International Driving Permit and UK Licences for Immigrants

How Long You Can Use a Foreign Licence

When you become resident in Great Britain on a Skilled Worker visa, Spouse visa, or another route, how long you can keep driving on your existing licence depends on where it was issued. The clock runs from the date you became resident.

• An EU licence: you can drive on it until you are 70, if you were younger than 67 when you became resident. If you were 67 or older then, you can drive on it for 3 years from that date. After that you exchange it for a Great Britain licence, with no test. If your EU licence was itself obtained by exchanging a non-EU licence, you can only drive on it for 12 months.
• A licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, or a designated country or territory: 12 months from becoming resident. You then have up to 5 years from that date to exchange it. Miss the 5 years and you need a provisional licence and both tests.
• A licence from any other country: 12 months from becoming resident. After that you need to apply for a Great Britain provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests.
• A Ukrainian licence: if you came to the UK on a Ukraine visa scheme, you can drive a small vehicle such as a car or motorcycle for at least 3 years after becoming resident, and possibly a further 1 year and 6 months. This still applies if you later switched to a different visa.

These are the rules for Great Britain — England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own process. See the GOV.UK foreign driving licences page for the full rules.

Exchanging Your Licence

A licence from the EU can be exchanged for a Great Britain licence without a test. So can one from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, or a "designated country or territory". GOV.UK lists those as:

Andorra, Australia, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Canada, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

Note that the European Economic Area is not the same as the European Union here: Norway and Iceland are not on the designated list, though Switzerland is. Check the GOV.UK licence exchange page for the full list.

Taking the UK Driving Test

If your country is not on the designated list, you must pass the UK driving test:

• Theory test: A multiple-choice and hazard perception test
• Practical test: A driving test with an examiner

You can apply for a Great Britain provisional licence straight away and start learning while your foreign licence is still valid.

For more on the driving test, see our UK driving test guide for immigrants.

Car Insurance

You must have valid car insurance to drive in the UK. See our car insurance for visa holders guide. Key points:

• You can insure a car on a foreign licence while that licence is still valid for driving here
• Insurance may be more expensive without UK driving history. Budget for this alongside your visa fees
• Some insurers will not cover drivers with certain foreign licences. Check your eVisa to prove your right to reside

Practical Tips

• Work back from the date you became resident, not from any immigration decision date. Getting indefinite leave to remain (settlement) does not restart or extend the period
• GOV.UK does not require an international driving permit to drive in Great Britain on a valid foreign licence. Its permit service is for people who hold a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence and want to drive abroad — those cost £5.50 and come in three types (1926, 1949 and 1968), depending on the destination
• Remember that the UK drives on the left. Our citizenship guide covers your long-term settlement options
• Familiarise yourself with UK road signs and speed limits
• Check whether your existing car insurance from abroad covers UK driving

For more on settling into life in the UK, see our London vs other UK cities guide and our cost of living guide.

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