Exchange a Foreign Driving Licence for a UK Licence
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules are taken from GOV.UK.
You can drive in Great Britain on a foreign licence for 12 months. After that, whether you can simply exchange it for £43, or must pass UK tests from scratch, depends entirely on which country issued it.
This guide covers the designated country list, the exact deadlines, motorcycle rules, and how to apply, using the rules published on GOV.UK in September 2026.
Can You Drive in the UK on a Foreign Licence?
Yes, for a limited time, and the rules differ by licence type.
How long can visitors drive on a foreign licence?
Visitors can drive small vehicles such as cars and motorcycles for 12 months from when they last entered Great Britain, as long as the licence is full and valid.
How long can residents drive on a foreign licence?
If you become a resident of Great Britain, you can drive on your existing full, valid licence for 12 months from becoming resident. After that, what happens next depends on where your licence was issued.
What Counts as a Designated Country?
Designated countries and territories have an exchange agreement with Great Britain, which lets you swap your licence for a GB one without retaking any tests. As of September 2026, the list is:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
This list can change, so check GOV.UK’s exchange tool directly with your specific country before relying on it.
What if your licence is from an EU or EEA country?
EU and EEA licences follow their own rules, separate from the designated country list:
- If you were resident when you got the licence, you can drive on it until it expires, or until you turn 70.
- You can exchange it for a GB licence at any time, without retaking a test, even if you do not need to.
- If you originally passed your test outside the EU or EEA and later exchanged for an EU or EEA licence, you can only drive on it for 12 months as a GB resident, then you must exchange it.
What if your country is not on the list?
If your licence is from any other country, you can drive for 12 months as a resident, then you must apply for a GB provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests, the same as a first-time learner.
How Long Do You Have to Exchange a Designated Country Licence?
You must exchange within 5 years of becoming a resident, and your foreign licence must not have expired.
If you miss this window, exchanging is no longer an option. You will need to apply for a provisional licence and pass the UK theory and practical tests instead.
What does starting over as a provisional licence holder actually involve?
If your country is not designated, or you missed the 5-year exchange window, you follow the same path as a first-time UK learner:
- Apply for a GB provisional licence (£34 online, or £43 by post).
- Pass the UK theory test (£23), covering the Highway Code and hazard perception.
- Pass the UK practical test (£62 to £75).
Your existing driving experience does not shorten this process or reduce the fees, though it can make preparing for the tests faster in practice. You must also meet the same supervision and L-plate rules as any other learner until you pass.
How to Exchange a Foreign Driving Licence
What do you need to apply?
- A completed D1 application form, from a Post Office offering DVLA services
- Your current foreign driving licence
- The £43 fee
- Proof of permission to stay in the UK, if asked (for example, a visa)
- An official translation of your licence, for countries where DVLA requires one (check your specific country on GOV.UK, since this varies)
How do you apply step by step?
- Get a D1 form from a Post Office that offers DVLA services.
- Check your specific country’s requirements on GOV.UK, since some need an extra document, such as an official translation or a licence verification letter from your home country’s authority.
- Send the form, your foreign licence, the £43 fee and any extra documents to the address on the form.
- Wait for your new licence, usually within 3 weeks.
How long does it take?
Usually about 3 weeks. It can take longer, sometimes 3 to 4 weeks, if you have told DVLA about a medical condition that needs checking, or if your country requires extra verification documents.
Manual or Automatic: What Can You Drive on Your New Licence?
This depends on when you passed your original test.
- Passed on or after 28 December 2021, with manual entitlement: you can exchange for a GB licence that also covers manual vehicles.
- Passed before 28 December 2021: your GB licence will only cover automatic vehicles, even if your original licence covered manual.
- Licence from certain Australian states or territories (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania or Victoria): you may need to provide separate proof that you passed your test in a manual vehicle.
If your original test was taken in an automatic vehicle, your GB licence will only ever cover automatic vehicles, regardless of when you passed.
Can You Exchange a Motorcycle Licence?
It depends on your country.
- Most designated countries: you can exchange your motorcycle entitlement along with your car entitlement, within the same 5-year window.
- Some countries (Ukraine, Republic of Korea and others, depending on GOV.UK’s current list): motorcycle entitlement cannot be exchanged. You get provisional motorcycle entitlement instead, and must pass the UK motorcycle theory and practical tests.
- Non-designated countries: you cannot exchange a motorcycle licence at all. You must apply for a provisional licence and pass the tests from the start.
Check your specific country on GOV.UK’s exchange tool, since motorcycle rules vary more than car rules do.
Does an International Driving Permit Let You Skip Exchanging?
No. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is simply a multi-language translation of your existing licence, used mainly by UK residents driving abroad. It is not a substitute for a GB licence, and it does not extend how long you can drive in the UK on a foreign licence.
If you are moving to Great Britain permanently, an IDP does not change your 12-month or 5-year deadlines. You still need to exchange your licence, or pass UK tests, in the usual way. The United Nations does not issue or authorise international driving permits, so treat any site selling an “international licence” for UK use with caution.
Exchanging a Licence for Northern Ireland Instead of GB
Northern Ireland has its own system, run by the DVA rather than DVLA, and the rules are similar but not identical:
- Designated country licences must still be exchanged within 5 years of becoming resident in Northern Ireland.
- Manual or automatic restrictions are decided the same way, based on whether your original licence proves manual transmission entitlement. Canadian licences, for example, do not show this, so a DVA-issued licence defaults to automatic only unless you can prove otherwise.
- South African licences must be in the newer credit-card format, with a valid photograph, or the application is rejected.
- GB licences can be exchanged for an NI one at any time, or simply used until they expire, since GB and NI are both part of the UK.
- International driving permits are not valid proof of entitlement in Northern Ireland. You still need a real licence or a proper exchange.
If you are moving specifically to Northern Ireland, check the process on nidirect rather than GOV.UK, since the two systems are run separately and documents accepted by one are not automatically accepted by the other.
What Happens While You Wait for Your Exchange?
You can usually continue driving on your original foreign licence while your exchange application is being processed, as long as you are still within your 12-month or 5-year window when you apply. Keep a copy of your postal application, or your confirmation if you are asked to send your only original licence away, in case you need to show proof that an exchange is in progress.
Check with your car insurer when you apply, since some insurers ask you to update your policy once you hold a GB licence, even though your entitlement to drive does not change during the exchange itself.
How Long Can You Drive Before Exchanging? A Quick Reference
| Licence type | Time before you must exchange | Exchange window |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA (resident when issued) | Valid until it expires, or until you turn 70 | Any time |
| EU/EEA (exchanged from non-EU/EEA) | 12 months | Exchange required after 12 months |
| Designated country | 12 months | Up to 5 years from becoming resident |
| Any other country | 12 months | Not available; must take UK tests |
Do you need an International Driving Permit as well?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a separate document, issued in your home country, that can support your foreign licence when driving abroad. It is generally used for short visits or hire car bookings, and is not part of the DVLA or DVA exchange process itself. If you are becoming a UK resident and plan to exchange your licence, an IDP does not replace the exchange, and DVLA does not require one as part of your application.
What happens to your old foreign licence after you exchange?
DVLA typically keeps your original foreign licence as part of the exchange process, since you send it with your D1 application. Some countries require you to notify their licensing authority that you have exchanged it abroad, particularly if you plan to keep dual residency. Check with your home country’s authority if you are unsure whether any further notification is expected on their end.
Exchanging a Foreign Licence for a Northern Ireland Licence
Northern Ireland runs a separate system through the DVA, not DVLA, and the rules differ in several ways.
How much does it cost in Northern Ireland?
Exchanging an EEA or other foreign licence for a Northern Ireland licence costs £62.50, compared with £43 for a GB exchange. A full Great Britain licence exchanges for free in Northern Ireland, as long as you produce the complete, valid licence.
How long can you drive before exchanging in Northern Ireland?
The timeframes differ slightly from GB:
- EU/EEA Group 1 licence (cars, motorcycles): you do not need to exchange while it remains valid. You can keep driving on it until it expires, and can still exchange it even after it has expired.
- EU/EEA Group 2 licence (lorries, buses), driver under 65: valid until you reach 66, or for 5 years from becoming resident, whichever comes first.
- Designated countries and territories: 1 year from becoming resident in Northern Ireland, if the licence is still valid.
- Ukrainian licences: from 25 March 2024, valid for 3 years from becoming resident, rather than the standard 1 year for other designated countries.
What proof do you need for a Northern Ireland exchange?
Alongside your foreign licence, DVA may ask for proof you have permission to stay in the UK, and, depending on your country, an official translation. Applications go through form DL1, available from main Post Office branches, rather than the D1 form used for a GB exchange.
Driving on a Foreign Licence: Practical Considerations
Does your insurance cover you on a foreign licence?
Check with your insurer before you drive, since some UK insurers have specific requirements or exclusions for drivers on a non-GB licence, particularly outside the designated country list. Confirm cover explicitly rather than assuming a foreign licence is treated the same as a GB one.
What if your foreign licence is not in English?
For many designated countries, GOV.UK requires an official translation alongside your original licence when you apply to exchange. Contact your embassy or the relevant national authority for a certified translation. Do not assume DVLA can translate it for you as part of the application.
Does exchanging affect lorry or bus (C1, D1) entitlement?
Car and motorcycle exchange rules, covered in this guide, are separate from large vehicle categories. If your foreign licence includes entitlement to drive lorries or buses, check GOV.UK’s specific guidance for exchanging these categories, since the eligibility rules and fees differ from a standard car and motorcycle exchange.
Where People Get Caught Out
- 12-month window has passed, but you have not exchanged yet: apply as soon as possible, since you are no longer legally entitled to drive on your foreign licence alone.
- 5-year exchange window has passed: exchange is no longer available. Apply for a provisional licence and book your theory and practical tests instead.
- Unsure if your country needs a translation: check GOV.UK’s exchange tool for your specific country before applying, since this varies and an incomplete application can delay you.
- Licence issued in a state or territory with extra manual proof requirements: gather that proof before applying, so your application is not sent back.
Conclusion
Whether you can simply exchange your foreign driving licence, or need to pass UK tests from scratch, comes down to one thing: is your country on the designated list. If it is, exchange within 5 years of becoming resident, for £43. If it is not, or you miss the window, you start again as a provisional licence holder.
Next, if you need to apply for a provisional licence, check the full application guide for documents, cost and timing.
