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This page covers non-EU licences, except where it says otherwise. EU/EEA licences follow EU rules and the official pages we read do not set out every case, so check the licensing authority before you rely on a deadline.
At a glance
- Germany
- 6 months after registration; Anlage 11 simplified; up to 14 weeks (Munich)
- Spain
- 6 months from residence; convenio countries only; about 6 weeks
- Italy
- 1 year from residence; reciprocity countries; no tests for standard conversion
- Netherlands
- 185 days; EU/EEA, agreement countries or 30% ruling; at least 15 working days
Your checklist
First steps
Your checklist stays on this device.
Four deadlines, four starting points
Germany: a non-EU/EEA licence is valid for six months after you register your main residence, and the period cannot be extended. Spain: the DGT says six months at most from when you acquire normal residence. Italy: up to one year from acquiring residence. Netherlands: until 185 days after you start living there, and you may not drive on it afterwards even if an exchange is pending.
The clocks start from different events, so registering your address early in Germany or the Netherlands can start the countdown sooner than you expect.
Who can exchange
Germany converts licences from Anlage 11 countries (for example Switzerland, Israel, Canada, Australia and many US states) in a simplified way, and requires theory and practical tests for other non-EU/EEA countries. Spain exchanges only licences from countries with a convenio, and otherwise requires a new Spanish licence. Italy converts only licences from countries with a reciprocity agreement.
The Netherlands accepts EU/EEA licences and those from listed agreement countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and Israel, and anyone covered by the 30% ruling can exchange a licence from any country with the Belastingdienst decision. Otherwise you pass the CBR theory and practical exams.
Tests, medical checks and fees
Spain describes a direct exchange without tests for classes A1, A, B and B+E, while C, D, C+E and D+E need a practical test and sometimes a theory test, and it requires a medical report valid for 90 days. Italy’s standard conversion involves no driving tests, but needs a medical certificate no older than three months from an authorised doctor or six months from the CML, and the office may require tests after six years of residence.
Munich lists fees from €37.50 to €45.90 depending on tests and probation, and Germany’s medical and eye-test requirements depend on the class. The Friuli Venezia Giulia page lists €10.20 in rights plus €32.00 in stamp duty for Italy, the Spanish fee page shows placeholder amounts, and we did not confirm a Dutch fee.
What is the same everywhere
The licence must be valid, obtained before you became resident and handed in when the new one is issued, and a sworn or certified translation is often needed. Learner and provisional licences are generally not accepted, and a licence obtained while you were already resident in the country is not recognised.
None of the four lets you simply keep driving on a non-EU licence indefinitely.
Common questions
Which country gives the longest time on a non-EU licence?
Italy, with up to one year from residence. Germany and Spain allow six months and the Netherlands 185 days, and each counts from a different starting point.
Can I apply for an extension?
Germany says the six-month right cannot be extended, with a fee-based special case if your stay is 12 months or less. The Spanish, Italian and Dutch pages we read describe no extension.
Do I have to retake my driving test?
Not for a standard exchange in Spain (classes A1, A, B, B+E) or Italy, and generally not for Germany’s Anlage 11 countries. Otherwise tests apply, for example in Germany for other non-EU/EEA countries and in the Netherlands when no exchange route exists.
Do these rules apply to EU licences?
No. This page covers non-EU licences. EU/EEA licences follow EU rules, for example the Dutch RDW describes a 15-year use period, so check the authority in your new country.
Official sources
Read this first
- LABO Berlin: recognition of non-EU driving licencesSix-month limit and recognition
- City of Munich: converting a foreign driving licenceDocuments, fees and processing time in Munich
- DGT: moving to Spain from outside the EUSix-month limit for non-EU licences
- DGT: exchange of permits from other countriesExchange conditions and exclusions
- Portale dell’Automobilista: conversione patente esteraOne-year rule, conditions and documents
- Regione FVG: conversion of foreign licencesFee and regional confirmation
- RDW: driving with a foreign licence185-day rule and EU/EEA validity
- RDW: exchanging a foreign licenceExchange conditions and processing time
Rules can vary by nationality, work or study status, and city. Confirm your route with the official authority before you act.