Pionra
On Pionra, the Chinese, Moroccan and Algerian communities share their driving-school experiences, trusted sworn translators, and real per-CERT timelines. You can also find a sworn translator in /fr/annuaire, or post specific questions in the Senegalese, , or community.
FAQ
My licence has expired in my country of origin, can I still exchange it in France?
No. ANTS requires a licence valid on the application date. If your Chinese or Moroccan licence has expired, you must first renew it in your country of origin (often by proxy via consulate, or during a trip), then start the exchange.
I arrived 14 months ago and did nothing. Is it over?
Not entirely. If you come from a country without an agreement (China, Vietnam, India…), driving school is mandatory anyway. If you come from a country with an agreement, ANTS sometimes accepts late requests with justification (proof that your real arrival date differs from the residence permit date, for instance), but it is unpredictable. In the meantime, do not drive — driving without a valid licence can theoretically reach a 15,000 € fine and one year of prison.
Will a translation by my bilingual friend do the job?
No. Only translations by a sworn translator listed at a French Court of Appeal are accepted. The list is public on the Cour de cassation website. Expect 30 to 60 € for a one-page licence translation, delivered in 3 to 7 days.
My Algerian licence was issued in Algiers but I want to exchange in Lille, does that change anything?
No. Since 2020, all non-European licence exchanges are centralised at the CERT of Nantes, regardless of where you live. You file online, the file is processed in Nantes, and the new licence is mailed to you by tracked letter.
I have been driving in France with my Chinese licence for 6 months, is that legal?
Yes, until one year after your effective installation. But start your driving-school registration now, because at best you will only have 6 months left to pass the theory and the practical. The average time to obtain the B licence from scratch in 2026 is 5 to 7 months.