Moving to France · driving
Can you exchange your US driver's license for a French one?
It depends entirely on which US state issued your license — not your nationality. Each state negotiates its own agreement with France. On France's official list dated 2026-03-02, 18 states let you swap your license for a French permis without taking the French driving test. The rest require passing the French test (code + practical). Either way, you have 1 year from establishing residence in France to act. Find your state below.
The list alone is misleading. An agreement does not always cover every licence category. 10 of the 18 states cover the car licence (B) only — a motorcycle licence from those states cannot be exchanged at all. Your state page says exactly what yours covers.
States with a reciprocity agreement (18)
You can exchange without a driving test, within the categories shown.
States without an agreement (33)
You'll need to pass the French driving test — see your state page for the steps.
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