Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Motoring
  3. Driver licensing
  4. Apply for a Northern Ireland driving licence

Exchanging your foreign driving licence

If you are the holder of a foreign driving licence and you want or need to change to a Northern Ireland driving licence, there are certain conditions that need to be considered when applying.

Exchange applications

EU/ EEA, UK Group 1 licence still valid

If your EU/ EEA driving licence remains valid, you are not required to exchange it at this time. You may continue to drive until your licence expires. An EU/ EEA driving licence may be exchanged even if it has expired. 

EU/EEA Group 2 licence still valid - driver under 65

If your EU/ EEA driving licence remains valid, you are not required to exchange it at this time. You may continue to drive until you reach the age of 66 years, or for a period of five years from the date you became resident in the United Kingdom, whichever is the earlier, if your licence remains valid. An EU/ EEA driving licence may be exchanged even if it has expired. 

Designated countries

If your exchangeable driving licence remains valid, you are not required to exchange it at this time. You may continue to drive for a period of one year from the date you became resident in Northern Ireland, if your driving licence remains valid. An exchangeable licence can be exchanged within a period of five years from the date you became resident in Northern Ireland. 

Driving licences from other countries which are exchangeable

Be alert to unofficial websites offering online driver licensing. You cannot apply for a Northern Ireland driving licence online.

Northern Ireland will exchange driving licences issued by the following countries on a like for like basis:

  • Great Britain (including Jersey, Guernsey and Isle Of Man)
  • EU/ EEA countries
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden

Northern Ireland will also exchange the equal of Category B (car) and Category A (motorcycle) driving licences issued by Gibraltar and 15 designated countries. The designated countries are:

  • Australia
  • Barbados
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Provinces and Territories of Canada
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Hong Kong
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • Monaco
  • Republic of Korea
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
  • Zimbabwe

Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands is not exchangeable.

Designated country licence exchange

Northern Ireland will exchange licences issued by 15 designated countries. The designated countries are: Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Provinces and Territories of Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Monaco, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

If you are a visitor in Northern Ireland and hold full ordinary entitlement, you can drive any category of vehicle, up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, shown on your licence, for up to 12 months from the date you last entered Northern Ireland. This is whether you brought the vehicle into Northern Ireland.

If you also hold full entitlement to drive large lorries or buses, you are only allowed to drive large vehicles registered outside Northern Ireland that you have driven into the country.

To make sure continuous driving entitlement you must apply for a Northern Ireland licence before this period runs out. If you do not do this you must stop driving, although you may still exchange your licence within five years of becoming resident.

Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands

Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands are designated for the exchange of an entitlement comparable to Category B (car) but not Category A (motorcycle).

Australian driving licence

Some Australian driving licences do not show whether the driving test was taken in a car with manual transmission or automatic transmission.

If you are issued a Northern Ireland driving licence in exchange for a licence from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania or Victoria it will restrict you to driving vehicles with automatic transmission only. That is unless you can give documentary evidence to prove that the driving test was taken in a vehicle with manual transmission.

Canadian driving licence

A Canadian driving licence does not show whether the driving test was taken in a car with manual transmission or automatic transmission.

If you are issued a Northern Ireland driving licence in exchange for a licence from Canada it will restrict you to driving vehicles with automatic transmission only. That is unless you can give documentary evidence to  prove that the driving test was taken in a vehicle with manual transmission.

South African driving licence

South African driving licences can only be exchanged if they are in the new style credit card format.

Also, the following rules apply:

  • the South African licence and photograph must be valid - since 18 March 2009, if the photograph has expired the application will be rejected
  • licences must be exchanged within five years of being resident in Northern Ireland
  • other types of licences issued in Transkei, Ciskei, Venda, KaNgwane, KwaNdebele, Gazankula, Lebowa and Bophuthatswana are not acceptable for exchange
  • if you only hold a letter of entitlement from the South African Driving Licence Authority, this must show an expiry date and be valid for six months from the date of issue

If you are exchanging your South African photocard driving licence, this will be returned to the South African licensing authority.

Vocational designated licence holders

If you are a new resident you may not drive medium or large vehicles or passenger carrying vehicles until you have passed the relevant Northern Ireland driving test. If you hold a Gibraltar vocational licence you can drive for 12 months and can exchange a valid vocational licence within five years of date of residency.

Applying for the exchange of your foreign driving licence

If you want or need to change your driving licence for a Northern Ireland driving licence, you must fill in the application form DL1 that is available from the main Post Office branches.

You will need to include original paperwork confirming your identity, a passport style colour photograph and suitable proof of residency (see 'identity documents and photographs' link below for further details).

Send your filled in application and the right fee to DVA driver licensing at the address at the link below:

  • Driver & Vehicle Agency - driver licensing
     
  • Identity documents and photographs
  • The cost of a driving licence

You can find notes to help you fill in the DL1 application form at the link below:

  • Driving licence application DL1 - guidance notes

If your vocational licence was issued in a European Economic Area (EEA) country you need only send a medical report form if, on exchange, you are 45 years of age or over. This applies even if your vocational licence is still current. 

  • Medical form DLM1

Rules for exchange

The following conditions must be met before a licence can be granted in exchange for a NI one:

  • you must be normally resident in NI and have a permanent address here
  • if you are a community driving licence holder applying for a NI driving test at the same time as exchanging your licence, you must have been resident in NI for at least six months before taking your test
  • licences from the designated countries must be current at the time the application for exchange is received by DVA but if your driving test was not passed in the designated country that issued your current driving licence you may not be able to exchange therefore contact DVA for advice
  • licences from the designated countries must be exchanged within five years of being resident in NI
  • DVA do not exchange any bus or lorry entitlements from licences issued in a designated country - this also applies if you passed any lorry/ bus tests in a designated country
  • licences from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are acceptable for exchange if issued after 1 April 1991 - those issued in any EEA country may be valid for exchange even if they have expired, but must be supported by a Letter of Entitlement from the issuing authority which they have obtained within the last two months
  • when exchanging a licence from a designated country to get a NI driving licence which confers entitlement to drive vehicles with manual transmission, DVA must be satisfied that the driving test was passed in a vehicle with manual transmission - or the NI licence will be restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
  • you must surrender your foreign licence which will be returned to the issuing authority
  • international driving permits are not exchangeable
  • test pass certificates are not exchangeable except for those issued in Great Britain or Gibraltar when the test was passed within two years of the date of the licence application
  • Japanese licences must come with an official translation, available for a fee from the:
Consulate General of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London
W1J 7JT
or
Consulate General of Japan
2 Melville Crescent
Edinburgh
EH3 7HW

Republic of Korea licences must come with an official translation from the:

Embassy of the Republic of Korea
60 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6AJ

You may have to pay a fee to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea for this service. Translations from other sources are not acceptable.

Motorcycle licences from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands are not exchangeable.

Return of supporting documents

The driving licence fee includes return of your supporting documents (where applicable) by second class post. If you would like your supporting documents returned by secure delivery, you must send the right size pre-paid special delivery envelope.

DVA will not give compensation for any loss or delay resulting from the use of second class post.

More useful links

  • Driving in Northern Ireland on a GB or EEA licence
  • GBR, Jersey, Guernsey, IOM, Gibraltar driving licences
  • How to tell DVA about a medical condition
  • Theory test
  • Test centre locations
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Apply for a Northern Ireland driving licence

  • Apply for a provisional driving licence
  • Creating a licence check code user guide
  • Driving licence application DL1 - guidance notes
  • Driving licence application DL2 - guidance notes
  • Exchanging your foreign driving licence
  • Identity documents and photographs
  • Keeping your driving licence up-to-date
  • Linking your driving licence user guide
  • Older drivers – deciding when to stop driving
  • Renew your driving licence
  • Renew your driving licence at 70 plus
  • Renew your vocational licence
  • Replacing your driving licence
  • The cost of a driving licence
  • The photocard driving licence explained

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS