If your licence was issued in a country on the mutual recognition list, it is exchanged for a Cypriot one without exams after 6 months of residence. The fee is €40 and your old licence is surrendered.
Who has to exchange, and when
- Tourists may drive on a national licence in Latin script, or on a national licence plus an international driving permit. That covers stays of up to 6 months.
- EU licences are recognised indefinitely; exchange is voluntary.
- Licences from mutual recognition countries must be exchanged after 6 months of residence, without exams.
- Licences from all other countries — after 6 months of residence you have to take the theory and practical tests as a beginner.
There are 21 countries on the mutual recognition list, among them Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, Norway, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, the UAE, Qatar, China and Morocco.
How to exchange
- Fill in form TOM 7Δ and prepare a 45×33 mm photo.
- Gather the documents: passport, ARC or residence permit, the original licence and copies of every page, a certified translation (if the licence isn't in Greek or English), and proof of 6 months' residence.
- Pay the €40 fee (free for those aged 65+).
- Apply in person at a district office of the Road Transport Department or at a KEP centre.
- Collect your Cypriot licence after about 2 weeks — the old one is taken.
If your licence can't be exchanged
- Buy the Traffic Laws booklet at a kiosk and prepare for the theory.
- Fill in the form at a KEP centre and pay about €10, then take the oral theory test at the Road Transport Department: about 20 questions in Greek or English, pass mark 17 out of 20.
- Get a learner's licence for around €20.
- Take 6–7 lessons at a driving school — the instructor books the test for you.
- Take the practical test no sooner than 21 days after getting the learner's licence: about 35 minutes of town driving plus manoeuvres, fee €20. A retake is possible no sooner than 30 days later.
- Pay €40 for the issue of a full licence.
The minimum age for category B is 17.5. A Cypriot licence lasts 15 years; after 55 it runs to age 70, and in 3-year blocks after that.