European driving licence
| European driving licence | |
|---|---|
| Date first issued | 29 July 1991 |
| Issued by |
 28 EU member states and 3 EFTA member states
|
| Valid in |
28 EU member states and 3 EFTA member states
|
| Purpose | Access to unified driving licence in any of the 31 EEA member states |
| Eligibility requirements | EEA residency |
| Cost | Free |
| European Union directive | |
| Title | Council Directive on driving licences |
|---|---|
| Made by | Council of the European Union |
| Made under | Art. 75 TEC |
| Journal reference | L237, pp 1-24 |
| History | |
| Date made | 1991-07-29 |
| Came into force | 1991-08-24 |
| Implementation date | 1996-07-01 |
| Other legislation | |
| Replaces | Directive 80/1263/EEC |
| Replaced by | Directive 2006/126/EC |
| Repealed | |
| European Union directive | |
| Title | Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences (Recast) |
|---|---|
| Made by | European Parliament & Council |
| Made under | Art. 71 TEC |
| Journal reference | L403, pp. 18-60 |
| History | |
| Date made | 2006-12-30 |
| Came into force | 2007-01-19 |
| Implementation date | 2013-01-19 |
| Other legislation | |
| Replaces | Directive 91/439/EEC |
| Current legislation | |
The European driving licence is a driving licence replacing the many driving licence styles already in use in the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) (all 28 EU member states as well as 3 EFTA member states; Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). It has the credit card-style with a photograph and possibly a microchip. They were introduced to replace the 110 different plastic and paper driving licences of the 300 million drivers in the EEA. The main objective of the licence is to decrease the risk of fraud.
A driving licence issued by a member state of the EEA, is recognised throughout the EEA and can be used as long as it is valid, the driver is old enough to drive a vehicle of the equivalent category and the licence is not suspended or restricted and has not been revoked in the issuing country. If the holder of an EEA driving licence moves to another EEA country, the licence can be exchanged for a driving licence from the new EEA country. However as all EEA driving licences are recognised throughout the EEA, it is not necessary to exchange it.
The exception is for those holding EEA driving licences issued in exchange for a non‑EEA licence. When holding a converted licence, one should not assume the licence can be exchanged when moving to another EEA country. This only applies when permanently relocating to a different EEA country, as a tourist, an EEA-licence issued in exchange of a non-EEA licence is recognised throughout the EEA.
The first step to a European driving licence was taken on 4 December 1980, when the Council of Ministers adopted Council Directive 80/1263/EEC on the introduction of a Community driving licence, which established a Community model national licence that guaranteed the mutual recognition by the Member States of national licences. It also established the practice of exchange of licences by holders moving from one Member State to another.
On 29 July 1991, the Council of Ministers adopted the Council Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences. The directive required EU Member States to adopt laws implementing the directive before 1 July 1994, which laws would take effect on 1 July 1996. Directive 80/1263/EEC would be repealed on the same date. Directive 91/439/EEC specified the European Union driving licence until its repeal 19 January 2013.
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