Driving in France with a US license- without an IDP

The risk is, you are driving without a valid licence. If the police stop you and ask to see your licence (e.g. if you are involved in an accident, or any other police check), then you are in trouble; fine, your insurance will be invalid (expensive accident) and possible confiscation of the vehicle. They probably would stop you driving the car any further (taxi + tow truck back to the UK at your expense).

How lucky do you feel?

How long have you lived in the UK? You are only allowed to use a US licence in the UK for 12 months, after that you need to pass a UK test (government website here: https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence/y/a-resident-of-great-britain/full-car-and-or-motorcycle/any-other-country )

The IDP is not a license, it is to be used alongside a valid license. So I would not be driving without a valid license since I have a valid US license. My car insurance covers me with my US license and covers me while driving in France. I've lived in the UK for 8 months and am aware of the rules. I already have my UK provisional license, but that doesn't help me in France.

At this point, unless my mom can apply in person at a AAA branch with passport photos of me and a copy of my license (I can get her that stuff quickly, I'm just not sure if she could apply on my behalf), the IDP isn't an option anyway. However, a certified translation of my license is also a legal valid option, and I am looking for more information on how to go about getting that.

The IDP is not a license, it is to be used alongside a valid license. So I would not be driving without a valid license since I have a valid US license.

Not so. You licence is only valid under French law if it accompanied by an IDP or a certified translation. Without that you are legally without a valid licence.
A US licence is only valid in other countries if their law says it is. UK - yes for 12 months only, France - no without an IDP.

My car insurance covers me with my US license and covers me while driving in France.

Most insurances only cover you if the driver is legally authorised to driver the car. No valid licence - no valid insurance.
If you have an accident and try to make a claim, as soon as the insurance company discovers you didn't have a valid licence, then they don't have to pay out.

That's difficult.

We can only go on what you have provided.

Do you know that you cannot drive in the UK on a American State license beyond 12 months from the date of your entry to the UK? You need to have applied for and received a Provisional UK Licence, passed the written test, and passed the practical test (not easy, much more difficult than any state test I saw when living in the US) all before the end of that 12 months.

But that's not your question.

IDPs can only be issued in the country your license is from. That's AAA or another small organization in the USA. You can't get one in the UK in your situation.

Even though the list you refer to is in French (something to get used to, not many French government documents are in English) it is the only list for those individuals who can create a document acceptable to French Authorities. It, despite its length, doesn't give you many choices. Have a look at page 91, H.1.1 and page 94, H.2.1. Those are your choices.

What do you risk?

Only the person stopping you and issuing you a penalty will know for sure. It could be a verbal warning. It could be nothing. It could be impoundment of your car, impounding your license, time behind bars or a fine or some or all of those.

How are you able to insure your car now? If the French authorities decide that you are driving (or involved in an accident) without a valid licence could they also decide, or could your insurance decide, that you were driving without valid insurance?

i don't know, I'm not a lawyer and I don't play one on TV. But I wouldn't chance it.

Sorry...

We got pulled over by the police on the highway near Gap one year. Just a random pullover, asked for our papers (we had an IDP) said "merci" and that was that. One time in driving thousands of kms in Europe, but ya never know, do ya!

I'm afraid I don't understand not having time to apply for an IDP? Is there a AAA anywhere close to you? If so, drop in and get one ($20 plus photos, and maybe 20 minutes). It's not something you have to send away for. If you have extra passport photos, it's a little faster and saves $12 of them taking new ones. I do think it's best to get there when they open because later in the day the service people may have a line, IDP isn't the only travel service they offer.

Brad, kstarr said in the first line that they live in the UK. Mom lives in the US. You can't get an IDP for a US state license in the UK.

@Nigel, I'm aware of the process for switching to a UK license and am actively working on it. Thank you for identifying the sections of the document I need to look at. Can I just email those contacts asking about the translation services? Do you know if it has to be done by mail? How would I pay them?
I'm insured through a UK insurance provider. I'll give the insurance company a call to see what they say about our insurance in France. The policy says it covers driving in France, but I'm betting thats based on the assumption that the driver has a UK license.

I'll be with my British husband (who has a full UK license and is the policy holder for our insurance) for the drive, but he has barely any experience driving and I honestly think it would be unsafe to have him drive in France. In the event that I was told I couldn't continue to drive, he could legally drive instead so the car wouldn't need to be towed.

@Brad, the OP is already living in the UK, and has been for 8 months. The nearest AAA is on the other side of the Atlantic.
He now has 4 months left to pass a UK test and get a UK licence, or he equally cannot drive legally in the UK. Once he has a UK licence, he doesn't need an IDP (unless they foul up that in the Brexit negotiations).

Can the driving idea. Take the Eurostar or fly to Paris. Simple is as simple does.

Have you tried using an on-line translation for the French pdf? I used Google Translate many times to translate Polish official verbiage and it was adequate. Surely French-English translation is at least as good! It shouldn’t be that hard to get an official notarized translation in London. (I say this not really not having a clue about the process)

@Eef, great idea! I was able to get the PDF translated so I can read it now.

I cant fly or take the train to Paris because the purpose of my trip is to pick up my cat from CDG and the only way to bring her back into England is by car. Otherwise the fees for transporting her here cost upwards of £2000.

If you had moved to France, you have 1 year to use your otherwise valid US drivers license with absolutely no requirement for an IDP or a translation. After 1 year, you must have obtained a French license as your US license is no longer valid. As a new resident of the UK, you are effectively subject to this same rule as it is applied within the UK. Presently, the IDP or translation requirement does not apply to any UK licenses (as the UK is technically still part of the EU).

Translations must be done by an approved translator the lists of which are available at any local Préfecture de Police. Self translations are not accepted for legal proof of anything. The current rate for legal translations made by an approved translator in Paris is about 50€ per page.

I would not worry at all about obtaining an IDP or translation. What you should be doing is applying for a Crit'air sticker for your car which is required for travel into many areas of France, including Paris and the region around it.

With respect to past advice that one could get by with a translation prepared by oneself, that used to be acceptable, but the French code was changed in the past year to clearly state it must be done by a recognized translator.

Now, you could try doing it yourself, and -- in the low-probability chance you would need your translation -- the police officer may be fine with the ad-hoc translation versus an "official" one. But there's a chance he or she would want to go by the book and cite you.

If you're nervous about this, I've used a traductrice interpreter assermentée located NE of Toulouse to prepare some translations of American documents for the French authorities in the past, and she is both fast and reasonably priced. If interested, contact me with a private message and I'll pass on her contact information. She's experienced with both British English as well as American English.

With respect to past advice that one could get by with a translation prepared by oneself, that used to be acceptable, but the French code was changed in the past year to clearly state it must be done by a recognized translator.

I'm sorry, but this made me think of: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries! "

Most insurances only cover you if the driver is legally authorised to driver the car. No valid licence - no valid insurance.
If you have an accident and try to make a claim, as soon as the insurance company discovers you didn't have a valid licence, then they don't have to pay out.

That's not true, at least not as a categorical statement.

@Robert, it is AFAIK, true for British law.
See here: http://www.yourdrivinglicence.co.uk/do-you-need-drivers-licence-insure-car.html

You cannot legally drive without a driver's licence, and most insurance companies make this a basic condition for being granted car insurance.

When the police catch someone without a licence, they charge them with driving without a licence AND driving without insurance, 'coz the insurance is invalid.

Train to Paris and back to Calais. Arrange for a taxi to collect you and the cat in France and drive you through the tunnel to Folkestone. Drive home.

Solves IDP/license/valid insurance concerns.

http://www.dogjaunt.com/2016/06/pet-taxi-for-travel-between-the-u-k-and-france/

http://www.folkestonetaxi.com/Pet+travel+abroad.html

kstarr,

These are the rules according to the Embassy of France in the U.S.

"You may drive with a valid U.S. driver’s license if it is accompanied by a notarized translation in French. It is strongly recommended that you carry an International Driving Permit."

A Google translation will not be valid as it won't be a "notarized translation".

While you could take a chance that you won't be involved in an "incident" or won't be stopped in a random check, that's not a good idea. The consequences could be serious if something does go wrong. I assume you'll be using a right-hand drive car when driving in France?

If you have time, I'd suggest you contact the Embassy of France in London and ask for their advice. They may be able to provide you with a notarized translation fairly quickly.

Just curious, are you not able to use the EuroStar to Paris and then return with the cat as luggage in a pet carrier?

Good luck!

Ken

Eurostar won't carry pets, and has no pet reception centre for them so that they are brought into the country legally.

While the new procedures have lowered the risk of importing rabies or tapeworm, and therefore the old 6 months quarantine of all pets entering the UK is no more, they need to be followed closely. That's what the pet reception centres are there for.

I talked to my insurance company and they confirmed that I am covered to drive in France using my US license period. This international driver permit has nothing to do with insurance. As far as taking the train from Paris- pets aren't allowed on the eurostar. Taxi's wont take a pet through the eurotunnel and the pet transport companies charge over £1000 to cross the border. I would be better off financially paying a ticket than I would paying someone else to transport my cat. Yes, car is a right hand drive automatic.

I'll see about contacting the French embassy in London about getting a translation and my mom is checking with AAA today to see about getting me a permit on her end. Worst case scenario, my husband said he can drive in France if he has to.

It sounds like things are coming together. It will make a big difference for you to be acquainted with your cat. Good luck with it all...

If you do wind up going to the French Embassy, it is in a very nice part of London, and very easy to get to.

These are the rules according to the Embassy of France in the U.S.

These rules are for visitors using a 90 day Schengen visa, not for EU residents. As the OP is now an EU resident, he does not need an IDP nor a translation.

Just get your husband to drive, it's not difficult PLUS you have an automatic. Everyone has a first time driving in France and you're not going to the maniacal southern part so he should be fine. Sure saves a lot of headache on your behalf!

Wow! Nothing gets more “holier than thou” responses on this forum than the questions of an IDL. One of the best responses in this thread was early on by Barbra:

…until I hear bona fide reports that Americans have gotten into big
trouble because they don't have an IDP.

The fact is, NO ONE on this forum has reported a problem not having an IDL in France. The other fact is you are more apt to get a ticket by photo radar, where you will never see or talk to a cop (much less be asked for an IDL or or certified translation). Here’s what I print and carry with—even though I have never been asked for it:

Permis de Conduire États-Unis

1. Last name

2. First name

3. Birth date and birth city (neither state nor nation is listed)

4a. License issue date

4b. License expiration date

Five. License number

Seven. Signature

Nine. Code(s) for the type(s) of vehicle you are licensed to drive. A typical passenger car is code B. If you're renting another type of vehicle, do a little searching to see what the code is and if your license is valid for it.

Remember, dates should follow the Euro norm of day-month-year. Sure, it isn't certified. My guess is that unless you get a cop with a bad attitude (maybe brought on by you?), you'll be fine. Watch all the naysayers slam me for this post. I don’t care. Tell me a real story of a problem you’ve had in France without your U.S. license and something like this.

“Wow! Nothing gets more “holier than thou” responses on this forum than the questions of an IDL”

PharmerPhil, agree but it’s up there with AirBnB and Uber for holier than thou responses.

I just want to say that I'm so happy you are being reunited with your kitty!! You must be very excited! YEA!

@PharmerPhil, you’re post made me laugh and there is definite truth in it. I’d also lump the “only money belts ever work ever” people into the holier than thou statements. I’ve honestly never seen anyone on here mention problems in regards to not having an IDP. We drove in France in May without one and survived. Then I came on this forum and got so alarmed that we got one for Tuscany last month. Now I just kinda look at it as a silly 20 bucks spent. It didn’t provide a feeling of much security and it’s still in English, so there’d be the same problems of translation. To each their own!

Tocard,

"These rules are for visitors using a 90 day Schengen visa, not for EU residents. As the OP is now an EU resident, he does not need an IDP nor a translation."

While the OP may be a resident, she is driving with a U.S. license and not one that follows the EU format.

Nigel,

Thanks for the clarification on the "pet importation" rules.

We drove in France in May without one and survived. Then I came on this forum and got so alarmed that we got one for Tuscany last month. Now I just kinda look at it as a silly 20 bucks spent. It didn’t provide a feeling of much security and it’s still in English, so there’d be the same problems of translation.

It's not just a question of security, it's that it's legally required. I drove in France for 30 years w/o an IDP, but since it became required I've gotten one each year. Frankly, I think it's ridiculous, because I can't imagine a French policeman being confused by my US license, but I see no reason to flout the law, particularly when it's so easy to comply with it. And one of the pages is in French (and one is in Italian), so it's not "still in English."

The disagreements here are all via keystrokes while we sit safely somewhere with our electronic devices.
Now picture yourself somewhere in France, being asked by a police officer to produce your IDP. These arguments become irrelevant at that point. You either have it or you don't. The entire question boils down to whether or not you want to take that risk. Likelihood of a showdown seems small. Consequences, because of the rarity of the event, seem a bit unclear. (Because the law says the penalty can be this or that doesn't mean that it will, in practice, be as severe as possible.)
I've travelled with my granddaughters and have, in the spirit of better-safe-than-sorry, obtained the necessary written permission from their parents before leaving. I've never been asked for that documentation, but I'll get it again next time as well. Even if the likelihood is small, the vacation would be severely impacted by our being denied boarding.
You can take the cautious ("overly" cautious?) route or take the risk. Your choice.
kstarr wasn't just pondering that choice, she was also facing some logistical problems with obtaining an IDP. My local AAA office says that the OP's mother can obtain an IDP for her if they have two passport-sized photos, each signed on the back by the OP, the completed application form signed by the OP, and copies of the front and back of the OP's driver's license. So, cumbersome, but possible.