French Driver's License Translation
French driver's license translation to English for a state DMV, a car insurer or an employer, covering the French permis de conduire in both its formats, the Québec permis from the SAAQ, the Belgian and Swiss cards and the permis issued in Haiti, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon.
- Up to 250 words per page
- $25 per page
- Standard turnaround
- From 24 hours
- Certificate of accuracy
- Signed & stamped
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Written for French driver's license records
The pink permis, the card and the points behind them
France switched to a credit-card licence in 2013 but never recalled the old one, so both are in daily use and they look nothing alike.
The permis rose is still valid
The three-fold pink paper permis was issued until September 2013 and remains valid until 2033. It lists each category with the date obtained and a préfecture stamp, often faded or overwritten. The card that replaced it follows the EU model: fields 4a and 4b for issue and expiry, 4c for the issuing préfecture, and a back table with the categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, BE, C and D, each with its own dates and restriction codes, where 01 means corrective lenses and 78 means automatic transmission only. We translate the labels, spell out the codes and keep every number in its box.
Permis probatoire and the relevé d'information
A new French driver holds a permis probatoire for three years, two with conduite accompagnée, and the licence starts with a reduced balance of points under the permis à points. Neither fact is printed on the card. The relevé d'information intégral from the préfecture shows the points, the licence history and any suspension, and that is the document a US insurer wants for a driving record. We translate it page by page with the dates as given.
Québec and the French-only SAAQ card
The Québec permis de conduire from the SAAQ is printed in French only, with classes 1 to 8 rather than letters: class 5 is a passenger vehicle, class 6 a motorcycle. Some states have an exchange agreement with Québec and still ask for a translation of the card. The Swiss permis from a cantonal service and the Belgian card carry several languages already, so only the French-only fields and any annotations need translating.
Who is asking for your French driver's license translation?
The translation is the same. What changes is whether the recipient wants anything added to it.
State DMVs
Most DMV offices accept a certified translation of a foreign license. A few want it notarized as well, so check with your office before you order.
USCIS
USCIS asks for a complete English translation and a signed certification from the translator. No notarization is needed.
US passports and the Department of State
The Department of State wants the translation notarized. Add notarization at checkout and we handle the rest.
Before you upload
Three things that save a day of back and forth on a French driver's license.
Scan both sides
The categories, restrictions and the issue and expiry dates are usually on the back. Upload the front and the back in one order so the translation covers the whole card.
Match the name to your passport
Tell us the English spelling you use. The translation shows the name as the license prints it and notes your spelling so the office can match both.
Ask the office which format they accept
Some DMVs want a certified translation, others want it notarized as well. Check before you order and add notarization at checkout if they ask for it.
Details and pricing
What is included in a French driver's license translation
One price per page covers the translation and its certification. A page is up to 250 words, and the quote tells you the page count before you pay.
Everything on the driver's license is translated, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes. Tell us the English spelling you use for each name when you order.
Certified Translation
Word-for-word translation with a certificate of accuracy for official use.
$25
USD / page
up to 250 words per page
Included
- Signed & stamped certification of translation accuracy
- Certified by a professional translator
- Digital delivery via PDF
- Review and approve final translation
- 100% Guaranteed Acceptance
- Standard turnaround starting at 24 hours
Optional services
- Expedited turnaround
- Priority handling when your deadline is shorter than the standard turnaround.
- By deadline
- Notarization
- A notary public signs and stamps the certification statement.
- $20 per order
- Physical copy
- A wet-ink original of your translation, mailed by express courier.
- $35 per order
- Apostille
- Authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in Hague Convention countries.
- $180 per document
What the certificate of accuracy states
Your translation arrives with a Certification of Translation Accuracy issued by ImmiTranslate. It is the page the receiving organization checks first.
- The translation is complete and accurate.
- The document title and the language pair.
- The translator is competent in both languages.
- A signature and the ImmiTranslate certification stamp.
- Our American Translators Association corporate membership.
Our translation process
Our goal is to make the translation process as simple as possible for you. Our service is streamlined specifically for documents of this nature.
French Driver's License FAQ
Most questions about pricing and turnaround can be answered faster by requesting a quote.
- Which US states exchange a French licence, and does the translation still matter?
- France has reciprocal exchange agreements with a number of states, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts among them, and none with California or New York. The agreement lets you swap the licence instead of taking the tests; it does not replace the DMV's request for a certified translation of the card. Check your state's list before you move, then order the translation of the front and back.
- My permis is the old pink paper and the stamps are hard to read. Is that a problem?
- Usually not. Photograph each of the six panels flat, in daylight, including the panels with only a stamp. A faded préfecture stamp can usually still be read from a sharp photo, and a date that has worn away completely is noted as missing. The DMV sees the category dates it needs, and the translation states that the document is the pre-2013 format so nobody expects a card.
- Can you translate a US licence into French to drive in France?
- Yes, for an insurer, a rental agency or an employer. To exchange a US licence for a French one through the ANTS you must apply within a year of settling in France, hold a licence from a state on the reciprocity list, and supply a translation that the ANTS accepts, which usually means a traducteur assermenté or the consulate. Our translation serves the insurer and the agency; ask the ANTS about the exchange file first.
- How much does a certified translation cost?
- Certified translation is $25 per page, with a page counted as up to 250 words. Notarization, a mailed physical copy and an apostille are optional and priced separately.
- How long does a certified translation take?
- Standard turnaround starts at 24 hours and depends on the length and language of your documents. If you have a deadline, include it in your quote request.
Other French documents we translate
Driver's license translation in other languages
Each of these pages is written for that language's driver's license records.
