Dream Properties Dordogne

Driving licences

Driving licences issued within the EU are valid in France and no longer need to be exchanged. However, they will only be recognised subject to certain conditions:

• Driving licences must be valid;
• Penalty points are non-transferable but, for example, a driver disqualified in the UK may not drive in France;
• Holders must be of the age required for the category of licence in question under French law. The minimum age for driving a car in France is 18 years old. 17 year-old British drivers with valid British licences are not permitted to drive a car in France. Anyone who contravenes this law can face a fine of up to Euro 1,500 and the impounding of the vehicle.

There are further conditions relating to drivers of vehicles carrying more than 8 passengers and to drivers of goods vehicles. British residents who commit an offence in France involving a loss of points will have to exchange their British licence for a French one so that the penalty can be applied. When driving in France it is obligatory to keep on you your driving licence and car papers in case you are stopped by the police

Further advice may be sought from your local Préfecture in France or the French Ministry of Transport at the following address :

Minsitère de l’Equipement du Logement et des Transports

Arche de la Défense

Paroi Sud

92055 Paris

Tél. 01 44 51 32 36

Website in French: www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr

Advice is also available in the United Kingdom from the

DVLA

Longview Road

Swansea SA6 7JL

Tel: 00 44 870 240 0009

Importation of Vehicles to France

When you import a car into France you will have to register it with the “préfecture” or “sous-préfecture” in the department where you will be a resident.  In order to carry out this procedure, you will have to complete the “export” section on your car registration document, including the date of exportation, and send it to the your local DVLA office in the UK who will then issue you with an “Export certificate”.  Before you can import a car, it will be examined by the DRIRE (Direction Régionale de l’Industrie, de la Recherche et de l’Environement), in order to see if it complies with French construction and use regulations.

Information is also available on the Internet at http://douanes.ambafrance.org.uk .

Traffic Offences and Fines in France

The French authorities consider the number of fatal and other road traffic accidents to be unacceptably high (in past years the number of fatalities has been roughly twice the number in the United Kingdom). The Police and Gendarmerie are therefore particularly alert for infringement of the Code de la Route.

For offences not involving third parties (e.g. exceeding the speed limit, crossing a continuous white line in the centre of the road, failing to come to a complete halt at a junction marked with a stop sign) they have powers to stop alleged offenders and require them to pay an on the spot fine (the amount depends on the category of the offence). This is not strictly speaking a fine but a deposit against a fine which may be imposed by a Court at a later date. A receipt showing that this is a deposit (consignation) is given. If this sum cannot be paid or funds cannot be obtained quickly to pay it, the vehicle may be impounded until it is.

Buying a car in France

The task of buying a car in France is not as complicated as one might think. The process is generally the same as in England and the steps which must be taken will vary depending on whether you are buying a new or used car.

New Cars

As is the case in England, cars can be bought on finance or outright. If you wish to take out finance for the purchase of a car then you will need proof of income such as a work contract or a payslip. If you are planning to buy a car in France and want finance from an English account you should check with the individual dealer to see if this is possible. If you plan to buy the car cash then there is no need for this.

These will usually be along the lines of a passport or if you have it a “carte de sejour.” An electricity bill will also be needed as proof of address, some departements will only need a photocopy of this but it has to be stamped by the local town hall to show that it is a copy of the original.

Second hand cars

The procedure for buying second hand cars is fairly much the same as in the UK. The same documents as above will be needed for the registration. Some dealers will offer a guarantee but this is something that should be checked on.

Note about Insurance