Living in the UK permanently?
If you're a UK resident, how long your international licence remains valid depends on which country issued it. Here’s a simple breakdown:
Licences from the EU or EEA
You can use your EU or EEA licence in the UK until you turn 70.
If you were 67 or older when you became a UK resident, you can drive on your EU licence for 3 years from the date you became a resident.
After that, you’ll need to exchange your EU licence for a British one.
Licences from ‘designated countries’
If your licence was issued by one of the following countries, you can drive for up to 12 months from the date you became a UK resident:
Designated countries: Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.
To keep driving after 12 months, you’ll need to exchange your licence for a full UK one. No test is required.
Licences from all other countries
If your licence isn’t from the EU/EEA or a designated country, it can still be used for up to 12 months from when you became a UK resident.
After that, you’ll need to apply for a UK provisional licence, pass both theory and practical tests, and then get a full UK driving licence before continuing to drive.
Not sure what applies to you?
You can check how long your licence is valid using the DVLA’s official tool: Check your driving licence rules
It’s a quick and easy way to get tailored information based on where your licence is from and how long you’ve lived in the UK.