European driving licence
The European driving licence is a driving licence which replaced the various driving licence styles formerly in use in the member states of the European Economic Area. The licence is currently issued by all of the EEA member states; all 27 EU member states and 3 EFTA member states; Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as the United Kingdom during the transition period after the UK withdrew from the EU. It is credit card-style with a photograph and even a microchip. They were introduced to replace the 110 different plastic and paper driving licences of the 300 million drivers in the EEA. The main objective of the licence is to reduce the risk of fraud.
A driving licence issued by a member state of the EEA is recognised throughout the EEA and can be used as long as it is valid, the driver is old enough to drive a vehicle of the equivalent category, and the licence is not suspended or restricted and has not been revoked in the issuing country. If the holder of an EEA driving licence moves to another EEA country, the licence can be exchanged for a driving licence from the new EEA country. However, as all EEA driving licences are recognised throughout the EEA, it is usually not necessary to exchange it.
The exception is for those holding EEA driving licences issued in exchange for a non‑EEA licence. When holding a converted licence, one should not assume the licence can be exchanged when moving to another EEA country. This only applies when permanently relocating to a different EEA country. As a tourist, an EEA-licence issued in exchange of a non-EEA licence is recognised throughout the EEA.
History
1980–1996
The first step to a European driving licence was taken on 4 December 1980, when the Council of Ministers adopted Council Directive 80/1263/EEC on the introduction of a Community driving licence, which established a Community model national licence that guaranteed the mutual recognition by the Member States of national licences. It also established the practice of exchange of licences by holders moving from one Member State to another.1996–2013
On 29 July 1991, the Council of Ministers adopted the Council of the European Union Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences. The directive required EU Member States to adopt laws implementing the directive before 1 July 1994, which took effect on 1 July 1996. Directive 80/1263/EEC was repealed on the same date. Directive 91/439/EEC specified the European Union driving licence until its repeal on 19 January 2013.Provisions
The Council of the European Union Directive 91/439/EEC harmonised the categories of driving licences among the Member States and established two Community driving licence models, one paper version and one plastic card version. It furthermore established an obligatory test of knowledge and a test of skills and behaviour which had to be successfully passed before an individual is offered a driving licence. It also required an applicant to meet the minimum standards of physical and mental fitness to drive. The directive specified the minimum ages for driving different types of vehicles, and established progressive access in categories A, C, and D, from light vehicles to larger or more powerful vehicles. The directive stipulated that it is mandatory to have the normal residence in the Member State issuing the licence.Amendments
The Directive was substantially amended by nine directives and two acts of accession. The plastic card version of the Community licence model, for example, was added to the Directive by Council Directive 96/47/EC of 23 July 1996.Since 2013
In March 2006, the Council of Ministers adopted a Directive proposed by the European Commission to create a single European driving licence to replace the 110 different models in existence throughout the EU/EEA at the time. The European Parliament adopted the Directive in December 2006. Directive 2006/126/EEC was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 30 December 2006.Its provisions took effect on 19 January 2013; Directive 91/439/EEC was then concurrently repealed.
Provisions
The licence is a credit-card-style, single plastic-coated document, very difficult to counterfeit. The document is renewable every 10 or 15 years depending on the member state. Several member states have the option to include a microchip containing information about the card holder on the card.Some categories like C and D are issued for five years only. After expiration, a medical check-up is necessary in order to renew the licence for another five years.
EEA relevance
The provisions of Directive 2006/126/EC mention that it has European Economic Area relevance, meaning that its provisions apply to all 28 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, through incorporation into the agreement on the EEA.Switzerland is an EFTA member state but not a member of the European Economic Area. Switzerland is instead linked to the EU by a series of bilateral agreements and has generally adopted much of the harmonised EU legislation with regard to driving licences. Switzerland has used the EU system of vehicle categories since the 2000s, and Swiss driving licences are EEA-style credit-card licences.
Implementation
The directive stipulated that all 31 EEA members states must have adopted laws implementing the directive no later than 19 January 2011. Those laws took effect in all EEA members states on 19 January 2013. All licences issued before that date will become invalid by 2033.Brexit
The UK left the EU on 1 February 2020, starting an 11-month transition period terminating on 31 December 2020. The EU flag will be removed from UK driving licences when the transition period ends.According to the EU, UK driving license are valid in the EU until 31 December 2020, while EU driving license are valid in the UK until 31 December 2020. New rules starting from 1 January 2021 can be provided by national administrations..
Neither withdrawal agreement nor separation agreement did plan driving license arrangement between the EU or EEA and the UK while the trade deal is still under negotiation.
Anyway, some driving possibilities between the UK and the EU might be partly provided by other old treaties such as the Vienna Convention for continental EU or the CTA for Irish part of the EU.
Nonetheless, previous treaties do not offer nether the same homogeneity nor the exact same features than the EU/EEA agreement:
To Driver a car in the EEA might require owner of a British license to have an International Driving Permit is some EEA countries Depending on agreements, a 1949 IDP might be required in some EEA countries such as Cyprus and Andorra, and a 1968 IDP in some other EEA countries such as Norway
However, only France, Italy and Cyprus require drivers to have an IDP for a short visit.
UK licence holders living in the EU have been advised to switch their UK driving licence for a local one before the transition period ends.
Treaties before the European driving license, were relying on the Green Card insurance system
Driving in the EU will also require British drivers to have their V5C log book.
Standard data field labelling
To help users of different languages to understand what each of the data fields on the licence contains, they are labelled with a number.A legend is usually supplied on the reverse of the card in the issuing authority's language.
- surname
- given name
- date of birth, place of birth
- a) date of issue, b) date of expiry, c) issuing authority, d) personal number
- licence number
- photograph of holder
- signature of holder
- Address
- licence categories
- first issuing date of the category
- expiry date of the category
- restrictions
- space reserved for the possible entry by the host Member State of information essential for administering the licence
- space reserved for the possible entry by the Member State which issues the licence of information essential for administering the licence or related to road safety.
Categories valid in all EEA member states
National categories in EEA member states
There are other national categories for tractors, large motorcycles, motorised wheel boats, motor tricycles, and military categories such as for driving tanks. National categories mean they are not harmonised and only valid within the issuing country. The tables below are general descriptions that do not include full details of regulations.Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Denmark
Germany
Hungary
Ireland
Latvia
Norway
| Class | Description | Age minimum | Valid in |
| S | Snowmobile | 16 | Norway |
| T | Tractor | 16 | Norway |
| - | - | - | Norway |