European driving licence

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 Directive 80/1263/EEC was repealed on the same date.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 was incorporated into the EEA Agreement through Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 7/94 of 21 March 1994, and specified driving licence in the European Union and the European Economic Area 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 (theory) and a test of skills and behaviour (practical) 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/EC 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 (EEA) relevance, meaning that its provisions apply to all 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, through incorporation into the agreement on the EEA.

The Directive was incorporated into the EEA agreement through Decision of the EEA Joint committee No 29/2008 of 14 March 2008 amending Annex XIII (Transport) to the EEA Agreement. The Decision made some adaptions to the directive, notably: the distinguishing sign issuing the licence is encircled by an ellipse instead of being printed on the European flag, the words "driving licence" in Icelandic and Norwegian languages were added, and the words “European Communities model” were replaced by “EEA model”.

Switzerland

Although Switzerland is a member state of EFTA, it is not a contracting party of EEA Agreement. 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 categories similar to the EU system of vehicle categories since the 2000s, and Swiss driving licences resemble EEA-style credit-card licences, comparable to other non-EU/EEA European countries.

French Overseas Collectivities and Territories

Likewise, French Overseas Collectivities and Territories are not in the EEA despite being part of the French Republic. However, with the exception of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (which uses 'standard' French driving licences) and Wallis and Futuna (which is the last remaining French territory still issuing non-credit card sized licences), all Overseas Collectivities of France have followed EU harmonisation standards, as well as the 'EEA model'. As of May 2024, Saint Martin is the only French territory member of the EU to use a different format to the current 'standard' French format.

Implementation

The directive stipulated that (then) 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

Directive 2006/126/EC applied to the United Kingdom until the transition period after the UK withdrew from the EU terminated on 31 December 2020, as EU law continued to apply to the UK during this period.

From 1 January 2021, European licences are recognized by the UK if the driving test was passed in an EU/EEA country, and can be used both if the holder is visiting or if residing in the UK. They can also be exchanged for a UK driving licence.

UK driving licences can be used when visiting EU/EEA countries with some exceptions. International Driving Permits might be needed in some cases. Depending on which convention the country in question has ratified, a 1949 IDP (Geneva Convention on Road Traffic) might be required in some EEA countries, and a 1968 IDP (Vienna Convention on Road Traffic) in others. However, none of the EEA countries currently require IDPs for visitors staying shorter than 12 months.

4th European Driving Licence Directive

On 1 March 2023, the European Commission released a proposal to modernise the legal framework surrounding driver training, examination, licences and cross-border enforcement of driving offences.

Specifically regarding driving licences, the measures presented included:

• Creation of a European digital driving licence, valid throughout the EU,
• Digitalisation of all licence renewal, replacement and exchange procedures, and
• Lowering the minimum age for obtaining a driving licence for cars and lorries to 17 years old.

These proposals would have to be considered through the usual EU legislative procedure before coming into effect.

The Directive (EU) 2025/2205 (also unofficially called 4th European Driving Licence Directive) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 5 November 2025, and entered into force on 25 November 2025. It will be fully applicable from 26 November 2029.

European digital driving licence

Main article: European digital driving licence

On 21 October 2025, the European Parliament approved the creation of a European digital driving licence, valid throughout the EU, according to the internationally recognized ISO standard (ISO/IEC 18013-5) and compatible with the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI) in accordance with eIDAS 2.0. This is a standardised European digital driving licence, as per the new 'Proposal for a Revision of the Directive on Driving Licences' on 1 March 2023.

Preceding digital (mobile) driving licences

In July 2019, Norway was the first EU/EEA country to issue a mobile version of its driving licence using a proprietary app on a nationwide basis. This was preceded by limited trial in Finland from 2018-2020. Since then, mobile driving licences have been available in Austria, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Poland, Portugal and Spain. These digital/mobile driving licences all have proprietary implementations and are not valid outside their issuing country.

Standard data field labelling

To help users of different languages to understand what each of the data fields on the licence contains, each is labelled with a number. A legend on the back of the card identifies each field in the issuing authority's language.

1. surname
2. other names
3. date of birth, place of birth
4. a) date of issue, b) date of expiry, c) issuing authority, d) different number from the one under heading 5, for administrative purposes
5. licence number (Can Be Transferred)
6. photograph of holder
7. signature of holder
8. address (Some EU Countries)
9. licence categories
10. first issuing date of the category (in a table, listed per category)
11. expiry date of the category (in a table, listed per category)
12. restrictions (number coded, in a table, listed per category, and once for information applying to all categories)
13. space reserved for the possible entry by the host Member State of information essential for administering the licence
14. 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 (optional).

The fields for "restrictions" (number 12) contain numeric codes which are used to convey additional information that goes beyond the licence categories. Codes 01-99 are valid EU-wide, while codes 100 and above are national codes valid only for driving in country that issued the licence.

Many countries use field 12 to extend or restrict the standard licence categories, for example placing additional restrictions on young drivers, or extending the categories for holders of old licences as a form of grandfather clause. One common entry in field 13 is 01.06, indicating that the driver must wear glasses or contact lenses.

Notes

: : : :

{{anchor|Categories}}Categories valid in all EEA member states

Pre-2013

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Since 2013

National categories in EEA member states

There are other national categories for tractors, large motorcycles, motorised wheel boats, motor tricycles (modern voiturettes, Category B1 or S), and military categories such as for driving tanks. National categories mean they are not harmonised and only valid within the issuing country. The table below gives general descriptions that do not include full details of regulations.

Overview of driving licences

Notes

References

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