Using a foreign driving licence in Estonia

Which foreign driving licences are valid in Estonia?

Driving licences of the member states of the European Union, the member states of the European Economic Area and the Swiss Confederation are valid in Estonia (LS § 99 lg 1) [1]. A licence of another country is valid if its entries are in Latin print or handwriting or transliterated into Latin script, and it shows the symbol and description of the category; the description is sufficient if it contains a pictogram of the vehicle or the maximum mass or permitted number of passengers (LS § 99 lg 2) [1].

If a licence does not meet these requirements (for example, its entries are in Cyrillic), it is valid only together with an international driving permit or an officially certified translation, provided the licence shows the category symbol and description (LS § 99 lg 3) [1]. If the licence has no vehicle pictogram and no data on maximum mass or permitted number of passengers, it is valid together with an officially certified translation of a certificate from the issuing authority or that country's foreign mission explaining the category symbol and description (LS § 99 lg 3) [1]. An international driving permit does not replace the national licence: the right to drive is proven by „välisriigi pädeva asutuse väljastatud rahvusvaheline juhiluba koos siseriikliku juhiloaga“ [3] (translation: an international driving permit issued by the competent authority of a foreign country together with the national driving licence; LS § 96 lg 1). A foreign licence is valid only if the issuing authority or another competent authority has not suspended, withdrawn or revoked the holder's right to drive (LS § 99 lg 6) [1].

What changes if you move to Estonia permanently?

Under the Traffic Act, permanent residence is the place where a person usually lives for at least 185 days in each calendar year because of personal or occupational ties; it is proven by the data of the population register (LS § 100 lg 2) [4]. What happens next depends on the country that issued your licence.

• An EU, EEA or Swiss licence is valid until the expiry date shown on it. If its period of validity is longer than 15 years, it must be exchanged for an Estonian licence by 18 January 2033 at the latest (LS § 99 lg 9) [1].
• A licence from a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is valid for 12 months and is exchanged without examinations; a licence that does not meet the Convention's requirements is exchanged after a traffic theory test and a driving test, unless an international driving permit meeting the Convention's requirements is also presented (LS § 99 lg 10) [1].
• A licence from a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic is valid for 12 months. Category A and B licences are exchanged without examinations, other categories after a theory test and a driving test. Category A and B licences that do not meet the Convention's requirements are exchanged after the tests, unless an international driving permit meeting the Convention's requirements is also presented (LS § 99 lg 11) [1].
• A licence from any other country is valid for 12 months and is exchanged after a theory test and a driving test (LS § 99 lg 12) [1]. If the country has concluded an agreement with Estonia on the mutual recognition of driving licences, the exchange follows the terms of that agreement (LS § 99 lg 13) [1].

According to the Supreme Court (Riigikohus), a right to drive acquired abroad can be proven only with a valid foreign licence, not with the data of the traffic register; once 12 months have passed since a person settled permanently in Estonia without obtaining an Estonian licence, the foreign licence no longer proves the right to drive, even if it has not expired (RK 4-20-758/27) [5]. The case concerned a licence from a party to the Geneva Convention.

When is a foreign licence not valid in Estonia?

• A licence of another country is not valid if it was issued to a person who was permanently resident in Estonia when obtaining the licence for the first time or an additional category (LS § 99 lg 7) [1].
• An EU, EEA or Swiss licence is not valid if it is proven that the person was not permanently resident in the issuing country when the licence was issued (LS § 99 lg 8) [1].
• In both cases, a person who has settled permanently in Estonia may exchange the licence after passing a theory test and a driving test (LS § 99 lg 7 and 8) [1].
• If a licence has not been exchanged within five years after the expiry date shown on it, it is likewise exchanged only after the tests (LS § 99 lg 14) [1].

How do you exchange a licence and what does it cost?

Licences are exchanged for persons whose permanent residence is in Estonia (LS § 98 lg 1¹) [2]. You must submit a valid medical certificate (not needed if the certificate data in the traffic register are valid and your health has not changed, or if the issuer has sent the data to the Transport Administration electronically) and, where necessary, a document proving your identity and residence permit, and the licence to be exchanged (Mootorsõidukijuhi eksamineerimise, talle juhtimisõiguse andmise kord ja juhiloa vormid ning nõuded eksamisõidukitele § 22 lg 4) [6]. The state fee for exchanging a licence is 33 euros, or 23 euros if you apply electronically through the e-services information system, under the State Fees Act (riigilõivuseadus, RLS) (RLS § 142⁷⁶ lg 1) [7].

The licence is issued within ten working days of the day following the application (LS § 98 lg 2) [2]. The licence being exchanged is surrendered to the Transport Administration (LS § 99 lg 9–12) [1]; a licence issued outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland may be kept by the Administration at your request until it expires (LS § 99 lg 10, 11 and 12) [1].

What the law says

• „Eestis kehtivad Euroopa Liidu liikmesriigi, Euroopa Majanduspiirkonna liikmesriigi ja Šveitsi Konföderatsiooni juhiload“ [1] (translation: driving licences of the member states of the EU, the EEA and the Swiss Confederation are valid in Estonia; LS § 99 lg 1) – you can drive in Estonia with such a licence.
• „Eestis kehtib juhiluba, mille kanded on tehtud ladina trüki- või kirjutuskirjas või ladina kirja translitereeritud.“ [1] (translation: a driving licence whose entries are in Latin print or handwriting or transliterated into Latin script is valid in Estonia; LS § 99 lg 2) – for licences of other countries, the script matters.
• „Eestisse alaliselt elama asunud isiku Viini 1968. aasta teeliikluse konventsiooni osalisriigi juhiluba kehtib 12 kuud alates isiku alaliselt Eestisse elama asumisest.“ [1] (translation: the licence of a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention held by a person who has settled permanently in Estonia is valid for 12 months from settling; LS § 99 lg 10) – the same period applies to licences from parties to the Geneva Convention and from other countries (LS § 99 lg 11 and 12) [1].
• „Juhiluba vahetatakse Eesti juhiloa vastu pärast liiklusteooria- ja sõidueksami sooritamist.“ [1] (translation: the licence is exchanged for an Estonian licence after passing the traffic theory test and the driving test; LS § 99 lg 12) – licences of other countries require both tests.

What to do

1. Find out whether your licence was issued by an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, a party to the Vienna or Geneva Convention, or another country (LS § 99 lg 9, 10, 11 and 12) [1].
2. If your licence is not in Latin script, carry an international driving permit or an officially certified translation; if it has no vehicle pictogram and no data on mass or number of passengers, you need an officially certified translation of a certificate from the issuing authority or your country's foreign mission (LS § 99 lg 3) [1]; a driver must make sure they carry the documents required for driving the vehicle (LS § 33 lg 2 p 5) [8].
3. If you have settled permanently in Estonia, remember that the 12 months run from the day you settled permanently in Estonia (LS § 99 lg 10, 11 and 12) [1].
4. Submit an application for exchange to the Transport Administration with the required documents (Mootorsõidukijuhi eksamineerimise, talle juhtimisõiguse andmise kord ja juhiloa vormid ning nõuded eksamisõidukitele § 22 lg 4) [6] and pay the state fee (RLS § 142⁷⁶ lg 1) [7].

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive in Estonia as a tourist with my home country's licence?

Yes, if the licence was issued in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland (LS § 99 lg 1) [1], or if a licence of another country is in Latin script and shows the category symbol and description (LS § 99 lg 2) [1]. Otherwise you also need an international driving permit or an officially certified translation, or, if the category description is missing, an officially certified translation of a certificate from the issuing authority or your country's foreign mission (LS § 99 lg 3) [1].

Do I have to exchange my EU licence when I move to Estonia?

As a rule, no: it remains valid until the expiry date shown on it. A licence with a period of validity longer than 15 years must be exchanged by 18 January 2033 at the latest (LS § 99 lg 9) [1].

Do I have to take a test to get an Estonian licence?

A licence meeting the Vienna Convention's requirements and category A and B licences meeting the Geneva Convention's requirements are exchanged without examinations; a licence not meeting the Convention's requirements is exchanged without tests only if an international driving permit meeting them is also presented (LS § 99 lg 10 and 11) [1]. To exchange a licence of another country, you must pass a theory test and a driving test (LS § 99 lg 12) [1].

What happens if 12 months have passed and I have not exchanged my licence?

According to the Supreme Court, the foreign licence then no longer proves your right to drive (RK 4-20-758/27) [5]. In that case the foreign licence had expired before the person moved to Estonia, and the act was classed as driving without a right to drive (RK 4-20-758/27) [5]; driving a motor vehicle without the right to drive the relevant category is punishable by a fine of up to 200 fine units or detention (LS § 201 lg 1) [9].

How long does the exchange take?

The licence is issued within ten working days of the day following the application (LS § 98 lg 2) [2]. During that time, a person who holds a valid right to drive may drive without a document proving it, but only in Estonia (LS § 96 lg 7) [3].