If you move to an EU country or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you will not be able to renew your driving licence in the UK.
Consider exchanging your UK driving licence for a local licence as soon as possible in line with specific advice for your country of residence.
If your UK licence is lost, stolen or expired, you will not be able to exchange it for a local licence in the country where you are living. You willmaltwill have to apply for a local licence and may have to retake your driving test. Please check with the licensing authority in your country of residence if your licence is lost, stolen or expired.
Check the driving advice for the country you live in.
Austria
If you intend to drive in Austria you must exchange your UK licence for an Austrian licence within 6 months of becoming resident in Austria. You can exchange your valid UK licence without taking a test.
After 6 months you can no longer use your UK licence to drive in Austria, but can still exchange it for an Austrian one, for as long as it is valid. This also applies to driving licences from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence from Jersey, Guernsey or Gibraltar, you may need to take a test. See which Gibraltar licences can be exchanged without taking a test.
You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. Consider doing this as soon as possible. If you hold a licence from the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test.
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.
If your UK or Gibraltar licence was issued before 1 January 2021, you can exchange your licence without having to take a test. You need to do this within 180 days of taking up residency in Denmark, or by 30 June 2021, whichever is later.
If your UK or Gibraltar licence was issued on or after 1 January 2021, you can only exchange a Category B licence without having to take a test. You must do this within 180 days of taking up residency in Denmark.
If your licence was issued in Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, you can only exchange a Category B licence without having to take a test. You must do this within 180 days of taking up residency in Denmark.
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.
This guidance also applies to driving licences from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
If your UK driving licence was first issued before 1 January 2021
Your licence is recognised in France for as long as it is valid. Paper licences are usually valid until you are 70. For plastic photocard licences, the expiry date is on the front.
If your UK licence has expired, or has less than 6 months’ validity remaining, you must exchange it for a French licence. You do not need to take a driving test.
You can only exchange your licence if it is due to expire within 6 months. If you do not have a valid reason to request an exchange, your application will not be processed.
If your UK driving licence was first issued on or after 1 January 2021
Your licence will be recognised for 1 year from the date of issue of your residency permit (carte de séjour). If you intend to stay in France for longer than 1 year, you must exchange your UK licence for a French licence during this initial 1-year period. You do not need to take a driving test.
You must exchange your UK driving licence for a German one within 6 months of moving there. You will not need to take a driving test to exchange your licence. Your local Bürgeramt can tell you where to exchange your licence.
Living in Germany before 1 January 2021
If you were living in Germany before 1 January 2021, you must exchange your driving licence for a German one to continue to drive in Germany. You will not need to take a driving test to exchange your licence.
You can exchange your 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.
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. However, they can be exchanged without the need to take a driving or theory test.
You will need to take a test to exchange your licence. If your licence was issued before 1 January 2021, you can continue to use your valid UK licence until 31 December 2022. All other valid licences can be used for a period of 12 months from becoming a resident in Italy.
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.
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.
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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.
You can continue to use your valid UK licence in Portugal until 31 December 2022. If you are resident in Portugal, you should exchange your UK driving licence by 31 December 2022.
If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you should exchange your licence within 90 days of registering for residence. You can exchange categories AM, A1, A2, B1, B and BE without having to take a test.
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.
You can exchange your licence without having to take a test. You must exchange your UK licence for a Slovak one within 60 days of completing 185 days of residence.
You can continue to use your licence until 28 February 2022. You may need to take a test if you want to exchange your licence. If you hold a licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need to take a test to drive in Spain.
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.
Published 31 December 2020
Last updated 2931 December 2021
+ show all updates
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Malta.
UK driving licence holders in Spain can continue to drive on their UK licence until 28 February 2022. Guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Greece or Italy also updated.
26 October 2021
UK driving licence holders in Spain can continue to drive on their UK licence until 31 December 2021.
22 September 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia.
3 August 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Malta.
27 July 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Austria.
22 July 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Germany.
28 June 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in France and Spain.
30 April 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Italy.
29 April 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Cyprus, Denmark and Luxembourg.
27 April 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Austria.
26 April 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in The Netherlands.
29 March 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Portugal.
26 March 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Sweden.
29 January 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in Portugal.
27 January 2021
Updated guidance for UK driving licence holders living in the EU. Also updated rules for driving in Denmark and Germany.