Applying for the exchange of your foreign driving licence to/buy Northern Ireland driving licence
If you want or need to change/buy your driving licence for a Northern Ireland driving licence, we are here to assist you. it cost 600euro
You will need to enclose 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 completed application and the right fee to:
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.
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 in order 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 be accompanied by an official translation, available for a fee from the:
If you want or need to change/buy your driving licence for a Northern Ireland driving licence, we are here to assist you. it cost 600euro.