Exchange
Foreign driving licence in Sweden
Whether you can swap the card, keep driving, or must take the Swedish tests depends on where the licence was issued — not on how long you have been driving.
If you already have a foreign licence
This is the part most newcomers get wrong. Whether you can swap the card, keep driving, or must take the full Swedish tests depends on where the licence was issued.
| Your licence is from | Can you exchange it? | Driving in Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| EEA (EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) | Yes, if it is valid and you are permanently resident. Optional in many cases. | Valid while the home licence is valid |
| United Kingdom, Faroe Islands, Switzerland, or Japan | Yes — direct exchange, no Swedish tests, if you meet Transportstyrelsen’s conditions | UK and Faroe licences stay usable even after a year of residence; Switzerland and Japan generally need exchange within one year of becoming registered here |
| Any other country (US, Canada, India, Australia, most of the world) | No. You take the full Swedish B process: permit, risk 1+2, theory, driving test | Usually valid for one year from the day you become folkbokförd, then you need a Swedish licence |
EEA licences that originally came from a non-EEA country have extra rules (five years’ EEA holding, origin in UK/Faroes/Japan/Switzerland, or a test taken in an EEA state). Confirm on Transportstyrelsen before you post the original card.
Exchanges go by post to Transportstyrelsen in Örebro with the original licence. After approval you pay 375 kr, take a photo at a Trafikverket office, and collect the Swedish card. They return the old licence to the issuing authority.
Common questions
- I have a US / Canadian / Indian licence. Can I swap it?
- No. After about a year as a registered resident it stops being valid in Sweden. You go through the full Swedish B process. Only EEA licences, plus UK, Faroe Islands, Switzerland, and Japan, have an exchange path.
- Who do I call?
- Tests, photos, booking: Trafikverket 0771-17 18 19. Permits, supervisors, the plastic card: Transportstyrelsen 0771-81 81 81. They will never SMS you a payment link.
Official sources
Public rules change. Fees, validity windows, and booking rules come from Trafikverket and Transportstyrelsen. Always confirm on their sites before you pay or book. This is not legal advice and not the official exam.
Last checked 2026-08-14