Foreign driving licences in Sweden

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For questions regarding driving tests and photography.
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You can find our driving test offices on this page (page in Swedish)

This page provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about foreign driving licences in Sweden.

If you have a driving licence issued in a country outside of the EEA, you can drive for one year after you have registered as a resident of Sweden. If you are not registered as a Swedish resident, you can drive with a foreign driving licence as long as it remains valid.

How do I change my foreign driving licence to a Swedish one?

In order to exchange your EEA state driving licence for a Swedish one, you must

have a valid driving licence
be a permanent resident of Sweden.

Visti the Swedish Transport Agency's website for more information

I have a driving licence - The Swedish Transport Agency

How do I obtain a translation of my driving licence if it is from a country outside the EEA?

You can contact an authorised translator for help.

An international driving licence is also regarded as a valid translation of a national driving licence. However, an international driving licence can not be issued in Sweden, you need to bring it with you from your native country.

More about foreign driving licences in Sweden

The Swedish Transport Agency's webiste

Am I allowed to drive in Sweden with a foreign driving licence?

Yes, if you have your driving licence with you when you drive.

If you do not have a photocard driving licence, you must must also have a valid proof of identity with a photograph with you when you drive.
If your driving licence is not issued in English, German or French, the police may also require that you have a certified translation of your driving licence with you. An international driving licence is regarded as a certified translation.

What is a learner's permit and how do I obtain one?

A learner's permit is required to:

practise driving
take the driver's licence test in Sweden.

When you have a learner's permit, an approved instructor must always be with you in the car.

Applications for learner's permit are made via the Swedish Transport Agency

Learning how to drive - The Swedish Transport Agency

What does it mean to have permanent residence in Sweden?

Permanent residency refers to a place where a person lives for at least 185 days every calendar year owing to

personal and professional connections, or
personal connection characterised by close ties between the person and the place where he or she lives.

If you live alternately in two or more states because your professional connection is not the same as your personal connection, your permanent residency will be the place to which you have a personal connection. This applies on condition that you go back there regularly.

More About Permanent Residency

What is permanent residency? The Swedish Transport Agency

Can I apply for a Swedish driving licence if I do not have a Swedish personal identity number?

A Swedish personal identity number is not required to obtain a Swedish driving licence.

It is possible to obtain a driving licence if you have a coordination number instead, however you must always be able to prove your identity with a valid and acceptable proof of identity to obtain a Swedish driving licence. This can be difficult if you have a proof of identity that was issued outside of Europe.

Can I as an asylum seeker practise driving?

You can practise driving if you have a learner's permit when practising driving at a driving school. If you want to practise driving privately, you need an approved instructor in addition to your learner's permit.

You need to complete the mandatory introductory course for the instructor to be approved.

How long can I drive in Sweden using my foreign licence before I have to obtain a Swedish driving licence?

Driving licences from EEA countries

A driving licence issued in a state within the EEA is valid in Sweden:

as long as it is valid in the country where it was first issued, and
as long as it has not been exchanged for a Swedish driving licence.

The driving licence is valid even if you are registered in Sweden.

Licences issued outside of the EEA

For a driving licence issued outside of the EEA to be valid in Sweden, it must:

be valid in its country of issue, and
not have been exchanged for a Swedish licence.

The driving licence is not valid if you have been a registered resident in Sweden for over one year. If you have a driving license from the United Kingdom or the Faroe Islands, you can use it in Sweden, even if you have been registered resident in the country for more than a year.

More information on the Swedish Transport Agency's website

I have a driving licence - The Swedish Transport Agency

I am an asylum seeker, can I apply for a Swedish driving licence?

Yes, if you can prove your identity with a valid and acceptable proof of identity.

More information can be found at The Swedish Transport Agency's website

I´m going to take my driving licence - The Swedish Transport Agency

I have lost my driving licence from my native country and I am not able to get a replacement. Can I still legally drive?

No. You must have your photocard driving licence (or paper version) with you when driving in Sweden.

I left my driving licence with the Swedish Migration Agency;, can I drive if I have a stamped copy with me?

No. You must have your actual photocard driving licence (or paper version) in the car with you when you drive.

The police have taken away my foreign driving licence, does this matter later when I apply for a Swedish driving licence?

If the police took your foreign driving licence away because you violated a traffic law/regulation, your chances of obtaining a learner's permit in Sweden (required for training and driving tests) will be negatively impacted. You might find it difficult to obtain a Swedish driving licence.

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Last updated: 2023-08-16

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