How to Order a French Guiana Driving License? Easy Steps Here!

Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a French Guiana driver’s license for a while now. It’s not as straightforward as you might think, but I finally figured it out, so I wanted to share my experience here.

First off, why did I even bother?

Well, I’ve been living here in French Guiana for a bit over six months now, and I got in with a VLS visa. Turns out, I could use my old U.S. license for the first year, but after that, I’d need a local one to drive legally. And since I planned on staying, I figured I might as well get the ball rolling.

The initial steps weren’t too bad.

I knew I needed to prove I’d been here for at least six months. I started digging around to figure out what kind of license I needed. The “Permis B” seemed right—it’s for regular cars, under 3.5 tons, with up to 8 passengers. I also found out that you can take the tests as an independent candidate, which sounded kind of appealing.

Here’s where it got a bit tricky.

• The Written Test: I’m not gonna lie; I was pretty nervous about this one. Even though I’ve driven for years in the U.S. since I’ve been driving for so long, I didn’t have a clear understanding of the traffic laws here.
• Driving School or No Driving School? After some thought, I decided to do the written test on my own but signed up for a few driving lessons at an “auto-école.” It felt like the best of both worlds. I think it is a great idea to get some formal training about traffic laws here.
• The Practical Test: This was the real deal. I mean, I know how to drive, but doing it with an examiner watching your every move? That’s a whole different level of stress.

The actual process involved a bunch of paperwork.

I had to gather a bunch of documents, get some passport photos taken, and fill out a ton of forms. It felt like it took forever, but eventually, I had everything I needed. I also had to fork over around G$4500 for the fees.

Taking the tests was nerve-wracking, to say the least.

For the written test, I crammed like crazy, going through practice tests and trying to memorize all the rules of the road. The driving test was even more intense. I had to show off my parallel parking skills, navigate through roundabouts, and just generally prove that I wasn’t a danger to society behind the wheel.

But guess what? I passed!

It was such a relief to finally get that little card in my hands. Now I can drive around French Guiana without worrying about getting pulled over. Plus, I feel way more confident on the roads here, knowing that I actually understand the local driving laws.

So, if you’re thinking about getting a French Guiana driver’s license, my advice is to just go for it.

It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s totally worth it in the end. Just make sure you do your research, gather all the necessary documents, and maybe brush up on your driving skills before the tests. Good luck!