Exchanging of driving license in Denmark

Exchanging of driving license in Denmark

The following manual is created to guide you through the steps necessary for exchanging of your current license to Danish driving license.

Law and rules:

If you would like to drive a car in Denmark, it may be necessary to exchange your foreign driving license to Danish driving license.

From the 1^st of May 2006 the drivers who do not have an EU Member State issued driving license must apply to change their license to Danish equivalent.

Starting from the date you receive your Danish CPR (citizen registration) number you are only allowed to drive a vehicle for period of 14 days. Once this deadline has exceeded, you are not permitted to drive and you are in risk of receiving fine.

• First fine: 5.000 kr.
• Second fine: 10.000 kr.
• Third fine: risk of prison sentence

Procedure:

1. Medical examination

To start the process of changing your driving license you need to contact your own doctor to make appointment for medical examination. The doctor will check your vision abilities, hearing, feasibility and overall health. Once examined, the doctor will issue a Health Certificate (Lægeattest) that you will use in when exchanging your license.

Medical examination fee cost app. 200 – 400 kr. and the price varies in accordance to Municipality (Kommune) you live in.

It also important to remember to bring the separate passport photo at meeting mentioned above. Please note that there are strict rules regarding the photo.

The photo must be taken straight from the front and suitable for scanning.

• Format: 35 mm x 45 mm
• Head between 30-36 mm from chin to head top.

For detailed information and photo description, please visit:

http://www.politi.dk/da/borgerservice/korekort/udenlandsk_koerekort/

Note: In the case you wear glasses, the frame must not in any way cover your eyes. A shiny forehead or shin cheeks are not allowed. In the case you wear a veil then eyes, nose and mouth must not be covered.

2. Apply for the Danish driving license

After the medical examination has been completed, you are advised to visit Borgerservice (Citizen Service) at your local municipality and you will have to fulfil the application form (ansøgning om kørekort).

To support your application you need to bring the following documents:

• Publically issued identification with a personal identification number (Proof of your CPR number)

• Passport with Work/Residence permit unless you may legally reside in Denmark without permission

• Your current driving license (If your current driving licence is not translated into English, French or German or if it is not issued in Latin letters then you must bring the certified translation into English) ¹

• The Health Certificate

• Passport photo

• Cash for exchange fee 260 kr.

Note: The translation must be produced by a state authorised translator or by a translator approved by the Danish Police.

You will be asked to complete the form at Borgerservice office. After completion, the form together with above documentation needs to be lodged to one of the case handlers.

Note: If your current driving licence is issued in: Australian Capital Territory, Japan, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) Russia, Switzerland or South Korea, then the procedure for you stops here. These countries are exempted from the law of May 2006 and the law is in force since 01.07.2009.

Detailed information at https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=124543

The exemption only applies to the mentioned 6 countries while all the other non-EU licence holders (including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) need to follow the below procedure.

3. Temporary licence

You will then be issued a temporary licence which is valid for period of 2 months. During that period it is required to pass both theoretical and practical examination. In order to pass those you will need to find a certified driving school (http//:www.askoreskole.dk/) that will assist you and prepare you well.

4. Theory test (theoretical examination)

The driving instructor from A.S. Driving school or sekretary will assist you in registration for theory test.

The first written theory test attempt is free of charge.

In the case you fail the test there is police fee of 870 kr. for each additional re-take.

We will recommend that you take few theory lessons at the A.S. Driving School prior to taking the test.(Free of charge)

Note: the theory test is in Danish and it will usually take a place in one of the police premises in or around Copenhagen. You need a translator for the theory test as well as for the practical test. The translator will charge for this service (the driving instructor is able to provide this service).

The driving instructor will also charge for his services in preparing you.

For further information regarding theory test please visit

http://www.askoreskole.dk/theory-test/index_en.html

5. Practical test

Once you have passed the theory test, you need to make appointment for practical test with driving school. The driving instructor will arrange that. Even thou that you have previous driving experience it would be a good idea to take at least one lessons with driving instructor so that he is able to assess you driving skills and determine if you are ready for practical test.

Just as in theory test case, the first attempt in practical test is free of charge.

Any additional try will cost 870 kr.

Note: the driving instructor will provide you with certified car (app. 900 kr.) as well as with translator (app. 500 kr.).

For further information regarding practical test please visit

http://www.askoreskole.dk/driving/index_en.html

Note: It is not required by the law that before taking the tests you receive either theory or driving lessons. Lessons are only recommended and helpful in order to avoid most common pitfalls.

6. Proper Danish EU Licence

Once you have passed the practical test, the Copenhagen’s driving license office will at first issue you a temporary driving license. This licence is valid until you within the period 3-4 weeks receive the proper EU license. The temporary licence could be used in all Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Faroe Islands). In the case that you need to use your licence outside of Scandinavia the Borgerservice will issue you the International Driving License (cost app. 25 kr.).

7. Additional Information

Extending of temporary licence

Please note that it could be difficult to complete all the formalities within the 2 months period of temporary license due to limited slots in English. In that case the Borgerservice will extend the temporary license if you can prove that you are following the normal process and are unable to complete the formalities within period of 2 months.

Subtraction of original or temporary license

In the case that you do not follow the rules presented previously in this manual the Bogregerservice is allowed to withhold you original foreign driving license and forward it to police. The police is also able to withhold you original driving license in the case that the valid period is expired and you did not pass the required tests.

• Photo: (colour or black-white) in format of passport picture.
  Note: the image must be take straight from the front and other details must be in place (the main stand must contain between 30 - 36 mm) before the municipality may approve a picture of the license.
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Students who are exchanging their driving license are allowed to use a car with automatic transmission gear. This applies in both driving lessons and practical examination. Once the practical examination is passed the students are allowed to drive any car either with automatic or manual transmission gear.

We recommend to those students who are exchanging their driving license that they should use the car with automatic transmission gear both in driving lessons and practical examination.

Reference :

http://expatindenmark.com/expatforum/forum/Lists/ExpatForum/Flat.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fexpatforum%2Fforum%2FLists%2FExpatForum%2FExchanging%20of%20driving%20license%20in%20Denmark&FolderCTID=0x012002004BB597879E4E9C4B9871E9D55B6BEAC6