The short answer
- EU or EEA licence: drive on it while it’s valid, even once you live here. Exchange it later if you want.
- Visiting with any other licence: drive on it for up to 12 months, if it’s current.
- Living here with a licence from a recognised state (the UK, Australia, most of Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and others): exchange it for an Irish licence, €65.
- Living here with any other licence (the US, India, Brazil and most others): you can’t drive on it. Take the theory test, get a learner permit, take lessons and pass the driving test.
- Experienced drivers on the learner route can do 6 lessons instead of 12 and skip the 6-month wait.
Check your licence
Licence checker
Whether you can drive on it, exchange it, or start as a learner.
What you’ll need
From the NDLS, the Road Safety Authority and Citizens Information (October 2026). This is for car licences (category B). Nothing you enter is sent or saved.
Which licences can be exchanged
| Licence from | What happens |
|---|---|
| EU or EEA | Drive on it while it’s valid. Exchange within 10 years of it expiring |
| Recognised states: Australia, Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Saskatchewan), Georgia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Moldova, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK | Visitors drive on it for up to 12 months. Residents exchange it |
| Anywhere else, including the US, other Canadian provinces, India, Brazil, Nigeria, the Philippines and Ukraine | Visitors drive on it for up to 12 months. Residents start as learners |
A few recognised states have conditions. Some Australian and Canadian licences are exchanged for automatic only, unless a letter of entitlement shows you passed in a manual car. Japanese and Korean licences need a translation from their embassy. Moldovan licences count only if the category was first issued on or after 8 May 2022, and Taiwanese exchanges cover only cars and motorcycles. A licence you got by exchanging one from a non-recognised country can’t be exchanged here.
When you count as living here
You’re normally resident if you usually live in Ireland for at least 185 days a year because of personal and work ties. NDLS says that attending a university or school doesn’t by itself make you resident. Once you’re resident, a licence from outside the EU and EEA is no longer enough to drive here.
Exchanging your licence
- Apply online at NDLS with a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID, or book an appointment at an NDLS centre.
- Post your licence to NDLS after you apply. Without it, the application is refused.
- Pay €65. It’s free if you’re 70 or over.
You’ll also need:
- an eyesight report dated within a month (for licences from outside the EU and EEA);
- proof you live here if you were born and are a national outside the EU, EEA, Switzerland and UK, such as your IRP card with your passport;
- a medical report, only if your health requires one;
- for an expired licence from a recognised state (up to a year): an original letter of entitlement from the authority that issued it, less than 6 months old;
- for a UK licence: a DVLA check code.
NDLS sometimes has to check your licence with the country that issued it, which can take several weeks.
Starting as a learner
If your licence can’t be exchanged:
- Pass the driver theory test: €45.
- Apply for a learner permit: €45. You need an eyesight report, proof of address and proof you live here.
- Take Essential Driver Training (EDT) with an approved driving instructor: normally 12 lessons.
- Wait 6 months on your learner permit, then pass the driving test: €85.
- Apply for your full licence: €65.
Once you hold a learner permit, the learner rules apply to you, even though you have a foreign licence: L plates, and a fully licensed passenger with you.
Reduced training for experienced drivers
The RSA’s reduced EDT cuts the lessons to 6 and removes the 6-month wait, if:
- you hold an Irish learner permit and live here;
- you’ve held your foreign licence for at least 2 years before getting the learner permit;
- it hasn’t been expired for more than 6 months.
Held it for 6 months to 2 years? You can still apply to skip the 6-month wait, but you do all 12 lessons. Apply by post to NDLS with a copy of your licence and a letter of entitlement (translated if needed). It takes about 2 to 3 weeks.
From Ukraine
You can drive on your Ukrainian licence only while you have temporary protection. Ireland has no exchange agreement with Ukraine. If you want to keep driving after temporary protection ends, including if you move to the Transition Scheme, get an Irish licence first. With 2 years’ driving, you get 6 lessons and no 6-month wait, and you can keep driving on your Ukrainian licence while you’re on an Irish learner permit and temporary protection lasts.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
Can I drive in Ireland on my foreign licence?
An EU or EEA licence, yes, for as long as it's valid. A licence from anywhere else, yes, as a visitor for up to 12 months, as long as it's current. Once you live here, you can't keep driving on a non-EU licence: you exchange it or apply for an Irish one.
Which licences can be exchanged for an Irish licence?
Licences from the EU and EEA, and from recognised states: Australia, parts of Canada, Georgia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Moldova, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK. US, Indian, Brazilian and most other licences can't be exchanged.
How much does it cost to exchange a licence?
€65, or free if you're 70 or over. You apply online with a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID, then post your licence to NDLS, or book an appointment at an NDLS centre.
My licence can't be exchanged. What do I do?
Pass the driver theory test, get a learner permit, take driving lessons (Essential Driver Training) with an approved instructor, and pass the driving test. If you've held your licence for 2 years or more, you can apply for reduced training: 6 lessons instead of 12, and no 6-month wait before the test.
When do I count as living in Ireland?
NDLS counts you as normally resident if you usually live here for at least 185 days a year because of personal and work ties. It says attending a university or school doesn't by itself make you resident.
Which Canadian provinces are recognised?
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Some Canadian and Australian licences are exchanged for automatic-only unless a letter of entitlement shows you passed your test in a manual car.
I'm from Ukraine. Can I drive on my Ukrainian licence?
Only while you have temporary protection. Ireland has no exchange agreement with Ukraine, so if you want to keep driving after it ends, start the learner route now: with 2 years' driving you get 6 lessons and no 6-month wait, and you can keep driving on your Ukrainian licence meanwhile.
My licence has expired. Can I still exchange it?
An EU or EEA licence, within 10 years of expiry. A licence from another recognised state, only up to a year after expiry, with an original letter of entitlement from the authority that issued it. After that, you start as a learner.
Sources
All sources checked on 4 Oct 2026.
- Exchange my foreign driving licenceNational Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
- Ukraine driversNational Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
- FeesNational Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
- Applying in person (proof of residency, normal residence)National Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
- Reduced Essential Driver Training (EDT)Road Safety Authority
- Learner driving permitsCitizens Information
- Driving test and driver theory test feesCitizens Information