Driving in Great Britain: Ukrainian driving licence exchange
Driving licence requirements for Ukrainians living in Great Britain on a Ukraine visa scheme.
Eligibility criteria
If you hold a Ukrainian driving licence and you are living in Great Britain (GB) on a Ukraine visa scheme, you can drive in Great Britain.
The length of time you can continue to drive depends on when you successfully applied for entry clearance or permission to stay in the United Kingdom.
Criteria for 36 month extension
You can drive in Great Britain for up to 3 years (36 months) after you became resident if you have or had permission to stay under:
- the Ukraine Extension Scheme, which you applied for on or before 16 May 2024 and you have not applied for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
- the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (HFUS) which you applied for before 3pm on 19 February 2024 and you have not applied for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPES)
- the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, where the application was made on or after 3pm on 19 February 2024, and have either not applied for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme or, if granted leave under that scheme, have not applied for an extension of that leave
- the Ukraine Family Scheme and you have not applied for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
Criteria for 54 month extension
You can drive in Great Britain for up to 4 years and 6 months (54 months) after you became resident, if you have or had permission to stay under:
- the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme which you applied for before 3pm on 19 February 2024
- the Ukraine Family Scheme
- the Ukraine Extension Scheme which you applied for on or before 16 May 2024 – provided you became resident in Great Britain on or after 3 March 2022
You must also then apply to the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme before your existing leave to remain in the UK expires. This refers to the initial application under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, not an application to extend leave granted under that scheme.
You can continue to drive in Great Britain while your application for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is being processed. If you withdraw your application or your application is not successful, your eligibility to drive ends at that time.
If your application is not processed after 18 months, the period that you can drive after you become resident will be capped at 4 years and 6 months.
Criteria for 60 month extension
You can drive in Great Britain for up to 5 years (60 months) after you became resident if all of the following apply:
- you had permission to stay under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme which you applied for at or after 3pm on 19 February 2024
- you have permission to stay under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme and you applied for that leave before the expiry of your Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship leave
- you have applied for an extension of your Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme before the expiry of your initial Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave period
You can continue to drive in Great Britain while your application for the extension to your Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is being processed.
If you withdraw your application or your application is not successful, your eligibility to drive in Great Britain ends at that time.
If your application is not processed after 24 months, the period that you can drive in Great Britain after you become resident will be capped at 5 years (60 months).
Criteria for 78 month extension
You can drive in GB for up to 6 years and 6 months (78 months) after becoming resident if any of the following applies to you:
- you held an HFUS visa and applied for that visa before 3pm on 19 February 2024, you have permission to stay under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPES), which you applied for before the expiry of your HFUS leave, and now apply for an extension of your UPES leave before the expiry of your initial UPES leave period
- you held Ukraine Extension Scheme (UES) leave, which you applied for on or before 16 May 2024, became resident in Great Britain on or after 3 March 2022, you have permission to stay under UPES which you applied for before the expiry of your UES leave, and now apply for an extension of your UPES leave before the expiry of your initial UPES leave period
- you held Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) leave, you have permission to stay under UPES which you applied for before the expiry of your UFS leave, and now apply for an extension of your UPES leave before the expiry of your initial UPES leave period
- you have never held leave under HFUS, UFS or UES, held leave of a type described in UKR 29.3(b) or (c) of the Appendix Ukraine Scheme to the Immigration Rules, you have permission to stay under UPES which you applied for before the expiry of that leave, and now apply for an extension of your UPES leave before the expiry of your initial UPES leave period
You can continue to drive in Great Britain while your application for the extension to your Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is being processed. If you withdraw your application or your application is not successful, your eligibility to drive in Great Britain ends at that time.
If your application is not processed after 24 months, the period that you can drive in Great Britain after you become resident will be capped at 6 years and 6 months (78 months).
Vehicles you can drive
This applies to licences that permit the driving of:
- cars up to 3,500kg
- motorbikes and mopeds
Exchanging your Ukrainian driving licence for a GB driving licence
If you want to exchange your Ukrainian licence for a GB licence, you must do this within 5 years of becoming resident in Great Britain.
The extension to the period during which you can drive on your Ukrainian licence does not extend this 5-year exchange period.
You can use this tool to exchange your driving licence.
Your licence should arrive within 3 weeks if you apply online. It may take longer if the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to make additional checks.
If you passed your driving test before 28 December 2021
You can only exchange your driving licence for a GB licence that allows you to drive automatic vehicles. You will need to take a driving test for manual cars to keep driving these vehicles.
If you passed your driving test on or after 28 December 2021
If your current licence allows you to drive manual cars, you can exchange it for a GB licence that allows you to continue driving manual cars.
Northern Ireland
If you live in Northern Ireland, different rules apply.
If you hold a valid Ukrainian driving licence, you may be able to drive on that licence for up to 3 years after becoming resident in Northern Ireland.
See the Northern Ireland guidance on exchanging your foreign driving licence for further information.
Updates to this page
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Guidance updated to reflect the extension of Ukraine driving licence and vehicle registration exemptions.
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Extension to Ukraine driving licence exemption from 3 March 2025.
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First published.