Can UK paper driving licences be used to hire vehicles in France?
Some have highlighted issue of using non-French licences to hire vehicles
Hire car companies always require photo ID
Olezzo/Shutterstock
Reader Question: My British driving licence was issued before 1981. My local supermarket refused to hire me a car, is that common? I live in France.
There are no rules preventing people with British driving licences from hiring a car in France, provided the licence is valid.
This is the case for both visitors and residents in France.
In this scenario, the hire site may have been unused to the format of your licence as it is old and not in the current credit-card style that is standard in Europe (note that old UK paper licences remain valid until the driver turns 70.
If the licence does not show a photo (unlike modern ones), they may ask for an additional proof of ID which includes one.
Read more: Can I hire a car in France with a UK driving licence?
What can hire companies ask for?
Hire companies are within their rights to request additional information, if they wish.
If they want any additional information such as the number of points on a licence, this can be obtained through the UK government’s ‘View Driving Licence’ service.
Other than this, we do not believe there to be any valid reason why your request was refused, but you should be able to find an alternative firm.
Be aware, however, that several Connexion readers had issues in 2024 attempting to hire a vehicle from supermarkets, including Carrefour and E.Leclerc.
Read more: UK drivers face problems hiring vehicles at supermarkets in France
Do foreign drivers need an international driving permit?
Some large car hire companies in France such as Sixt say they do not require British drivers to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) to hire a vehicle with them within the EU, although the UK’s France Travel Advice states firms are entitled to ask for one if they wish to do so. We note, however, that there is no clear way to obtain one of these for a UK licence holder who lives in France.
Drivers from other countries may need an IDP, or an ‘official’ translation of the licence, to hire a vehicle in France, including Americans and Australians. This must be obtained before attempting to hire the vehicle.
It is free for people in France (with French licences) to obtain an IDP, but these are charged for in some countries.
