Brexit has thrown up numerous bureaucratic hurdles for the 1.2 million Britons living throughout the EU, from residency to healthcare, but one of the main hangovers left after Britain’s divorce from the EU is around the issue of driving licences.
The UK government has been warning its citizens in the EU that they cannot renew their licence in the UK and should “consider exchanging your UK driving licence for an EU licence as soon as possible.”
While that sounds fairly straight forward, the problem is that the rules are different in each country and the reality has meant exchanges are not possible, at least not yet.
Driving licences were not covered in the Withdrawal Agreement that guaranteed citizens’ rights, so the result is a mash-mash of different rules and exchange deadlines in each EU country.
Here’s a run through of the differences in each country with information taken from the UK government’s website (countries marked *) as well as more detailed input from our journalists throughout The Local’s nine European countries.
Austria
You can use your UK licence in Austria for short visits, but if you live in Austria you will need to exchange it.
You can exchange your licence before July 1st 2021 without having to take a test. After that Brexit means you’ll have to take a driving test to get an Austrian licence.
The British embassy in Austria confirmed: “If you are resident in Austria, according to a draft update to Austrian law, you will have 6 months from January 1st to swap your driving licence.”
After this date the embassy warns that UK licences “will cease to be valid”. For anyone wishing to get an Austrian licence after this date, things get more complicated and they may have to take a driving test as is the case for some third-country nationals who fail to exchange their licence within 6 months.
The British embassy says: “If you are legally resident in Austria it is important that you swap your UK licence for an Austrian one, or, according to a draft update to Austria’s law, it will cease to be valid from 30th June 2021. Please be aware that if you spend more than six months in the year outside of Austria, this may affect your right to residence.”
The process for swapping over your licence is slightly different depending on the local authority you apply to.
The Austrian government says that most driving licence authorities require the original documents plus copies.
More information on how to swap over your licence and the documentation you will need is available at the following link.
READ MORE: What Britons in Austria need to know about exchanging UK driving licences
*Belgium
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test.”
*Bulgaria
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test.”
*Croatia
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
*Cyprus
The UK government says: “You can continue to use your licence without exchanging until 7 July 2021. You are encouraged to exchange your licence within this period otherwise you may need to take a test. If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test.”
*Czech Republic
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence issued by the Isle of Man, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence.”
Driving in the Czech Republic.
Denmark
Following Brexit, UK driving licence holders resident in Denmark must exchange their driving licences for a Danish one, according to information on the Danish transport authority website.
Residents of Denmark who hold a UK driving licence issued before January 1st 2021 can exchange their licence for a Danish one without having to take a driving test. This must be completed within 180 days of moving to Denmark, or by June 30th 2021, whichever is later.
Current rules say that anyone who does not manage to exchange their UK driving licence within the aforementioned timeline or whose licence was issued after January 1st 2021 will have to take a test to exchange their UK driving licence.
READ ALSO: What are the current rules for UK driving licence holders in Denmark?
*Estonia
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence issued by the Isle of Man, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence.”
Finland
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test for licence categories A1, A2, A or B. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
France
British residents in France can continue to drive on a UK licence until December 31st 2021, but by then they must have swapped their licence for a French one.
This is easier said than done, however, because the British government has so far not settled on a reciprocal agreement with the French about driving licences, so no applications for UK licence swaps are currently being accepted. Most people can continue to drive on their UK licence, but for people whose licence is about to expire or has expired (for example people turning 70) the situation is grim as they cannot either extend their UK licence or swap it for a new one, and some have been left stranded with no licence at all.
The British Embassy in Paris says it hopes a deal will be agreed shortly that can allow swaps to start being processed. Anyone who ends up having to take a driving test in France faces a complicated and expensive process.
READ ALSO Four years and €1,800 – what foreigners should know about French driving tests
Visitors, tourists or second-home owners can continue to drive on a UK licence and do not need an International Drivers’ Permit.
Germany
Germany recently confirmed that it will enter into a reciprocal agreement to allow UK driving-licence holders to swap their licence for a German one – without taking a new test.
If you’re only staying in Germany for a short period of time, you can continue to use your UK licence as normal.
If you’re a British national living in Germany you should exchange your licence for a German one within six months of becoming a resident.
According to the UK Government’s Living in Germany advice, British nationals living in Germany who didn’t swap their licence before the end of the transition period (December 31st 2020) have until June 30th 2021.
“If you were living in Germany before January 1st 2021, you can use your UK photocard licence to drive in Germany until June 30th 2021, provided that it remains valid in the UK,” the site says.
But unfortunately it appears you won’t be able to swap it if your licence isn’t valid. You can read more in our story below.
Reader question: Do I need to swap my German licence for a British one?
*Greece
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test from 1 February 2021. A medical – physical and eye – examination will be required.”
*Hungary
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence issued by the Isle of Man, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence.”
*Iceland
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
*Ireland
The UK government says: “UK and Northern Ireland licence holders’ resident in the Republic of Ireland must exchange their driving licence for an Irish licence. UK and Northern Ireland licences aren’t legal for driving in Ireland for residents. However, they can be exchanged without the need to take a driving or theory test.”
Italy
After months of uncertainty, the Italian interior ministry confirmed on April 24th that UK nationals who were officially living in Italy before January 2021 are in fact allowed to continue using their UK licences until December 31st 2021.
The British Embassy has said that talks continue on a reciprocal agreement that would allow Brits to swap their licences without resitting the exam.
If a deal is reached before the end of the year, people with UK driving licences could end up escaping the notoriously tricky theory and practical tests, which have to be taken entirely in Italian.
If you started the process of exchanging your UK licence before 1st January 2021, you’re in the clear and will not have to re-sit a driving test.
*Latvia
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
*Liechtenstein
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence issued by the Isle of Man, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence.”
*Lithuania
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test if you obtained the licence before 1 January 2021. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
*Luxembourg
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. You may need to take a test to exchange Category C and D licences in 2021.”
*Malta
The UK government says: “You can continue to use your licence until 1 July 2021. From 1 July 2021, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence. Consider exchanging your licence as soon as possible. If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man you may need to take a test.”
*The Netherlands
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible.
“However, in some cases, you may need to provide a certificate of health that could involve a medical examination.
“If you became resident in The Netherlands before 31 January 2020, you must exchange your UK licence by 1 May 2021. If you exchange by this date, you do not need to provide a health certificate. Your UK licence will no longer be valid to drive on Dutch roads after 1 May 2021.
“If you became resident in The Netherlands between 31 January 2020 and 13 June 2020, your UK licence is no longer valid to drive on Dutch roads. You must not drive until you have exchanged it for a Dutch licence.
“If you became resident in The Netherlands between 13 June 2020 and 15 February 2021, you must exchange your UK licence by 1 October 2021. Your UK licence must have been valid on 14 December 2020 to benefit from this extended validity.
“If you became resident in The Netherlands after 15 February 2021, you must exchange your licence within 185 days of becoming a resident.”
Norway
Brits in Norway will be able to use their UK licences as Britain and Norway have an agreement whereby British driving licences receive the same treatment as EU/EAA licences.
It may be worth exchanging your licence, however, as a Norwegian licence can be used freely across the EU/EAA.
You will be able to swap your British licence without taking a test. This is good news as driving tests in Norway can be difficult and expensive.
To swap your licence, you will have to submit your British licence as well as documentation of when you took up residence along with an application form. This can be done in person at a vehicle licencing office or by post.
You will need to apply for a temporary permit if you plan on driving while you wait for your Norwegian licence.
Driving in Norway: How to exchange your licence for a Norwegian one
*Poland
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible.”
*Portugal
“You can continue to use your valid UK licence in Portugal until 31 December 2021. If you are resident in Portugal, you should exchange your UK driving licence by 31 December 2021.”
*Romania
The UK government says: “Most drivers can exchange their licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence issued by the Isle of Man, you will need to take a test to exchange your licence.”
*Slovakia
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. If you have been resident for over 185 days starting from 1 January 2021, you must exchange your UK licence for a Slovak one within 60 days of completing the 185 days and before 2 September 2021.”
*Slovenia
The UK government says: “You can exchange your licence without having to take a test until 31 December 2021, or within one year of becoming resident, whichever is longer.”
Spain (including Balearic and Canary Islands)
As things stand, UK nationals who were Spanish residents before January 1st 2021 will be allowed to drive in Spain with a valid UK driving licence until June 30th 2021.
British drivers who wanted to exchange their UK licence for a Spanish one had to register their intention to do so with the Spanish Traffic Authority (DGT) before December 30th 2020.
Depending on whether they did this or not, the process for getting a Spanish licence will be different. Find out more here.
“The UK and Spain are currently in discussion about an exchange process, for the long term,” – Regional Consular Policy Adviser at the British Embassy in Madrid Lorna Geddie said during a recent Q&A, adding at another date that one of the points being negotiated is “a licence exchange without the need for a practical test”.
So those with UK driving licences might be able to exchange their licences in the future without having to resit the driving exam in Spain, but nothing is confirmed yet.
If no deal is reached, UK licence holders in Spain who don’t meet the DGT’s registration and exchange requirements will have to pass their driving licence again.
The theory exam can be done in English but the practical test is in Spanish, unfortunately for those who aren’t proficient in the language.
READ ALSO:
Q&A: How to pass Spain’s driving test and get a Spanish licence
Spanish driving licence: the essential language to pass your practical test
Driving in Spain: the 10 questions everyone gets wrong in their theory test
Sweden
- Sweden to let Brits swap their UK driving licence for a Swedish one
- How to change your driving licence to a Swedish one
Switzerland
Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, meaning that Brexit has not had a dramatic impact on the rules for licences – unlike in some of the above countries.
You can exchange your licence without having to take a test, but will need to do so within 12 months of moving to Switzerland.
Changing your licence over within a year of moving to Switzerland is relatively easy and does not require any additional tests.
You’ll however need to bring the following: a completed application form, original driving licence (with a translation if applicable), residence permit (and residence certificate if you have one), two colour passport photos and a certificate from a qualified ophthalmologist.
If you’re applying for a class 3 licence, you’ll also require a medical certificate.
You’ll need to exchange the licence at your cantonal authority and the cost for doing so varies from canton to canton.
For short tourist visits, you do not need to change over your licence.
If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test.
More information is available at the following link.
Driving in Switzerland: How to convert your drivers licence for a Swiss one
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