"Having Keith as my instructor, I gained the confidence and expertise to drive smoothly and safely. He was always calm and never put too much pressure..."
Driving Lessons for EU Licence Holders
Please visit Directgov for full details and entitlement.
Find out your entitlement using the interactive tool.
EU Licence Holders
Licences issued in the European Community and European Economic Area make up two groups that are treated equally. The full list is:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Short term visitors (upto 12 months)
Whether you are a visiting au pair or student - if you hold a valid community licence and are visiting Great Britain, you can drive any vehicle if the full entitlement for that vehicle is shown on the licence.
You may want to have a lesson or two to familiarise yourself with driving on the left and the roundabouts of Milton Keynes.
Long term visitors/Residents
A valid community licence issued on the strength of a driving test within the EC/EEA, will allow you to drive in Great Britain for a set period. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British licence.
Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in Great Britain:
Car, motorcycle driving licence holders (ordinary driving licence):
- Until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period
Lorry, minibus, bus driving licence holders (vocational driving licence):
- Until aged 45 or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period
- If you are aged over 45 (but under 65) until your 66th birthday or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the shorter period
- If you are aged 65 or over for 12 months after becoming resident
In order to continue driving after these periods, you must get a British driving licence.
Taking a driving test
If you want to take a British driving test you must be a resident in Great Britain. However, if you have moved to Great Britain having recently been a permanent resident in another state of the EC/EEA, you must be a resident in Great Britain for 185 days in the 12 months before your application for a driving test and full licence.
To take a GB driving test you will need to either:
- Apply for a GB counterpart licence (D58/2) by completing a D9 enclosing your community driving licence
- Exchange your community licence for the British equivalent and request the appropriate provisional entitlement
A provisional licence document is issued free of charge. However, the appropriate fee must be paid and your community licence surrendered in exchange for a GB one when claiming the full entitlement.
