Open consultation

Extension to the period of time during which Ukrainian driving licence holders can drive in Great Britain

Published 26 March 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

The government is proposing to add 24 months to the period during which holders of a Ukrainian driving licence may legally drive ‘relevant vehicles’ in Great Britain, including:

• cars
• motorcycles
• mopeds

This would extend existing driving eligibility from 36 months to 60 months for some Ukrainian licence holders and from 54 months to 78 months for others. The extension is measured from the date the individual becomes resident.

We previously extended the 12-month driving eligibility for Ukrainian licence holders on certain visa schemes to 36 or 54 months, which was dependent on factors such as the date of the visa application. Our proposal would add time to the previous extension for those who meet the criteria.

Foreword

The UK has consistently shown its support and commitment to Ukraine and until the conflict is resolved, we will continue to do so.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has been actively engaged in making the transition to life in the UK as seamless as possible for those arriving here under such difficult circumstances, and initiatives such as the Free Onward Travel Scheme have all made it easier for Ukrainians to travel and settle into UK life.

We recognise, however, that continuing this transition is not always straightforward, and one area where Ukrainian arrivals have needed to adapt is in motoring. The continued ability of Ukrainians to get around is integral to integrating, socialising, accessing healthcare and working during their time in the UK.

Given the exceptional and temporary nature of Ukrainians’ residence in the UK under the Ukrainian Visa schemes, this consultation is on proposals to enable Ukrainians to continue to drive in Great Britain without the need to exchange their licence during the duration of their stay.

We welcome views about making this change, the length of time for the extension and whether there are any road safety considerations.

Simon Lightwood MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Introduction

The UK has consistently played a leading role in supporting Ukraine and the people of Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression. DfT is committed to supporting those arriving in the UK to adapt to life here under difficult circumstances.

In Great Britain (GB), we allow foreign driving licence holders to drive cars, motor bicycles and mopeds for a period of 12 months after becoming resident before we require them to either exchange their licences if eligible or take a driving test, to continue driving here.

Individuals who hold driving licences issued in the European Economic Area are not subject to this 12-month requirement because they can drive in GB for as long as their licence is valid.

To support Ukrainians, the government previously extended the 12-month driving eligibility for Ukrainian licence holders on certain visa schemes to 36 or 54 months, depending on factors such as the date of the visa application.

The government is now proposing to add 24 months to the period during which holders of a Ukrainian driving licence may legally drive ‘relevant vehicles’ in GB including:

• cars
• motor bicycles
• mopeds

This would extend existing driving eligibility from 36 months to 60 months for some Ukrainian licence holders, and from 54 months to 78 months for others, measured from the date the individual becomes resident.

The government proposes to extend the driving eligibility period for a further 24 months because of the Home Office’s planned 24-month extension to permission to stay under the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, announced on 1 September 2025. This will support mobility and integration by reducing the need for individuals to exchange their licence or take a GB driving test during the extended period so they can continue driving vehicles they may have brought with them to GB.

The driving eligibility extension is available to individuals who currently hold valid permission under the UPE scheme and then proceed to obtain a further extension to their visa.

This proposal would also apply to some Ukrainian licence holders who were originally granted Leave outside the Rules (LOTR). If they later moved onto the UPE scheme, without having held one of the original Ukraine visa scheme visas, and then obtain the further UPE extension, they would be treated in the same way as other UPE holders for the purposes of the extended driving entitlement.

This proposal does not change existing licence exchange rules, which are also outlined in this consultation.

The current issue with Ukrainian driving licences in GB

Currently, holders of Ukrainian driving licences can drive relevant vehicles in GB for either 36 months or 54 months after becoming resident, depending on certain factors such as when they applied for their Ukrainian visa.

The general entitlement for foreign licence holders to drive relevant vehicles in GB for 12 months after becoming resident was first extended to 36 months for Ukrainian licence holders in 2023. This followed the introduction of the original Ukrainian visa schemes by the Home Office (such as Homes for Ukraine, the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme).

In March 2025, the entitlement period was further extended to 54 months for some Ukrainian licence holders following the introduction of the UPE scheme, which granted Ukrainians an additional 18-month stay on top of what they had received under the original Ukrainian visa schemes.

However, for certain Ukrainian licence holders – specifically those under the Homes for Ukraine scheme who applied for leave at or after 3pm on 19 February 2024 – their driving eligibility period remained at 36 months. The eligibility period remained at 36 months even if they applied for the UPE scheme (without having previously held any of the original Ukraine visa scheme visas), as this aligned with the length of their total period of stay.

The Home Office has now announced that it will grant a further 24-month stay to those who currently have leave under the UPE scheme. Therefore, we propose extending the period during which eligible Ukrainian licence holders can drive in GB after becoming resident by 24 months, for those who apply for an extension under the UPE scheme. Further details are included in the proposed intervention section of this consultation.

We also propose that Ukrainian driving licence holders originally granted LOTR, who have since moved onto UPE and then apply for an extension to their visa, are treated consistently with other UPE holders for the purposes of the extended driving entitlement period.

The government is proposing a further extension of driving eligibility because Ukrainian licence holders who took their test before 28 December 2021 can only exchange their Ukrainian licence for a GB licence that allows them to drive vehicles with automatic transmission.

The reason that some licence holders are only granted a GB licence for vehicles with automatic transmission is that, until 28 December 2021, the Ukrainian driver licensing authority did not retain information about whether tests were taken in a manual or automatic vehicle. A successful candidate would have been awarded a licence to drive both manual and automatic vehicles. Many Ukrainian licence holders own cars with manual transmission.

In these circumstances, the requirement to exchange for a GB licence that is restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission means most individuals would no longer be able to drive the vehicle they currently use in GB.

To continue driving, affected licence holders would either need to dispose of their existing car and incur the cost of acquiring a new vehicle with automatic transmission or incur the £62 cost of a GB manual driving test. This would be in addition to the £43 cost of exchanging their Ukrainian licence and assumes a first-time pass.

Evidence from representations also suggests that even those without their own car may, on exchange, lose the ability to drive cars they have been given use of by their hosts.

These issues are of course faced by other holders of foreign licences living in GB, including asylum seekers and refugee groups. However, the circumstances of Ukrainians in GB because of the conflict may be distinct. It is unlikely that large numbers from other refugee groups will have arrived in GB with their own car and unlike those who have come to live in GB for other reasons (for example, to take up employment or join family).

In light of this, the government proposes an extension to the driving eligibility periods for Ukrainian licence holders who currently have leave under the UPE scheme and will proceed to apply for an extension to their UPE scheme.

Proposed intervention

The government is proposing the following changes.

Proposal to give Ukrainian licence holders granted 36-month driving eligibility a further 24 months

Ukrainian licence holders who were previously granted 36-month driving eligibility after becoming resident would be given a further 24-month eligibility to drive relevant vehicles. The provision for this would be that they currently have leave under the UPE scheme and apply for a 24-month extension to their UPE scheme visa.

This would bring the total period of time in which they can drive in GB to 60 months after becoming resident. These licence holders would be permitted to drive while their application for the UPE scheme extension is pending, but permission would end if their application is withdrawn, rejected or refused.

Proposal to give Ukrainian licence holders granted 54-month driving eligibility a further 24 months

Ukrainian licence holders who were previously granted a 54-month driving eligibility after becoming resident would be given a further 24-month eligibility to drive relevant vehicles. The provision for this would be that they currently have leave under the UPE scheme and apply for a 24-month extension to their UPE scheme visa.

This would bring the total period of time in which they can drive in GB to 78 months after becoming resident. These licence holder would be permitted to drive while their application for the UPE scheme extension is pending, but permission would end if their application is withdrawn, rejected or refused.

Proposal to give a driving entitlement to certain Ukrainian licence holders granted LOTR and then leave under the UPE scheme, without holding a visa under an original Ukraine visa scheme

Finally, for the purposes of the extended driving entitlement, the government intends to give a driving entitlement to Ukrainian licence holders who were originally granted LOTR, then were later moved onto the UPE scheme without having held a visa under one of the original Ukraine visa schemes, and who will go on to apply for a 24‑month UPE scheme extension.

This group would also be allowed to drive relevant vehicles in GB up to 78 months from the date they became resident in GB. The 78 months would include all the time they have already spent in GB after becoming resident, as the 78‑month entitlement would begin after a person becomes resident.

These individuals would be permitted to drive while their application for the UPE scheme extension is pending, but permission would end if their application is withdrawn, rejected or refused.

Questions on proposed interventions

Question: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal to extend the period that eligible Ukrainian driving licence holders with a current 36‑month entitlement can drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain to 60 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Question: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal to extend the period that eligible Ukrainian driving licence holders with a current 54‑month entitlement can drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain to 78 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Question: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal that Ukrainian driving licence holders who were granted LOTR and later moved onto the UPE scheme without having held one of the original Ukraine visa schemes who then apply for the new 24‑month UPE extension should be allowed to drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain for up to a total of 78 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Rationale and potential impacts

Requiring Ukrainians in GB on the Home Office visa schemes to exchange for a GB driving licence when they already have a Ukrainian licence or asking them to take a manual test if they hold a Ukrainian licence issued before December 2021 introduces an administrative and financial burden. This could impact an individual’s continued integration and ability to live in GB (for example, it could affect their continued access to employment, education, and health opportunities).

The requirement to exchange also potentially makes it more challenging for Ukrainians who have a driving-related job or who need to drive to get to work, especially if they cannot afford the fees associated with getting a GB driving licence. Likewise, any Ukrainian who brought a manual vehicle to the UK may face the additional burden of not having the right to drive it.

The proposal would continue to remove the financial and administrative burden of licence exchange and issues relating to the restriction of GB driving entitlement to the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission. This is in line with the government’s commitment to support the people of Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and forms part of a wider approach that keeps us aligned with the support provided by our international partners.

The proposal does not change the 5-year exchange window. Holders of exchangeable foreign licences (including Ukrainian licences) have 5 years to exchange their licence. 

The risk is that extending the period for which a Ukrainian licence holder is treated, after becoming resident, as the holder of a licence authorising them to drive vehicles in Great Britain, may lead to motor insurance providers refusing to offer insurance or may lead to them charging higher premiums to Ukrainian drivers unless they exchange their licence for a GB licence. However, nothing is preventing Ukrainian licence holders from exchanging their licence earlier, should they wish to.

An extension could be argued to pose additional road safety risks, particularly given the issue around the unknown nature of tests for licences issued before 28 December 2021. However, compared to many other foreign licences, Ukraine’s driving test and licensing standards have been assessed as equivalent to those in GB. The right to use the licence will also remain time-limited in line with the temporary nature of the licence holder’s intended stay.

The extent of potential benefits and risks is difficult to assess as the exact number of Ukraine licence holders in GB is unknown. Figures obtained from DVLA driver records from May 2021 to November 2025 show that 30,293 Ukraine driving licences were exchanged for a GB licence within this period.

Figures published on 27 November 2025 show 278,529 Ukrainian nationals have so far arrived in the UK under one of the visa schemes. 111,169 have been granted an extension to an existing permission to stay in the year ending September 2025 because of the conflict.

Road safety considerations

Extending existing driving eligibility will entail some degree of road safety risk. Without a GB test or licence, there is a continued risk from unfamiliarity with GB roads (driving on the left, using a right-hand drive car) and road signage, particularly from road signs which are written in English (rather than pictograms). This could increase the number and frequency of crashes – especially as we would expect more Ukrainians to want to drive the longer they are with us.

While the original extension created a level of risk, several responses to the previous consultation highlighted the greatest risk to be within the first 12-months, as the driver gets used to GB roads. We do not know whether the additional extension will exacerbate this risk.

In cases where a driving test in a manual vehicle is required for a Ukrainian licence holder, there is the opportunity for an examiner to fully assess the driver’s capabilities on GB roads. If skills are not up to the required standard, then they would not be granted a GB manual licence. Any delay therefore to this testing opportunity could be seen by some to constitute a road safety risk.

There is also an ongoing risk that roadside enforcement may be negatively affected by extending the length of time that Ukrainian licences are used in GB. For example, over time, Ukrainian driving licences could become a target for cloning or counterfeiting, because it is currently more difficult to check these licences with the Ukrainian authorities. This could lead to issues involving:

• the enforcement of driving offences
• driving bans
• other rule-breaking activities

Asking drivers to exchange their Ukrainian driving licences for GB licences brings them more readily into the scope of our driving enforcement regime.

Questions on road safety and general questions

Question: Do you have any comments on road safety considerations with the proposed extensions? If yes, what comments on road safety?

Question: Are there any other considerations with the extensions that you think we have not considered? If yes, what considerations (explaining why and providing any evidence to support your view)?

Question: Any other comments?

How to respond

We will only accept responses received before the closing date: 11:59pm on 23 April 2026.

The easiest way to respond is to use the online response form. It includes the option to save and continue your response if you are unable to complete it in one go.

If you cannot use the online form, email or post your response to us.

Email to: ukraine.licences@dft.gov.uk

Write to:

Road Safety Division
Department for Transport
The Colmore Building
20 Colmore Circus, Queensway
Birmingham
West Midlands
B4 6AT

If you send your response by email or post: 

• answer the questions asked in the consultation and, if required, provide further comments and evidence 
• tell us if you are responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation 

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt if you submit your response by email. Check your junk or spam folder if you do not receive this within 15 minutes of sending your email. If you do not find a receipt, email ukraine.licences@dft.gov.uk with ‘missing receipt’ in the subject line.

What will happen next

A summary of responses, including the next steps, will be published within 3 months of the consultation closing. Paper copies will be available on request.

If you have questions about this consultation, please contact:

Road Safety Division
Department for Transport
The Colmore Building
20 Colmore Circus, Queensway
Birmingham
West Midlands
B4 6AT

Email address: ukraine.licences@dft.gov.uk

Full list of questions

Questions on the individual or organisation

Question 1: What is your full name?

Question 2: What is your email address?

Question 3: Are you responding on behalf of an organisation?

Questions on the proposals

Question 4: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal to extend the period that eligible Ukrainian driving licence holders with a current 36‑month entitlement can drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain to 60 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Question 5: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal to extend the period that eligible Ukrainian driving licence holders with a current 54‑month entitlement can drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain to 78 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Question 6: Do you agree or disagree with our proposal that Ukrainian driving licence holders who were granted LOTR and later moved onto the UPE scheme without having held one of the original Ukraine visa schemes who then apply for the new 24‑month UPE extension should be allowed to drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain for up to a total of 78 months after becoming resident? If not, why not?

Question 7: Do you have any comments on road safety considerations with the proposed extensions? If yes, what comments on road safety?

Question 8: Are there any other considerations with the extensions that you think we have not considered? If yes, what considerations (explaining why and providing any evidence to support your view)?

Question 9: Any other comments?

Further information

Freedom of information

Information provided in response to this consultation may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you want information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence.

In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the department.

The department will process your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and, in the majority of circumstances, this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

Data protection

In this consultation, we are asking for your name and email address, in case we need to contact you about your responses. You do not have to give us this personal information, but if you do provide it, we will use it only for the purpose of asking follow-up questions.

For organisations, we are in addition asking for a brief description of your organisation to better understand the relationship between your organisation’s work and the topic.

This consultation and the processing of personal data that it entails are necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. If your answers contain any information that allows you to be identified, the department will, under data protection law, be the controller for this information.

If responding to this consultation online, your personal data will be processed on behalf of the department by SmartSurvey, which runs the survey collection software.

Your name and email address will not be shared with any other third parties, but your responses may be shared with a third party for the purposes of analysis.

We will not use your name or other personal details that could identify you when we report the results of the consultation. Any information you provide will be kept securely and destroyed within 12 months of the closing date. Any information provided through the online questionnaire will be moved to our internal systems within 2 months of the consultation period end date.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to analyse responses to this consultation. Where the consultation asks for directly identifiable information, such as your name or contact details, these will be removed before processing with AI tools.