Driving Permit for France

France drives on the right, and it recognises the International Driving Permit (IDP) under the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. For most short-stay visitors the rule is straightforward: you may drive on your valid home-country license for a short stay of up to six months (defined as fewer than 185 days in France). Whether you also need an IDP depends on where your license comes from. EU and EEA licenses are fully accepted with no permit or translation. UK licenses are also accepted on their own and do not require an IDP or a translation. For all other non-EU licenses, French law requires that your license be either written in French or accompanied by an official French translation or an International Driving Permit, so an IDP is generally the simplest way to comply.

In practice, the IDP is most useful for drivers whose license is not in the Latin alphabet (for example Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese, Japanese or Greek), where a certified translation is effectively essential. Remember that an IDP is only a certified translation of your national license, not a standalone document: you should always carry your original valid license alongside it. Police can request your documents at a roadside check, and driving without the required French translation or permit can expose you to a fine.

The other place the IDP matters is the rental desk. Major rental firms such as Hertz, Avis and Sixt will ask to see your national license, and many request an IDP when that license is not in the Latin alphabet or lacks a photo. Typical rental conditions require the main driver to be at least 21 and to have held their license for one to two years, with a young-driver surcharge often applying under 25. Carrying an IDP alongside your home license is an inexpensive way to avoid disputes at pickup and to keep a roadside stop straightforward.