Request that California adopt a reciprocity agreement with France for a direct exchange of Drivers License permits for class B vehicles

Dear CA state REP ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 44,

I am writing to ask you to consider a reciprocity agreement with France for driving licenses Class B. 

18 states listed below (as of April 2025) have a reciprocity agreement with France for a direct exchange of a driver's license;

Arkansas (Class B), Colorado (Class B), Connecticut (Classes A & B), Delaware (Class B), Florida (Classes A & B), Illinois (All Classes), Iowa (All Classes), Maryland (Class B), Massachusetts (All Classes), Michigan (All Classes), New Hampshire (All Classes), Ohio (Class B), Oklahoma (Class B), Pennsylvania (Classes A & B), South Carolina (All Classes), Texas (Class B), Virginia (Class B), Wisconsin (Class B) (1)

This is the norm and very common all over the world. France has a reciprocity agreement with 89 countries plus all EU countries and all EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). This list also includes both Russia and China, but not California. (1)

All but 4 states; California, New Mexico, Missouri and North Carolina have some driver's license reciprocity agreement with at least 1 foreign country. (1A)

Any American with a valid driver's license from any other state, including CA, must pass both the written and practical driving license examinations in France. (2) I find myself in this situation now. Like many other Californians living in France for more than 1 year I have spent countless hours, more than 1,500 US dollars, and put myself under enormous stress and pressure trying to get a French driver's license. 

Why are we Californians forced to do this while other Amercians don’t have to?   

How could this benefit the CA DMV? 

Both France and California struggle to keep up with the demand for driving licenses and permits. The CA DMV has a history of long wait times with or without an appointment. (3) Anything that could alleviate some of the strain on the CA DMV would be helpful. Providing tests, both written and practical (driving) to French citizens who already have a valid driver's license is a waste of valuable resources. 

How would this benefit California?

A reciprocity agreement between France and California would inevitably improve and expand diplomatic relations between the 2 governments.

How would this affect Californians?

French drivers are not a danger to Californians. On the contrary, French driver's license holders are excellent drivers because they must pass the rigorous testing in France. (4) The rules of the road in France are more complicated than in the US, and therefore require a much higher level of concentration and focus. (5) In France, traffic deaths continue to decline. As of 2021, Americans are almost three times as likely to die in a traffic crash as French people. (6) Drunk driving limits are more strict in France than in the US or UK.(6A) 

The conclusion is clear. French drivers are not a danger to Californians and granting them a direct exchange for their french driver's licenses would not harm Californians. 

How would it affect California drivers living in France? 

The stress and time spent by Californians to pass both the written and driving tests in France is significant. So much so that some Californians actually move to another state like Texas or Michigan to obtain a driver's license from that state before going to France. 

The written test, Le Code de la Route, is only given in french, with few exceptions in big cities like Paris. The test is notoriously difficult with a success rate of less than 70% for the average french person. Anglophones like me, forced to take the written test in French are at a great disadvantage. Most struggle a lot with the hundreds of new vocabulary and terms and therefore It takes much longer for any non native French speaker to study for and pass the written test.

The driving portion of the process is equally difficult with only a 60% success rate. (7) New drivers in France usually take a minimum of 20 hours of lessons in order to attempt the driving test. Californians are considered “new drivers” because our licenses are not exchangeable. Therefore even experienced drivers from California must take between 5 and 20 hours in person driving lessons before being deemed by the driving school as ready to take the test. 

The driving test is given in French only. A Californian, non French native speaker will almost certainly struggle with the driving tests even if they have taken some lessons and speak some french. A licensed interpreter, at your own expense, may be accepted in some cities like Paris but is not typical and would not be welcomed by the tester.  The 25 min test includes an oral exam with questions on the car you are taking the test in, emergency first aid and traffic rules. Any oral exam in French is difficult for any non native French speaker, yet no allowances are made for a foreigner who does not speak perfect french.

Stress of passing the French tests for Californians

Non French people are not accustomed to the high pressure testing so rooted in French culture. The driving test is much harder to pass than the CA DMV driving test. The testers are notoriously cold and intimidating. They put the drivers in a very uncomfortable position on purpose to weed out anyone who does not do well under pressure. 

The wait time for a driving test can be anywhere from 1- 4 months when made by a driving school. It can be much longer if you attempt to make the appointment yourself. The system in France is set up to support the driving school industry. (8) Trying to pass the test without attending a driving school is complicated and requires practice records and alot of other documentation. 

American drivers have 1 year from their arrival in France to either exchange their license or obtain a french one. But a “carte de sejour” is required before one can sign up for the test. Sometimes there is a long delay in obtaining the physical card and it does not arrive within the first year making it impossible to fulfil this obligation. 

Cost of getting a French driver's license 

Learning to drive in France is not cheap. Average costs, depending on the driving school and region, is €300 (euros) for the written classes, and roughly €50.00 an hour for the in-car instruction. This adds up fast. On average, most people spend between €900 and €1,300, depending on the department. (9)

Costs of automobile insurance as a “New Driver”

Anyone who must take the drivers tests in France is then considered a “new driver” regardless of age and years of driving experience in their home state. They will pay the same insurance rates as an 18-24 year old during the initial 2 year probation period. This price difference is roughly double what an experienced adult driver (35+) would pay and 30% higher for an adult 25-34 with 5-10 years of driving experience. (10)

How many Californians would be affected by the agreement?

In 2024, over 13,000 Americans received their first French residency cards — an increase of 5% from the previous year. This places Americans as the fifth-largest nationality obtaining residency permits in France. Nearly 153,000 adult Americans live in France in 2024 according to analysis from federal US government body The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) (9A). How many Californians are TBD. 

How many French living in California would be affected? 

Accurate statistics for 2024 are not listed on line. About 11,000 French lived in the LA area in 1999. But the French inhabit no specific neighborhood and are not always easy to track down. “San Francisco is the third biggest French community after New York and Los Angeles with almost 25,500 expats surveyed in 2017, according to French Radar. (11) 

How do drivers license exchanges work? 

The French require minimal documents from residents of the 18 US states which have a reciprocity agreement with France in order to exchange a license. (12)

Many Californians living in France have had to go through this process of obtaining a French drivers license over the years in addition to their California license. It is only getting harder and more expensive to do every year. The benefits to Californians living in France are overwhelming.

I request that you consider a reciprocity agreement with France for driving licenses Class B. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my request.

Sincerely,

Karen HARE NEILSSON  

Sun Valley, Los Angeles County