Registering, exchanging or renewing your driving licence
While EU/EEA driving licences are accepted in Luxembourg, you may find that when yours runs out, you need to apply for a Luxembourgish driving licence. You will also have to do this if you are from a non-EU/EEA country, which now includes the UK, within the first year of your residency in the Grand Duchy.
The minimum age for a driving licence for a car or van is 18 years, for a moped or small-engine motorbike it is 16 years. All licences, including new or replacement ones are issued by the SNCA. All drivers of any vehicle must hold a valid licence.
To find out about the driving test, both theory and practical parts, and how to apply for your first licence, read our guide to Taking your Driving Test.
EU/EEA driving licence
Registration or exchange of your licence is optional but it is advised that you register it with the SNCA, who can provide a duplicate licence if it gets lost or stolen. Without registration you will need a certificate of authenticity from the foreign authority that issued the licence, including the date you got your licence, the validity, and vehicle categories.
Registration is free of charge, you will need to fill out this form, and send it by post or in person to either the SNCA driving licence office at Sandweiler, or the Guichet.lu reception desk at 11 rue Notre Dame in Luxembourg City. You should also attach:
- A photocopy of both sides of your foreign driving licence
- A copy of a valid ID card
(Remember to have these stamped or certified at your local commune before you send them).
Exchange is only mandatory if you commit an offence resulting in restriction, cancellation, suspension or loss of points on your licence. However, some EU/EEA countries stipulate that you must be a resident for at least 180 days in the country to qualify for a licence, in which case you will need to apply for a Luxembourgish licence before your current one expires. The cost to exchange your licence is €30. Fill in this form and send it to the SNCA driving licence office, at 11 rue de Luxembourg, Sandweiler L-5230. You will need to include:
- A recent photo measuring 45 x 35mm
- A €30 stamp which can be obtained either from the SNCA office in Sandweiler, or the Registration Duties, Estates and VAT authority, or paid by card at the Guichet.lu reception desk
- A copy of both sides of your foreign driving licence
- A copy of your ID card i.e. passport
- Bulletin No 4 from the Luxembourg criminal records department (Casier Judiciaire), no more than three months old. You can order one online via MyGuichet or from the Ministry of Justice here.
When you collect your Luxembourgish driving licence you must surrender your original licence which will be returned to the authority that issued it.
You can find more information and the form required to register or exchange your driving licence here.
Non EEA licences (including UK licences)
You must convert your licence (mandatory) to a Luxembourgish one within a year of residence in Luxembourg. You can apply as soon as you arrive, but the licence will only be converted once you have lived here for 185 days (just over a minimum of six months). Holders of foreign licences can drive in Luxembourg for one year.
If you fail to convert your licence within a year, you will have to pass a driving test (both theory and practical) to receive a new licence, and until you do, your foreign licence will not be valid. This is the case for certain categories but not for lorries or buses, where you will need to take a test.
To convert your licence send in this form (or hand it in to the addresses listed above), accompanied by:
- A recent photo measuring 45 x 35mm
- A medical certificate (no more than three months old) from a GP or specialist compiled in the required format
- A criminal record extract (no more than three months old) from your country of origin, covering the last five years (or from the country you were living in for the previous five years before you moved to Luxembourg)
- A €30 tax stamp (which can be obtained from the addresses given above)
- A copy of both sides of your driving licence
- A copy of a valid ID document
- Bulletin No 4 from the Luxembourg criminal records (no more than three months old).
As with exchanging an EU/EEA licence, you must also surrender your non-EU licences when you receive your Luxembourgish one and it will be sent back to the authority that issued it.
UK licences
UK licence validity expired on 31 December 2021, so those with one and who were living in Luxembourg before 31 December 2020 should have converted it to a Luxembourgish licence by now to avoid having to take a test. If you moved from the UK to Luxembourg less than a year ago, remember to exchange your licence before the year is up.
Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged licence
If your licence is lost, stolen or damaged, you can apply for a duplicate licence. It will cost you €30 and you will need a recent photograph to the standards set out. You can find more information on this here.
Renewing your Luxembourgish licence
Your Luxembourgish driving licence will have an expiry date. You must renew it, and failure to do so means you are subject to a caution or fine if you drive on an expired licence.
Driving licences issued before 19 January 2013 remain valid until the date stated on them, but must be exchanged by 19 January 2033 for the new type of driving licence. Licences issued before 1 January 2010 will only be valid up to the age of 50 years, when the holder must apply to renew their licence with a recent photo. If your licence in one or more categories expired more than six years ago, you must take and pass a test.
If you currently have a Luxembourgish driving licence, you should receive a notice from the SNCA about two months before your current licence expires. It will include this form, which must be completed and returned with a recent photo 45 x 35mm (see exceptions below).
If aged 60 years or more (or in some cases if you are over 50 years), you will need to include a medical certificate issued by an authorised GP or medical specialist and not more than three months old, attesting to your physical and mental abilities (see below for more details).
You can either post the completed form to the Driving Licence Office at Sandweiler, or take it to the counter of the SNCA offices at Sandweiler, Esch-sur-Alzette or Marnach (where the SNCT car inspections are held). You can also submit it to the Guichet.lu reception desk at Place Guillaume II.
If you present the form in person to the SNCA office at Sandweiler or the Guichet.lu reception desk it is not necessary to bring a photo, as you can have your photo taken on site.
Drivers aged 60 years or more
Drivers aged 60 years or more must undergo a medical examination that proves they are capable of driving. You may be refused renewal of your licence if you have one of the following conditions:
- Severe heart rhythm disorders
- Angina at rest or in a high state of emotion
- Alcohol abuse or dependency
- Psychotropic substance abuse or dependency
- Take medical products that have an influence on your ability to drive.
If your driving licence was issued after 19 January 2013, your licence should be renewed for 10 years. However foreign nationals may find their renewal is for significantly less time and they may be required to provide a medical certificate on renewal after the age of 50 years . After 70 years, your licence will be renewed for a maximum period of five years, until you reach the age of 80 years, when the licence duration is just for a 2 year period.
You can find out more about renewing your driving licence here.
For more information you can visit the SNCA website here.
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