[cherami]

Sometime back I my son exchanged his UK driving licence for a French driving licence and had to undergo a medical because my UK licence covered up to 11 ton and to continue with this I needed to have the medical. However he has been told by the Pole employ that he needs a certificate to be able to drive the larger vehicle.

Does anyone who in fact may drive the larger vehicle have any information on this matter as he has been offered employment via the Pole employ whom i would have thought needed to clarify this matter before offering employment.

 

[MataMata]

I think in France they will be looking for and HGV licence (certificate) and it's a mistake to assume that the 12 ton entitlement carried over from a UK licence qualifies as that.

The reason groups above B and BE are carried over from a UK licence is due to EU regulations which say that in an exchange you cannot be deprived of any existing entitlements member states may however attach their own medical requirements which is what France has done, hence the heavier groups being of one or two year validity unless the supporting medicals are undertaken when they become due but that still does not make them equivalent to a French HGV entitlement.

For a French national to drive anything above group BE requires a separate exam (or exams) and it's that which your son lacks.

 

[smifffymoto]

He will need the equivalent of the cpc,certificate of professional competence.

 

[Peasant]

I received the letter about the medical exam, but it turned out that they classifications on my UK license "translated" differently in the French system. I'd never had that qualification on my UK license so I just wrote a letter saying I didn't need it anymore and they just issued me a regular driver's license.

 

[cherami]

He will need the equivalent of the cpc,certificate of professional competence.

Now if I am correct the document you are referring to is the document that is needed to become a Transport manager, which was given to anyone who was operating Trucks back along before it became compulsory to take a test. Now as you may know that when one takes a test in the UK one is automatically issued the C licence, if one is wanting to take a heavy goods licence 1/2/or 3 then that is a whole new ball game.

When I paid for my medical in France to allow the 11 ton limit nobody said yes you pay but you cannot use it to obtain employment as it is only valid for private use. So you can drive 11 ton privately but not for work, is this indeed the case.

How would obtain any paper work now at such a late stage.

 

[cherami]

I received the letter about the medical exam, but it turned out that they classifications on my UK license "translated" differently in the French system. I'd never had that qualification on my UK license so I just wrote a letter saying I didn't need it anymore and they just issued me a regular driver's license.

Yes because for whatever reason you did not wish to have all the classes on your licence and just opted for the car licence only, which also means you cannot drive a Tractor or pull larger trailers for an example.

 

[smifffymoto]

You need a cpc(fimo in France) to drive as a job.
It is not an operators licence.

 

[Peasant]

Yes because for whatever reason you did not wish to have all the classes on your licence and just opted for the car licence only, which also means you cannot drive a Tractor or pull larger trailers for an example.

I was never qualified to drive a tractor or pull large trailers, so there's no big loss.
It would have been nice if the "mistake" had given me a full motorcycle license.

 

[cherami]

You need a cpc(fimo in France) to drive as a job.
It is not an operators licence.

Where would you obtain this from ?

 

[cherami]

I was never qualified to drive a tractor or pull large trailers, so there's no big loss.
It would have been nice if the "mistake" had given me a full motorcycle license.

If you was so lucky

 

[cherami]

Where would you obtain this from ?

I found this site sounds like a full training at 140 hrs for a novice wow.https://www.forget-formation.com/actualites/quest-ce-que-la-fimo

 

[ExpatWannaBe55]

Could someone confirm that it is an actual exchange of licenses i.e. you actually have to surrender your foreign drivers license in order to get a French license. There are numerous reasons why keeping my US license as a form of identification would be useful.
Thanks

 

[Crabtree]

Yes because the rule is that you can only have one physical driving licence in your possession The new one will be a photocard anyway Are you from one of the states that have an exchange agreement with France?

 

[ExpatWannaBe55]

Yes because the rule is that you can only have one physical driving licence in your possession The new one will be a photocard anyway Are you from one of the states that have an exchange agreement with France?

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, the state I am in is one that has an exchange agreement. I'm unclear on how certain states have the agreement while most don't.

 

[BarbTF]

I've seen it recommended that you go to the DMV in your home state and tell them you've lost your license and get a new copy, then surrender your "original" one in France and you will still have a copy of your US license until you get back the French one. Not sure if this will work for renting a car etc., but just wanted to mention I've seen that advice. (No idea if the US license is still legal once you have applied for the French one, or not.)

 

[ExpatWannaBe55]

Great minds think alike Barb! I was just looking at the requirements for getting a replacement license. Sounds like what you suggested will work and I find it hard to believe the US will be aware of the fact that I have a French license.

 

[clothmama]

In Australia they didn't care, they told me to just keep my UK license 'to use when I'm visiting there'.

 

[Bevdeforges]

It used to be the case that the prefecture (or someone) was supposed to return your home country license to the issuing authority - basically to notify them that you had exchanged it. The whole matter of states issuing licenses tends to confuse and complicate the issue, but even back then it was often the case that the state agency that received your old license had no idea what to do with it.

I haven't heard of anyone running afoul of this recently, but it may depend a bit on the state issuing the license.

 

[Peasant]

Could someone confirm that it is an actual exchange of licenses i.e. you actually have to surrender your foreign drivers license in order to get a French license. There are numerous reasons why keeping my US license as a form of identification would be useful.

You do have to surrender "a" physical drivers license when you get a French one. I have heard of people that reported their US license as "lost", and gotten a new one, sort of a "spare" if you understand.
Not that I'm suggesting anything of course, just reporting what I've heard.

 

[Peasant]

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, the state I am in is one that has an exchange agreement. I'm unclear on how certain states have the agreement while most don't.

A state has to enter into an agreement with France to be on the approved list and only 18 or so have bothered. Be prepared for France to ask you to document every US drivers license you've ever had. I don't know if it's always asked for but I know two Americans that had to do it. Not a problem if you've always lived in the same state but a potential PITA if you got your license at 16 and have lived in six different states.