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If you have moved to Great Britain with a foreign licence, the first question is whether you need to sit the GB driving tests at all. If you passed in the EU or EEA, or in one of 23 “designated” countries and territories, you can usually exchange your licence without a test. From anywhere else, you can usually drive a car on your licence for up to 12 months after becoming resident; to keep driving on your own after that, you need to pass the GB theory and practical tests. Some groups have different limits, so check your own case with the GOV.UK checker. This guide helps new residents of England, Scotland and Wales work out which side they fall on and, if it is the test, how to be ready in time. Northern Ireland has its own process through the DVA.
Exchange or test? Check your route
| Where you passed your test | Driving on your licence | Do you need the GB tests? |
|---|---|---|
| EU or EEA | You can drive until you are 70, or for 3 years if you were 67 or over when you became resident. | No. You can exchange, no test needed. |
| A designated country or territory (list below) | Usually up to 12 months after becoming resident. | No. You can exchange up to 5 years after becoming resident, if the licence has not expired. |
| Anywhere else | Usually up to 12 months after becoming resident. | Yes. Get a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. |
Exceptions exist. For example, Ukrainian licence holders living here on a Ukraine visa scheme can drive for between 36 and 78 months after becoming resident, depending on their permission, though the 5-year exchange deadline still applies (GOV.UK, as of November 2026).
The rules above are the usual position for car licences held by residents, as shown by the GOV.UK licence exchange checker (as of November 2026). Visitors and students should run the GOV.UK “drive in GB on a non-GB licence” checker, because the answers differ.
GOV.UK lists these designated countries and territories as having exchange agreements with Great Britain:
- 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, Zimbabwe
Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have a separate route in the checker. Lists can change, so run the GOV.UK checker before you apply.
If you must take the test: plan inside your 12 months
For most people the 12 months is the limit for driving on your own with your foreign licence. Work back from it, leaving room for a possible retest. If it runs out before you pass, you can still drive on a valid GB provisional licence, but only as a learner: L plates, a supervisor aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for 3 years, and no motorways unless you are with an approved driving instructor in a dual-control car.
- Straight away: apply for a provisional licence. You must have permission to live in Great Britain for at least 185 days.
- Next: revise for and pass the car theory test (£23). The Highway Code and GB road signs are where experienced overseas drivers most often trip up.
- Once the theory is passed: book the practical test (£62 weekdays, £75 evenings, weekends and bank holidays). Waiting times vary by centre, so book early.
- Before test day: run a full mock test. Faults are marked to the GB standard: no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults.
- Leave a buffer: after a fail, the next practical test must be at least 10 working days away.
Where experienced overseas drivers lose marks
Years of driving elsewhere helps with car control, but the GB test checks GB habits. Common gaps include roundabout lane discipline and priority, mirror-signal-manoeuvre routines, speed limits shown only by street lighting, and the specific manoeuvres and show me, tell me questions. A few sessions with an approved driving instructor to learn the local rules and test routine usually pays off. See learning to drive in the UK as an international student or new resident and the cost of learning to drive in GB.
If you can exchange: step by step
- Check you are eligible with the GOV.UK exchange checker.
- Get form D1 from a Post Office that offers DVLA services.
- Send the form, the £43 fee (as of November 2026) and the documents asked for, including your licence, to the address on the form.
- Include proof you passed in a manual car if the form asks for it. Designated-country licences can usually be exchanged for a GB licence covering manual cars.
- Wait for your licence: usually about 3 weeks for EU/EEA licences and 3 to 4 weeks for designated-country licences. It can take longer if you have told DVLA about a medical condition.
Common questions
Can I drive in the UK on my foreign licence while I prepare for the test?
As a resident with a car licence from outside the EU/EEA, usually for up to 12 months after becoming resident (some groups, such as Ukraine visa scheme holders, get longer). EU/EEA licence holders can usually drive until age 70.
I have been here more than 12 months. Can I still exchange?
If you passed in a designated country, you can exchange up to 5 years after becoming resident, as long as the licence has not expired. Unless an exception applies to you, such as the Ukraine visa scheme rules, you must not drive on it after the first 12 months until you have exchanged.
My country is not on the list. What now?
You cannot exchange. Apply for a provisional licence and aim to pass both tests within your 12 months. After that you can only drive under learner conditions until you pass.
Should I take the GB test in a manual or automatic?
A designated-country licence can usually be exchanged for one that covers manual cars, but you may need proof you passed in a manual. If you pass a GB test in an automatic, your licence is automatic only. See automatic licence restrictions.
Do the new driver points rules apply to me?
GOV.UK says the New Drivers Act rules can also apply if you exchange a foreign licence. See the New Drivers Act and check your case with DVLA.
I live in Northern Ireland. Is it the same?
No. Northern Ireland has a different exchange process through the DVA on nidirect.
Looking for lessons or an instructor? Our sister site Compare Driving Instructors covers lesson prices and choosing an instructor.
Back to the full guide to learning to drive in Great Britain.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Exchange a foreign driving licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Exchange a non-GB driving licence” checker outcomes for EU/EEA, designated and other countries (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving in Great Britain: Ukrainian driving licence exchange” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “The Highway Code, Annex 3: motor vehicle documentation and learner driver requirements” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Apply for your first provisional driving licence” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Driving test: cost” (gov.uk)
- GOV.UK, “Penalty points (endorsements): new drivers” (gov.uk)