Rules, deadlines, required documents and the exchange process for foreign driving licences in Slovakia.
A foreign driving licence may be valid in Slovakia, but the rules depend on the country that issued it and on your residence status. Holders of licences from the EU and EEA usually do not need to exchange them. If your licence was issued outside the EU and EEA, it is important not to miss the applicable deadlines after obtaining residence.
Which foreign driving licences are recognised in Slovakia
Slovakia recognises valid driving licences issued by:
- countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA);
- states that are parties to the Vienna Convention or Geneva Convention on Road Traffic.
The rules apply to valid licences issued by countries that meet the relevant international requirements. When exchanging a licence, the police will separately check the documents and whether the categories shown on them correspond to Slovak licence categories.
When you can drive with a foreign licence
If you do not have registered residence in Slovakia
If you do not have temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia (prechodný pobyt or trvalý pobyt), you may drive with a valid foreign driving licence that is recognised in Slovakia.
If you have a temporary or permanent residence permit
For holders of licences issued outside the EU and EEA, the 185 + 60 day rule applies:
| Stage | What happens | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| After residence is granted or registered | You may drive with your foreign licence | The first 185 days |
| After 185 days | You must apply to exchange your licence | Within 60 days |
| If you do not apply on time | Your licence is no longer recognised as valid in Slovakia | After the 245-day period ends |
In other words, 245 days after your residence is granted or registered — 185 days plus 60 days — you can no longer drive with a licence issued outside the EU and EEA if you have not applied to exchange it.
Under Section 104 of Slovak Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on Road Traffic, the licence is considered invalid in Slovakia even if it remains valid in the country that issued it.
EU and EEA licences: exchange is not mandatory
Valid licences issued by EU or EEA countries are recognised in Slovakia until they expire. If you wish, you may exchange them for a Slovak licence after 185 days from the date your residence was granted or registered.
A voluntary exchange may be useful if:
- you live in Slovakia permanently;
- your licence is about to expire;
- you would prefer to have a Slovak licence.
If your EU driving licence has expired and you live in Slovakia, it must be renewed here.
Temporary refuge: a separate rule
People with temporary refuge status (dočasné útočisko) are not required to exchange their foreign driving licences for Slovak ones. This status alone also does not allow them to apply for an exchange.
Temporary refuge and the related tolerated stay status are not considered residence for the purpose of issuing a Slovak driving licence. If a person later obtains a standard temporary or permanent residence permit, the general rules apply: 185 days, followed by a further 60 days to submit an application.
For further details, see the guidance issued by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.
Where to apply
Applications are submitted to the police documents office — oddelenie dokladov odboru poriadkovej polície okresného riaditeľstva Policajného zboru — at your place of residence.
You can find the relevant office on the Ministry of Interior website.
When you visit the office, you can say:
- Dobrý deň, chcel(a) by som požiadať o výmenu vodičského preukazu.
Documents required to exchange a licence
Licences issued in an EU or EEA country
You will usually need:
- a valid driving licence;
- a passport or ID card;
- a document confirming your residence in Slovakia;
- where required, a medical certificate and psychological assessment for certain professional categories.
Licences issued in a third country
In addition to proof of identity and residence, prepare:
- a valid foreign driving licence;
- a certified Slovak translation of the driving licence;
- official confirmation from the authority in the issuing country that the licence was issued to you and includes the stated categories;
- a certified Slovak translation of that confirmation.
This confirmation is needed to show that the licence is valid and has not been cancelled. It is obtained from the competent authority in the issuing country. You can also ask the relevant consulate whether the document can be arranged through them.
The law requires official confirmation from the issuing country and certified translations. Whether an apostille is required depends on the country and the specific document, so it is best to check with the police or consulate in advance.
Categories C and D
For categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE, a medical certificate and psychological assessment may also be required. Once you reach the age of 70, a valid medical certificate is also required when exchanging a driving licence.
Legal basis: Section 104(8) and (9) of Act No. 8/2009 Coll.
How the exchange process works
- Prepare the documents and certified translations.
- Visit the police documents office at your place of residence.
- Submit an application to exchange your driving licence. You do not need to find, download or complete the application form in advance. The officer at the documents office will prepare it for you to check and sign.
- The police will check the documents, information from the issuing country and whether the licence categories can be recognised.
- If all requirements are met, the police will issue a Slovak licence with the same or an equivalent recognised category.
You must hand in your foreign driving licence no later than the day your Slovak licence is issued. It is usually sent to the authority in the issuing country.
When an exchange may be refused
The police will not exchange the licence if even one mandatory condition is not met. For example, if:
- the driver has not reached the minimum age for the relevant category;
- the licence is invalid, damaged or raises doubts about its authenticity;
- the document does not meet the requirements of the relevant international conventions;
- official confirmation from the issuing country or certified translations have not been provided;
- the category has no Slovak equivalent;
- the right to drive has been restricted, suspended, withdrawn or cancelled in the issuing country;
- the holder has another driving licence.
When foreign driving licences become invalid
A driving licence issued by an EU or EEA country, or by a state that is party to the Vienna or Geneva Convention, becomes invalid in Slovakia if:
- it has expired;
- unauthorised changes have been made to the document;
- the name or surname shown on the licence no longer matches the holder’s current details;
- the licence is damaged to the extent that the information on it cannot be read;
- it has been lost or stolen;
- the holder has another driving licence;
- the right to drive has been restricted, suspended, withdrawn or cancelled in the issuing country.
For licences issued outside the EU and EEA, there is one additional ground: the licence is no longer recognised as valid for driving in Slovakia if a person with residence has not applied for an exchange within 60 days after the first 185 days have passed.
The full list of grounds is set out in Section 106 of Act No. 8/2009 Coll.
What to do if you have missed the deadline
Do not drive if your foreign licence is no longer recognised as valid in Slovakia. Driving without the appropriate driving entitlement may result in a fine of between €300 and €1,300 and a driving ban of between one and five years. Legal basis: Section 22 of Act No. 372/1990 Coll. on Offences.
Contact the police documents office as soon as possible and prepare confirmation from the issuing country together with certified translations.
Fees and processing times
You can check and pay the current administrative fees online before visit on eKolky.gov.sk:
- Standard driving licence issue — within 30 days: €10. Service code: 20.
Doklady (OP, VP, CP) → Vodičský preukaz → Vodičský preukaz → Vydanie VP → Štandardné vydanie VP (do 30 dní) - Expedited driving licence issue — within 2 days: €40. Service code: 21.
Doklady (OP, VP, CP) → Vodičský preukaz → Vodičský preukaz → Vydanie VP → Urýchlené vydanie VP (do 2 dní)
Before visiting, check whether the service is available at your chosen police office and which payment methods are accepted.
Key points to remember
- The 185 + 60 day rule applies to licences issued in third countries after temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia is granted or registered.
- An international driving permit does not replace a national driving licence and cannot be exchanged.
- Do not delay obtaining confirmation from the issuing country and certified translations: these documents often take longer to arrange than submitting the application itself.
- Driving with an invalid licence may result in liability. The consequences depend on the circumstances and the applicable rules.
Official sources
- Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on Road Traffic
- Slovensko.sk: recognition, exchange and renewal of driving licences
- Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic: district offices and client centres
- Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic: temporary refuge and driving licences
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