**ADA is a company to try.** Its official FAQ says you can rent a car **as soon as you receive your full driving licence**, provided you are at least 18. That explicitly covers a first licence held for less than one year. You must present the actual licence; it does not accept the temporary French driving-test pass certificate. [ADA’s young-driver policy](https://faq.ada.fr/hc/fr/articles/7306016296476-Comment-louer-une-voiture-en-%C3%A9tant-jeune-conducteur).

**Availability in Caen needs confirmation.** Petit Futé lists an ADA branch at **34 rue d’Auge**, telephone **+33 2 31 34 88 89**, but PagesJaunes flags that establishment as possibly permanently closed. I couldn’t verify an operating Caen branch through ADA’s website. [Petit Futé listing](https://www.petitfute.com/v4608-caen-14000/c1122-voyage-transports/c1083-location-de-vehicules/c1084-voiture/1426704-ada.html), [PagesJaunes listing](https://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pros/50223335).

Contact ADA before paying and give your age, licence-issuing country and exact date of first issue. Ask for written confirmation that the pickup branch will accept your licence and which cars are eligible. You can use:

> Bonjour, je souhaite louer une voiture à Caen. J’ai obtenu mon premier permis le [date], délivré par [pays], et j’ai [âge] ans. Acceptez-vous ce permis de moins d’un an, et pour quelles catégories de voitures ?

Be careful with offers labelled *jeune conducteur*: **UCAR and Rent A Car still specify at least one year of licence holding** for their relevant young-driver options. [UCAR conditions](https://ucar.fr/fr/tous-nos-services/location-voiture-jeune-conducteur), [Rent A Car conditions](https://www.rentacar.fr/nos-dossiers/43-location-jeune-conducteur).