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DRIVING

Do I need a special licence to drive a manual transmission vehicle in France?

Manual transmission, aka stick shift, vehicles are common in France - and throughout Europe - so what does this mean for people who have only ever driven automatics?

Published: 7 March 2024 10:37 CET
Do I need a special licence to drive a manual transmission vehicle in France?
Photo by Alok Sharma on Unsplash

In France, automatic cars are becoming more popular – over half of new cars sold in 2021 were automatic – but there are still a fair share of manual transmission vehicles on the roads.

When renting a vehicle in France, stick-shifts are often cheaper and more readily available than automatics.

So if you’ve only ever driven an automatic, is there anything to stop you driving a stick shift car in France (apart from the fear of bunny-hopping out of the parking lot while you figure out how the clutch works)?

Tourists, holidays and short-stays

People visiting France on holiday can drive on their foreign licence, as long as they are of legal driving age and the document is valid. 

French law expects foreigners to “comply, where applicable, with any provisions regarding the validity of the driving licence”.

So if you have a licence that specifically states it is for automatic vehicles only – eg a UK Category B licence – you can only drive automatic vehicles in France.

However US driving licences usually do not specify automatic v manual and allow you to drive all car types, so you can drive a stick shift car in France unless your licence specifically says otherwise.

There are some other requirements visitors should be aware of – you may need to have a French translation of your licence on hand. Otherwise, you can accompany your foreign licence with an international driving licence (IDL). The French translation should be done by a certified translator (traducteur agrée).

In practice, some rental agencies that operate in multiple countries may not ask you for the translation or an IDL, but it is still best to abide by the French rules. Americans can request an IDL online here.

Drivers with EU licences and UK and NI licence-holders are exempt from the translation/ International Driving Permit requirement.

Foreign residents of France

If you’re living in France the situation is slightly different and most holders of non-EU driving licences will eventually have to swap theirs for a French licence.

Full driving licences from EU Member States are valid in France. EEA country licences have the same status.

Most non-EU licence holders will have to swap theirs for a French licence within one year of moving, with a slightly different situation for UK licence holders.

The UK and France announced in June 2021 that a reciprocal agreement had been reached that allows people who live in France and have a UK or NI licence that was issued before January 1st, 2021 to continue using them. The licence only needs to be swapped for a French one once the licence itself or the photocard is within six months of its expiry date. Drivers with a UK or NI licence issued after January 1st 2021 must swap it for a French one within a year of moving.

Only non-EU students (people who hold a carte de séjour with the mention ‘étudiant‘) are exempt from the one-year requirement, but if they stay in France after their studies and switch onto another residency card then they will also need to exchange their licence.

Explained: Do I have to swap my driving licence in France?

So will your new French licence allow you to drive a stick shift?

Well, it depends on your original licence and the swap process.

France does have an ‘automatic only’ licence, it’s known as Permis boîte automatique or a mention 78 because the document issued will state the number ’78’ under the restrictions section on the back of the licence. This would also be where any other restrictions, like the requirement to wear glasses (01), would be listed.

If you have a licence from a country that specifies automatic-only (such as the UK’s Category B licence), you will get a like-for-like exchange with a French mention 78 licence, and can therefore only drive automatic vehicles.

If you have a US licence which doesn’t specify manual or automatic then you can swap it for the standard French Permis B, which allows you to drive both. If, that is, your licence was issued in a state that has an agreement with France that allows for a driving licence swap – find the full list here.

If your state does not have an agreement, you will have to take a French driving test.

READ MORE: Four years and €1,800: What foreigners should know about the French driving test?

If you’re taking the test, you will be able to decide between the standard Permis B, which includes the ability to drive manual transmission cars, and the specific Permis B ‘boîte automatique‘ for automatics only.

Can I add the manual category later on?

If you later change your mind, you can take an additional training course to convert your ‘automatic only’ licence into a full one, and recently France recently made it simpler to do so.

Previously, automatic-only motorists had to wait three months before taking steps toward the full transmission licence. However, as of March 2024, the three-month wait time was removed.

This means that any Permis B licence holder with a ‘mention 78‘ can immediately take the additional seven-hour training course to gain the ability to drive manual vehicles in France. The course must be taken with an approved driving instructor and you will then need to apply to ANTS to have your licence conditions updated.

In 2022, 14 percent of Permis B candidates applied for an ‘automatic-only’ licence, and 28 percent of them added on the manual training in 2023.

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For members

DRIVING

EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

The EU has agreed to extend the number of driving offences for which motorists from other member states can be fined for and to make it easier for authorities to chase up the fines and make foreign drivers pay.

Published: 13 May 2024 17:28 CEST
EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

In the last voting session of this term, in April, the European Parliament passed new rules to ensure drivers who breach local traffic rules in another EU member state are found and fined.

The cross-border enforcement (CBE) directive was first adopted in 2015 after it was found that non-resident drivers were more likely to commit speeding offences. The European Commission estimated that in 2008, foreign drivers accounted for about 5 percent of road traffic in the EU but committed around 15 percent of speeding offences.

The directive partially improved the situation, but according to the Commission 40 percent of traffic violations committed in other EU countries are still unpunished “because the offender is not identified or because the fine is not enforced”.

In March 2023, the Commission therefore proposed updating existing measures.

New rules extend the type of offences that will trigger assistance from another member state and seek to improve collaboration among national authorities to identify and fine offenders.

The European Parliament and Council agreed in March on the final text of the directive, which is now being formally approved by the two institutions.

André Sobczak, Secretary-General at Eurocities, a group representing European cities in Brussels, said: “While the final outcome of the discussions is not ideal, we are pleased that EU policymakers have at least put the issue of the enforcement of local traffic rules on foreign vehicles on the table. As we approach an election year, I believe such a practical example can demonstrate why a European approach is necessary to address local issues.”

Which traffic offences are covered?

The previous directive covered eight driving misconducts that would require member states to cooperate: speeding, not wearing seat belts, failing to stop at a red traffic light, drink-driving, driving under the effect of drugs, not wearing a helmet (motorcycles / scooters), using a forbidden lane and using a mobile phone or other communication devices while driving.

The Commission proposed to add to the list not keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, dangerous overtaking, dangerous parking, crossing one or more solid white lines, driving the wrong way down a one way street, not respecting the rules on “emergency corridors” (a clear lane intended for priority vehicles), and using an overloaded vehicle.

The Parliament and Council agreed to these and added more offences: not giving way to emergency service vehicles, not respecting access restrictions or rules at a rail crossings, as well as hit-and-run offences.

Despite calls from European cities, the new directive does not cover offences related to foreign drivers avoiding congestion charges or low emission zones. In such cases, information about vehicle registration can only be shared among countries with bilateral agreements.

Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General at POLIS, a network of cities and regions working on urban transport, called on the next European Commission to take other local traffic offences, such as breaches of low emission zones, “fully at heart”.

Collaboration among national authorities

For the traffic violations covered by the directive, EU countries have to help each other to find the liable driver. The new directive further clarifies how.

Member states will have to use the European vehicle and driving licence information system (Eucaris) to get the data of the offender.

National authorities will have 11 months from the date of the violation to issue the fine to a vehicle from another EU member state. However, they will not have to resort to agencies or private entities to collect the fine. This was requested by the European Parliament to avoid scams or leaks of personal data.

Authorities in the country of the offender will have to reply to requests from another EU member state within two months.

When the amount of the fine is more than €70, and all options to have it paid have been exhausted, the member state where the violation occurred can ask the country of the offender to take over the collection.

The person concerned will be able to request follow-up documents in a different official EU language.

When will the new rules will be enforced?

Now that the EU Parliament has passed the law, the EU Council has to do the same, although there is no date set for when that will happen. Once the directive is adopted, EU countries will have 30 months to prepare for implementation.

Last year the Commission also proposed a new directive on driving licenses, but negotiations on the final text of this file will only take place after the European elections.

This article has been produced in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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