Off next Friday and have lost my card, in short do I need to carry a valid license with me?

I reckon the paper one and your passport will do.

Don’t have a paper one….passport and everything else (insurance docs, log book etc.) ok but lost my card on Thursday night.

Hoping some kind soul hands it in…

Dont have a paper one? Unless things have changed, I thought the paper one is oficially your actual licence, the card is a just a convenience.

Ah, you mean the counterpart?

That could be the name of it.

Yup have that bit, looks like it’ll have to do.

Lost it with my debit card which a good samaritan found and cancelled for me, my new found faith in human nature hopes he’ll pop the driving license through the letterbox for me.

Out of interest, how hot are they on this stuff over there, could this cause me a load of aggro on the off chance I got pulled over?

I’ve driven the length of France 12 times and a few other day trips into France. Never been stopped once. Stick to the autoroutes, it’s rare to see the police and they only chase speeders.

Cheers Mackem, calm restored 🙂

Never once been asked for my license in thousands of miles of driving in France. Of course, that’s because I’ve always had it with me. 😀

Its an on the spot fine for no documents, mind when I was stopped I didnt have mine so passed them the wifes, guess the plod couldnt read english.

Drop into your local police station to declare your licence stolen or lost. The papers they give you along with the paper thing will allow you to drive in France for two months.

In theory if you forget all the documents the on-the-spot fine is 75e licence, 135e assurance, Carte Grise (registration document) 22e and 600e CT (MOT). In reality it’s rarely applied by Gendarmes who can check their data base for French citizens and will even radio to base for foreigners – assuming you’ve got your passport or identity card on you, if you’ve got nothing they’ll keep you entertained for hours/days.

I get stopped now and then, mainly in routine checks for alcohol and vehicle condition.

In short, yes you do if you don’t have both parts paper and photocard you could be slapped with a fine. Speak to the DVLA, I had something similar last year so I sent the forms back special delivery next day with a covering letter and prepaid special delivery envelope as well and had my licence back that week.

Realistically it’s unlikely to cause you a problem i’ve probably spent several months driving in france over the past few years and never had so much as a sniff from the boys in blue but if you don’t have one it’ll be sods law….

You could take the international number for the DVLA with you just in case to dry and get them to fax a certificate of entitlement but for the £15 it’ll cost for special delivery both ways to replace your licence it’s not worth it. You can take other bits of paper as mentioned above and try and sort it if you do get stopped but it’s going to be a lot of faff!

If you get stopped, they are very hot on papers. One trip, I got stopped 6 times ( not speeding or anything, just random checks) . If you get stopped and you don’t have: insuance, car docs and license, you will have a major hassle.

Ordered a replacement but will be here “within 2 weeks”.

If it doesn’t come in time I suppose I’ve got the counterpart to rely on and they could always check with DVLA that my license is at least applied for.

Touch wood I won’t get stopped…

Drop into your local police station to declare your licence stolen or lost. The papers they give you along with the paper thing will allow you to drive in France for two months.

A lost property receipt?

It would be best to have it. You may be able to bluff the policeman that the paper bit is ok but it doesn’t have a photo as required, carry your passport when in the car and your proof ownership and insurance.

I’ve been stopped before and everything checked, it’s law now to have a yellow safety jacket, the breatherlisers being compulsory has been delayed (although I have them).

Cheers guys, I’m well set on everything else…

That’s a point Jambalaya, the rules say that you have to carry proof of ownership. Of course British car owners have no such thing, we have a document which shows who the registered keeper is but not the owner. And I suspect a significant proportion of the cars on our roads are actually owned by finance companies not the driver.
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anyway OP, I went for 3wks last year and never got asked for mine.

A lost property receipt?

Whatever the police give you when you report something lost or stolen. I assume they give you some kind of receipt.

135e assurance

You would need to be a pretty poor driver to be buying Car Assurance 😉

My financial situation is fine.

Drop into your local police station to declare your licence stolen or lost

I think educator is correct. My wife had her wallet stolen which included her license. The police here (in Belgium) gave her a document that covered her for a few weeks while her licence was replaced.

Edit: edukator is always correct, what am I thinking of