Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence in Luxembourg

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Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence in Luxembourg

The minimum legal age to drive a car on the roads in Luxembourg is 18 years; a driver must have a valid driving licence (permis de conduire). A driver with a foreign-issued licence who becomes resident in Luxembourg is required either to exchange or register the licence, depending on the country where it was issued:

• Non-EEA-issued licences must be exchanged for a Luxembourg licence within one year of residency
• EEA-issued licences must be registered, or may be exchanged for a Luxembourg licence at any time

Note: An EEA-issued licence is one issued by any of the EU member countries or Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.

A driver under the age of 18 with a valid licence issued from another country may not drive in Luxembourg until they are 18.

Driving licences in Luxembourg are issued and managed by the Société Nationale de Contrôle Technique (SNCT).

• Société Nationale de Contrôle Technique (SNCT)
  Département des Transports
  Service des Permis de Conduire
  At: 2A rue Kalchesbruck, L-1852 Luxembourg
  Tel: 35 72 14 -713 / 35 72 14 -716 / 35 72 14 -720
  Open: Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00
  Website (in French)

The European Driving Licence

Driving licences issued in one EU country are recognised by other member states. National licences may be phased out between 2012 and 2032 and all new licences will have much shorter periods of validity (10 years is proposed). 

Using a valid EEA-issued Licence in Luxembourg

Driving licences issued by EEA-member states are valid in Luxembourg, however the licence must be registered with the Ministry of Transport. A certificate of residence must be provided (and where temporary accommodation has been used in more than one commune before registration, a certificate of residence of each commune has to be provided).

The licence-holder may also exchange their permit for a Luxembourg one if they choose to. Luxembourg operates a points system, retracting points for driving offenses. If the licence holder commits a violation, an exchange becomes compulsory so that points can be retracted.

To register an EEA licence

Deliver a completed form and a copy of the license to the town hall of the place of residence; this is sent on to the SNCT for registration and the licence holder receives a letter of confirmation. There is no charge.

An application form can be downloaded and supplied with the following documents:

• Form Demande en obtention d’un permis de conduire. Check the box to register (Enregistrement d’un permis d’un État membre EEE): Click here (PDF in French)
• Photocopy of both sides of the foreign licence 
• Certificate of residence (certificat de résidence) no more than one month old, issued by the municipality office (commune)
• Photocopy of valid photo ID

To request a licence exchange

Complete the application form which can be downloaded and provide the following documents: 

• Form Demande en obtention d’un permis de conduire. Check the box to exchange (Échange d’un permis d’un État membre EEE): Click here (PDF in French)
• Recent ID photograph 45 x 35 mm
• Medical certificate no more than three months old, issued by a doctor licenced to practice in Luxembourg
• Certificate of residence (certificat de résidence) no more than one month old, issued by the municipality office (commune)
• Photocopy of both sides of the foreign licence 
• Photocopy of valid photo ID
• Tax stamp (Timbre de Chancellerie), available from the SNCT or the Administration de l'enregistrement et des domaines

The licence will be exchanged for one in an equivalent category; the original licence is held by the SNCT.

Non-EEA Driving Licences

A non-EEA country driving licence must be exchanged for a Luxembourg one within one year of taking residency in Luxembourg, but no earlier than 185 days after arrival.

To request a licence exchange

Complete the application form which can be downloaded and provide the following documents: 

• Form Demande en obtention d’un permis de conduire. Check the box to exchange (Transcription d’un permis étranger): Click here
• Recent ID photograph 45 x 35 mm
• Medical certificate no more than three months old, issued by a doctor licenced to practice in Luxembourg
• Certificate of residence (certificat de résidence) no more than one month old, issued from the municipality office (commune)
• Copy of the affidavit (extrait de casier judiciaire) issued by the police or from the country of origin if residency period in Luxembourg is less than five years
• Photocopy of both sides of the foreign licence 
• Photocopy of valid photo ID
• Tax stamp (Timbre de Chancellerie), available from the SNCT or the Administration de l'enregistrement et des domaines

The licence will be exchanged for one in an equivalent category and the original licence is send back to the issuing country by the SNCT.

Note: There may be exclusions for licences issued by certain countries. It is important to check with the issuing country consular office in Luxembourg, or with the Luxembourg Embassy in the issuing country before making an exchange application. 

New Drivers

Any driver that has held a category B car licence for less than two years (regardless of whether it is EEA- or non-EEA-issued) must follow a one-day training course at the official Colmar-Berg driver training centre, the Centre de Formation pour Conducteurs (CFC). The tests may be taken in English (notify the centre when booking the appointment). 

• Further information from the CFC in English: Click here
• Centre de Formation pour Conducteurs (CFC)
  At: Colmar-Berg, between the N7/E420 and the A7 
  Tel: 85 82 85-1 (closed Mondays)
  Website

The Licence Points System

Luxembourg operates a penalty points system. Each driver (including drivers with foreign-issued driving licences) starts with an allocation of 12 points. The points are removed from this balance for infractions committed. If all points are lost, the licence is suspended for a 12-month period.

The most common offences include:

• 1 point: not wearing a safety belt 
• 2 points: driving slightly over the speed limit, driving while slightly over the alcohol limit (under 0.8%), not observing a stop sign 
• 4 points: driving without a valid licence, without insurance or driving over the alcohol limit (up to 1.2%) or speed limit
• 6 points: accident involving the death of a person
• For a full list of infractions: Click here (in French) 

To recover points

• Drivers must not commit any infraction for a period of three years starting from the last offence, in which case all points may be recovered
• Drivers may follow a one-day course at the official driving centre in Colmar-Berg and recover three points (only possible once every three years)
• Drivers may follow a five-day course at the official driving centre in Colmar-Berg if the driving licence has been suspended

The Colmar-Berg driver training centre, Centre de Formation pour Conducteurs (CFC), has further details in English:

• CFC website

Related Information

• Le Guichet: Click here (in French)
• See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Driving in Luxembourg
• See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Getting a Driving Licence in Luxembourg

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