If you move to Sweden with a driving licence from another country, the first question is simple: can you keep driving? The answer depends on where the licence was issued, whether it is still valid and how long you have been registered as living in Sweden (folkbokförd).

Licences from the EU/EEA

A licence from another EEA country is valid in Sweden as long as it is valid in the country that issued it and has not been exchanged for a Swedish licence. It stays valid even after you are registered as resident in Sweden. There is no one-year limit.

If you are permanently resident in Sweden, you can apply to exchange a valid EEA licence for a Swedish one. It is often not urgent, but it can be practical when the licence is due for renewal.

New in 2026: from 1 May 2026, Transportstyrelsen can refuse to exchange an EEA licence that was itself originally obtained by exchanging a licence from outside the EEA. The exchange is still allowed if:

  • the EEA licence was issued after passing theory and driving tests in an EEA country, or
  • it came from an exchange of a licence from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Japan or Switzerland, or
  • you held a licence for the same category for at least five years before becoming permanently resident in Sweden.

The aim is to stop "licence tourism", where non-EEA licences were exchanged in one EEA country and then again in Sweden. If none of the cases applies, you may need to take a Swedish licence.

Licences from outside the EEA

A non-EEA licence is valid in Sweden only if:

  • it is valid in the country that issued it,
  • it has not been exchanged for a Swedish licence, and
  • you have not been registered as resident in Sweden for more than one year.

That last point is the one-year rule. A non-EEA licence stops being valid one year from the day you became folkbokförd. Licences from the United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands are the exception and remain valid after that year. Transportstyrelsen can grant other exceptions only in narrow cases, such as a time-limited stay with no traffic safety risk. A residence or work permit does not give an exception by itself.

Translation and photo ID

A non-EEA licence that does not follow the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna road traffic conventions, and is not written in English, German or French, is only valid together with a certified translation. The translation must be into English, German, French, Swedish, Danish or Norwegian. Kammarkollegiet lists authorised translators.

A licence without a photo is only valid together with an identity document that has one. The safest habit is to keep licence, ID and any translation together whenever you drive.

Which non-EEA licences can be exchanged?

Only licences from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland and Japan can be exchanged for a Swedish licence. Licences from all other non-EEA countries cannot, no matter how long you have driven.

For an exchange you must hold a valid licence, be permanently resident in Sweden and meet Swedish personal and medical requirements. For a car licence you send a health declaration and an eye test certificate, the original licence and a certificate showing it is valid. For a Swiss or Japanese licence, remember that it stops being valid for driving in Sweden one year after you are folkbokförd, so apply early to avoid a gap.

When to start the Swedish process

If your licence cannot be exchanged, you need a Swedish category B licence: learner's permit, eye test, risk education, theory test and driving test. Start well before your one year runs out. Permit processing alone normally takes up to four weeks, risk courses must be finished before the theory test, and test times can be limited.

Note that to get a Swedish B licence you must not already hold a licence from another EEA country. If you do, you exchange it instead.

Typical mistakes

  • Counting the year from arrival instead of folkbokföring. The one-year rule runs from the day you were registered as resident.
  • Assuming experience equals exchange. Twenty years of driving does not make a licence exchangeable. Only the four listed countries are.
  • Starting the Swedish process in month eleven. Without a valid licence, any gap between expiry and your Swedish licence means you cannot drive on your own.
  • Driving without a required translation. Without it, the licence is not valid in Sweden.
  • Expecting experienced drivers to pass easily. Swedish tests focus on observation, speed adaptation and vulnerable road users, which can differ from what you learned at home.

FAQ

How long can I drive in Sweden with a foreign licence?

An EEA licence can be used as long as it is valid. A non-EEA licence can be used for one year after you become folkbokförd in Sweden, except licences from the United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands, which remain valid.

Can I exchange my foreign driving licence for a Swedish one?

EEA licences can usually be exchanged if you are permanently resident. Outside the EEA, only licences from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland and Japan can be exchanged.

Do I need a translation of my foreign driving licence in Sweden?

Yes, if the licence is from outside the EEA, does not follow the Geneva or Vienna conventions and is not in English, German or French. The certified translation must be in English, German, French, Swedish, Danish or Norwegian.

Learn Swedish traffic rules with Körkort Hero

If you need to take a Swedish licence, the theory test is where many experienced drivers lose points on unfamiliar rules. Körkort Hero lets you practise Swedish category B theory in 16 languages, so you can learn the Swedish rules in the language you know best.

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