Driving licence issued outside Estonia

Member States of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Swiss Confederation

Conditions of validity:

The licence is valid until its expiration date. If the licence is valid for longer than 15 years, it must be exchanged for an Estonian driving licence by 18 January 2033 upon moving to Estonia.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residency is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residency in Estonia if necessary.
• Typically, the driving licence is exchanged for an equivalent Estonian licence without exams. Exams are necessary if the licence expired more than five years previously or if it is not valid in Estonia because it was issued at a time when the person was not a permanent resident of the country of issue. Exams must also be taken if it is proven, based on the information resulting from details entered on the driving licence by a competent authority of such country or based on other indisputable information issued by such competent authority, that the person did not reside permanently in the country of issue of the driving licence at the time of issue of the driving licence. The theory and practical driving tests must be taken in the highest category entered on the licence being exchanged. For example, for driving licences in the categories A, B, BE, C, CE, D and DE, the test must be taken for category CE.
• If the driving licence has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, an enquiry will be sent to the authority that issued the licence, and an Estonian licence will be issued upon receiving confirmation of the licence data and right to drive. The Estonian Transport Administration (ETA) also has the right to make enquiries in other cases.
• The licence being exchanged is handed over to the ETA and is sent to the authority of issue for termination.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

Contracting Parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic

Conditions of validity:

• Licence entries must be in Latin characters or handwritten or transliterated into Latin script. If the entries are not in Latin characters, an official Estonian translation of the licence must be provided. The website of the Estonian Ministry of Justice provides more information on official translations and how to submit them.
• The licence must include the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. The description must include a pictogram of the vehicle or its maximum mass or its permitted number of passengers.
• If the licence does not include any of these, it will only be valid in conjunction with an international driving permit or an officially certified translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. It must be clearly understood from the certificate which category according to the 1968 Vienna Road Traffic Convention the category of the driving licence belongs to.

Driving licences meeting the requirements set out above are valid in Estonia for 12 months from the beginning of the owner’s residency in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.

The driving licences of persons who are in Estonia temporarily (e.g. tourists) are valid for the whole period of their legal stay in Estonia.

A driving licence is not valid in Estonia if it has been issued to a person who was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.
• Driving licences which meet the requirements of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic are generally exchanged without exams. Similarly, a driving licence which does not meet the requirements of the Convention will be exchanged without exams if an international driving permit which meets the requirements of the Convention is provided.
• The licence being exchanged (including an international driving permit) is handed over to the ETA.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed licences will not be replaced with Estonian driving licences.
• If the licence comes with restrictions which do not allow an equivalent Estonian licence to be issued, it will not be exchanged.

Driving licences are exchanged based on exams in the following cases:

• If the driving licence does not meet the requirements of the Convention and an international driving permit in accordance with the Convention cannot be submitted. In such cases, an translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles for which the person has the right to drive must be submitted. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• If the holder of the licence was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.
• If the licence expired more than five years previously.

The theory and practical driving tests must be taken in the highest category entered on the licence being exchanged. For example, for a driving licence for categories A, B, BE, C, CE, D and DE, the test must be taken for category CE.

Note: If the name of the country in question is not listed but it is a new signatory to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, please contact us at info@transpordiamet.ee.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged and, where applicable, the international driving permit, a translation of the licence and a translation of the certificate; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic

Conditions of validity:

• Licence entries must be in Latin characters or handwritten or transliterated into Latin script. If the entries are not in Latin characters, an official Estonian translation of the licence must be provided. The website of the Estonian Ministry of Justice provides more information on official translations and how to submit them.
• The licence must include the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. The description must include a pictogram of the vehicle or its maximum mass or its permitted number of passengers.
• If the licence does not include any of these, it will only be valid in conjunction with an international driving permit or an officially certified translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. It must be clearly understood from the certificate which category according to the 1949 Geneva Road Traffic Convention the category of the driving licence belongs to.

Driving licences meeting the requirements set out above are valid in Estonia for 12 months from the beginning of the owner’s residency in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.

The driving licences of persons who are in Estonia temporarily (e.g. tourists) are valid for the whole period of their legal stay in Estonia.

A driving licence is not valid in Estonia if it has been issued to a person who was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.
• Driving licences which meet the requirements of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic are generally exchanged without exams for categories A and B. Similarly, category A and B licences which do not meet the requirements of the Convention will be exchanged without exams if an international driving permit which meets the requirements of the Convention is provided.
• The licence being exchanged (including an international driving permit) is handed over to the ETA.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed licences will not be replaced with Estonian licences.
• If the licence comes with restrictions which do not allow an equivalent Estonian licence to be issued, it will not be exchanged.

Driving licences are exchanged based on exams in the following cases:

• Driving licences for categories BE, C, D, CE, and DE regardless of compliance with the Convention. If the category is not sufficiently described on the licence and an international driving permit issued in accordance with the Convention is not provided, a translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive must be submitted. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• If the driving licence for categories A and B does not meet the requirements of the Convention and an international driving permit in accordance with the Convention cannot be submitted. In such cases, a translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles for which the person has the right to drive must be submitted. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• If the holder of the licence was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.
• If the licence expired more than five years previously.

The theory and practical driving tests must be taken in the highest category entered on the licence being exchanged. For example, for driving licences in the categories A, B, BE, C, CE, D and DE, the test must be taken for category CE.

Note: If the name of the country is not listed but it may pertain to a territorial application or it is a new signatory country to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, please contact us at info@transpordiamet.ee.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged and, where applicable, the international driving permit, a translation of the licence and a translation of the certificate; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

Other countries

This category includes all the countries recognised by Estonia that are not signatories to the 1968 Vienna or 1949 Geneva Conventions on Road Traffic.

Conditions of validity:

• Licence entries must be in Latin characters or handwritten or transliterated into Latin script. If the entries are not in Latin characters, an official Estonian translation of the licence must be provided. The website of the Estonian Ministry of Justice provides more information on official translations and how to submit them.
• The licence must include the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. The description must include a pictogram of the vehicle or its maximum mass or its permitted number of passengers.
• If the driving licence does not indicate the maximum mass of the vehicle or its permitted number of passengers, the licence is only valid in conjunction with an officially certified translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive.

Driving licences meeting the requirements set out above are valid in Estonia for 12 months from the beginning of the owner’s residency in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.

The driving licences of persons who are in Estonia temporarily (e.g. tourists) are valid for the whole period of their legal stay in Estonia.

A driving licence is not valid in Estonia if it has been issued to a person who was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.
• Driving licences from other countries are only exchanged based on exams.
• If the driving licence does not indicate the maximum mass of the vehicle or its permitted number of passengers, it must be accompanied by a translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• The driving licence being exchanged is handed over to the ETA.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed licences will not be replaced with Estonian licences.
• If the licence comes with restrictions which do not allow an equivalent Estonian licence to be issued, it will not be exchanged.

The theory and practical driving tests must be taken in the highest category entered on the licence being exchanged. For example, for driving licences in the categories A, B, BE, C, CE, D and DE, the test must be taken for category CE.

Note: If the name of a country is not listed but it is a country recognised by Estonia, please contact us at info@transpordiamet.ee.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged and, where applicable, a translation of the licence and a translation of the certificate; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

Units and territorial governments

This category includes all of the units and territorial governments recognised by Estonia and listed in the regulation issued on the basis of subsection 15 of section 99 of the Road Traffic Act. 

Conditions of validity:

• Licence entries must be in Latin characters or handwritten or transliterated into Latin script. If the entries are not in Latin characters, an official Estonian translation of the licence must be provided. The website of the Estonian Ministry of Justice provides more information on official translations and how to submit them.
• The licence must include the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. The description must include the maximum mass of the vehicle or its permitted number of passengers.
• If the driving licence does not indicate these, the licence will only be valid in conjunction with an officially certified translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant unit or territorial government explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive.

Driving licences meeting the requirements set out above are valid in Estonia for 12 months from the beginning of the owner’s residency in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.

The driving licences of persons who are in Estonia temporarily (e.g. tourists) are valid for the whole period of their legal stay in Estonia.

A driving licence is not valid in Estonia if it has been issued to a person who was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.
• Driving licences from units and territorial governments recognised by Estonia are only exchanged based on exams.
• If the driving licence does not indicate the maximum mass of the vehicle or its permitted number of passengers, it must be accompanied by a translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant unit or territorial government explaining the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of vehicles that the person has the right to drive. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• The driving licence being exchanged is handed over to the ETA.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed licences will not be replaced with Estonian licences.
• If the licence comes with restrictions which do not allow an equivalent Estonian licence to be issued, it will not be exchanged.

The theory and practical driving tests must be taken in the highest category entered on the licence being exchanged. For example, for driving licences in the categories A, B, BE, C, CE, D and DE, the test must be taken for category CE.

Note: If the name of a unit or territorial government is not listed but is noted in the regulation referred to above, please contact us at info@transpordiamet.ee.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged and, where applicable, a translation of the licence and a translation of the certificate; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

Foreign driving licences for tractors, mobile machinery, or combination of tractors

This category includes all of the countries recognised by Estonia which are listed in the regulation issued on the basis of subsection 16 of section 99 of the Road Traffic Act and whose driving licences for tractors, mobile machinery and combination of tractors are valid in Estonia. At present, no such countries are listed in the regulation.

A driving licence for a tractor, moving machinery or combination of tractors is valid in Estonia if the country which issued the licence sets at least equivalent requirements for the right to drive such vehicles to be granted as those in this law and in the legal acts established on the basis thereof. 

Conditions of validity:

• Licence entries must be in Latin characters or handwritten or transliterated into Latin script. If the entries are not in Latin characters, an official Estonian translation of the licence must be provided. The website of the Estonian Ministry of Justice provides more information on official translations and how to submit them.
• The licence must include the symbol and description of the category of the motor vehicle, road train or combination of tractors that the person has the right to drive. The description must include the maximum mass of the vehicle.
• If the driving licence does not indicate this, the licence will only be valid in conjunction with an officially certified translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant unit or territorial government explaining the symbol and description of the category of the tractor, mobile machinery, or combination of tractors that the person has the right to drive.

Driving licences meeting the requirements set out above are valid in Estonia for 12 months from the beginning of the owner’s residency in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.

The driving licences of persons who are in Estonia temporarily (e.g. tourists) are valid for the whole period of their legal stay in Estonia.

A driving licence is not valid in Estonia if it has been issued to a person who was a permanent resident of Estonia at the time of first obtaining the driving licence or obtaining the right to drive in an additional category.

Conditions of exchange:

• Applications to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Estonian one can be made by permanent residents of Estonia who live in the country for at least 185 days per calendar year. The applicant’s right to drive must not have been suspended, withdrawn, or revoked in the country of issue or in Estonia. Permanent residence is proved based on data from the population register. You must be prepared to prove your permanent residence in Estonia if necessary.
• Driving licences for tractors, mobile machinery and combination of tractors recognised by Estonia are only exchanged based on exams.
• If the driving licence does not indicate the maximum mass of the vehicle, it must be accompanied by a translation of a certificate issued by the authority of issue or the foreign mission of the relevant country explaining the symbol and description of the category of the tractor, mobile machinery, or combination of tractors that the person has the right to drive. If a translated certificate is not provided, the licence will not be exchanged.
• The driving licence being exchanged is handed over to the ETA.
• Lost, stolen, or destroyed licences will not be replaced with Estonian licences.
• If the licence comes with restrictions which do not allow an equivalent Estonian licence to be issued, it will not be exchanged.

In all cases, both the theory and practical driving tests must be taken with a combination of tractors, i.e. a tractor and a trailer.

Note: If the name of a country is not listed but is noted in the regulation referred to above, please contact us at info@transpordiamet.ee.

To exchange your driving licence, you must submit to the service bureau:

• an identity document;
• a valid certificate of driver’s health. The health certificate does not have to be submitted if the certificate data are valid in the traffic register and the driver’s health status has not changed. The health certificate is issued by a GP (general practitioner / family doctor), an occupational health doctor or a traffic medicine committee;
• a photograph and signature. Estonian driving licences include photographs and signatures taken from the identification document database or the traffic register. The photo must not be more than five years old;
• the foreign driving licence being exchanged and, where applicable, a translation of the licence and a translation of the certificate; and
• the state fee payable for issuing an Estonian driving licence (which also applies to exams, where needed).

The special and temporary measures applied to driving licences and certificates of competence issued in Ukraine to persons who are recipients of temporary protection are derived from the 18 July 2022 regulation (EU) 2022/1280, which can be seen here. The following information has been compiled on the basis of the provisions brought out in EU regulation 2022/1280.

Driving licences and certificates of competence issued in Ukraine that expired after 31 December 2021 are considered valid for all persons who were staying in Estonia before 24 February 2022 and have not since left Estonia.

1. Validity of a Ukrainian driving licence in Estonia if the person has temporary protection

The driving licence issued in Ukraine belonging to a recipient of temporary protection is valid for the entire duration of receiving temporary protection in Estonia:

• Without a 12-month limit;
• Without submitting an international driving permit;
• Without submitting a translation;
• Even if its time is invalid (expired), e.g. in the case of a two-year driving licence.

2. Exchanging a Ukrainian driving licence

• For persons permanently residing in Estonia (who do not have temporary protection), a Ukrainian driving licence is valid in Estonia for 12 months after the date the owner became a permanent resident in Estonia. National population register data for the certification of residency. Exchanging driving licences is a standard procedure. Information about exchanging driving licences can be found here.
• The driving licence of a recipient of temporary protection is not exchanged (even if the person, in addition to receiving temporary protection, has a registered residence in Estonia).
• The driving licence of a temporary Estonian resident (a person staying in Estonia temporarily) (e.g. a person who was staying in Estonia before 24 February 2022 and has not left) will not be exchanged. This is a person whose driving licence is valid for the whole period of legal residence in Estonia. Legal basis for residing in Estonia: the Aliens Act § 309¹⁴.

A recipient of temporary protection whose permanent residence is in Estonia according to the population register may:

• apply for a provisional driving licence after passing the corresponding course in driving school and
• obtain additional categories in Estonia after passing the corresponding course in driving school. In that case, their Ukrainian driving licence is exchanged for an Estonian driving licence.

3. Replacing a Ukrainian driving licence:

If the Ukrainian driving licence of a recipient of temporary protection has been lost, stolen or forgotten in Ukraine while fleeing the country, the driving licence can be replaced if sufficient proof of the driving licence and the right to drive is submitted to the Transport Administration. If necessary, the Transport Administration can make an inquiry to Ukraine and in the case of sufficient evidence, the driving licence will be replaced.

When replacing a Ukrainian driving licence with an Estonian driving licence, the code 99.01(06.03.25) is added to the Estonian driving licence, which means that it is a specially issued driving licence valid only for the period of temporary protection (lost or stolen Ukrainian driving licence).

A driving licence to which the code 99.01(06.03.25) has been added is valid until:

• the end of the receipt of temporary protection (end of the validity of the living permit) or
• 6 March 2025 or
• the end of the validity of the driving licence
   ... depending on which of these dates is earliest.

As of 13 March 2023, the expiry date will no longer be included in the national population register as a separate field. Instead, the expiry date of the residence permit of the recipient of temporary protection will be the date of expiry of temporary protection. Each person can check the validity of the temporary protection on their residence permit card. This applies to persons who have been issued an Estonian driving licence with the code 99.01(06.03.25).

A person who does not have temporary protection and wants to replace their Ukrainian driving licence must apply for a new driving licence in Ukraine.

Certificates of competence:

Certificates of competence issued in Ukraine that expired after 31 December 2021 are considered valid in Estonia. The same rules as for other persons apply when applying for an Estonian certificate of competence and can be seen here.

Digital tachograph driver cards:

• A person whose permanent place of residence according to the population register is in Estonia can apply for a digital tachograph driver card.
• A person whose permanent place of residence according to the population register is in Ukraine can apply for a digital tachograph temporary driver card (valid for up to 185 days).

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