Licence issue leaves reader unable to drive in France
Case highlights importance of applying early for an exchange
Reader applied six months before his UK licence was due to expire but this became insufficient after processing took longer than expected
aurelie le moigne / Shutterstock
The case of a reader who was left unable to drive legally due to driving licence exchange difficulties has highlighted the importance of applying early.
The situation was eased after The Connexion contacted officials in charge of licence exchanges and reader Colm McMullan’s case was prioritised. However, he said he would advise others concerned to apply a year in advance.
He applied six months before his UK licence was due to expire but this became insufficient after processing took longer than expected and additional documents (photocopy of all pages in the passport and birth certificate).
In past years, there were reports of applications made more than six months in advance not being accepted, but officials told The Connexion in 2024 applications could now be made ‘at any time’.
Officially, a UK licence – if the holder passed their test pre-Brexit – only needs to be exchanged for a French licence if it is coming up for expiry or in other limited situations such as committing a driving offence that would usually require removal of points from a French licence.
Licences where the test was passed more recently must be exchanged within a year of moving to France, as is the case for other non-EU licences from countries with which France has a driving licence exchange agreement.
Mr McMullan, from Moselle, contacted us after his car insurer said he was no longer legally insured as his licence had expired.
His exchange was still processing and had not yet reached the final stage where an attestation de dépôt sécurisée is provided via a person’s online account and they are asked to send in the foreign licence. This allows the holder to continue to drive in France for a named period.
Mr McMullan, 44, had a receipt (justificatif de dépôt) proving he had applied, but this has no legal effect.
Mr McMullan, who was born in Belfast and moved from London in 2020 to live in France, first applied in September 2025, but emailed after finding himself in difficulty.
He had received conflicting information as to whether people may legally drive in France with an expired licence if the ‘right to drive’ date on the back has not expired. However, his insurer had said he was no longer insurable if the date on the front of the card had passed.
Licence exchange officials later confirmed to us this interpretation, saying people must ensure they apply in plenty of time.
Mr McMullan said at the time he relied on his car for everyday life. “I live in a small town and have two young kids, with activities all over the place – this is massively inconvenient."
He has now received his attestation sécurisée and said “this is good news – a great relief”. He said he had not seen any specific information on the official website as to how long in advance to apply.
A spokeswoman for the section responsible said: “It is advisable to do this as far in advance as possible, bearing in mind our processing times which can be up to 12 months, depending on how complex each situation is.”
