Switching Ukrainian Driving Permits in Italy
Ukrainian nationals legally residing in Italy can exchange their Ukrainian driving license for an Italian one without taking theoretical or practical tests, but only until January 2027. The old Ukrainian document is retained by the authorities once the exchange is completed. Whether this arrangement will be renewed after the deadline remains unclear. For many affected Ukrainians, this means they can avoid the extra step of taking Italian driving exams.
Requirements for the License Exchange
The following conditions must be met to qualify:
- The applicant must legally reside in Italy and hold resident status.
- At the time of filing, the applicant's residency must be shorter than four years.
- The applicant must possess a valid Ukrainian driving license.
The procedure is carried out at a local Motorizzazione Civile office.
This exchange opportunity originates from an agreement between Ukraine and Italy signed on July 20, 2021, which entered into force on January 24, 2022. The deal was made for a five-year term, meaning it currently expires in January 2027; any possible extension is still an open question.
In a similar way, Ukraine allows foreign driving permits issued by countries that are parties to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic to be exchanged without exams. These countries include:
- Italy
- Poland
- Germany
- France
- Spain
- Czechia
- Lithuania
- Latvia
- Estonia
For licenses from some other nations, both a theory test and a practical driving test may be required.
Ukrainians who want to take advantage of this opportunity should check all the requirements and avoid delaying the process, as the current agreement has a fixed expiry date.
This agreement gives Ukrainians in Italy an important practical benefit: getting a local driving license becomes significantly less complicated, helping them adapt more smoothly to life in the country.
Only those who satisfy the conditions are eligible for the exchange, so applicants should carefully review both the validity of their Ukrainian license and their Italian residency status. Whether the deal will be extended after 2027 will shape what happens in the future.