STEP BY STEP GUIDE on how to exchange your original driving licence to a Danish driving licence (for non-EU citizens)
From the date you receive your Danish CPR number, you are allowed to drive a vehicle using a foreign driving licence for a limited period of 14 days. If you exceed this deadline, you will receive a fine of DKK 5,000.00 (Five Thousand Danish Kroner).
Step 1 Doctor’s appointment
In order to start the procedure of changing your driving licence; you need to make an appointment with your doctor for him to issue a Health Certificate to be used when changing your licence. The doctor will charge you approximately DKK 350.00 for the certificate.
Please note that you should take a separate passport photo to the doctor for the above meeting. There are very strict rules in regards to the passport photo. For example, if you wear glasses, the frame must not in any way cover your eyes, a shiny forehead or shiny cheeks are not allowed, if you wear a veil; eyes, nose and mouth must not be covered (find guidelines in
Danish, but with useful illustrations here: http://www.politi.dk/NR/rdonlyres/8E37DFDF-9B14-48E9-A9E2-5F1D171393EC0/1058_pasplakat_A4_web.pdf)
Step 2 Go to Borgerservice and apply for a Danish EU Driving Licence
To start the procedure of acquiring the Danish EU licence, you need to visit:
Borgerservice at your local municipality.
Please bring the following documentation to support your application:
- The Health Certificate from your Danish doctor together with the Passport photo
- Your Passport with the Work and Residence Permit and a certified copy of the relevant pages.
- Proof of your Danish CPR number
- Your current Driving Licence. If your licence is not translated into English, German or French or if is not issued in Latin letters, you must bring a certified translation into English.
You will be asked to complete a form at the Borgerservice Office. After completion, you need to lodge this and the above documentation with one of the case handlers there. The charge for starting the procedure is DKK 260.00.
You will then receive a temporary licence, which you can use for up to 2 (two) months. Within the 2 month period you will have to pass a Theory Test and a Driving Test.
If your driving licence is issued in: Japan, Russia, Switzerland, and South Korea, your procedure stops here. You are not required to take any theory or practical test. The 4 (four) countries are exempted from the above law of May 2006. The exemption only applies to the mentioned 4 countries, all other non-EU licence holders need to follow the below procedure.
Step 3 Theory and Driving Test
We suggest that you find a local instructor offering solutions in English, but this is not a cheap solution.
An alternative is to go to the website of the association of Danish Driving Instructors (direct link below), and find an instructor near you. Please note that the association is voluntary and does not list all driving schools in Denmark.
http://www.dku.dk/dku/lokalfor/Default.htm
Tick the box: B - Almindelig bil (regular car) and Undervisning på fremmede sprog (instructions in other languages than Danish), and fill-in Postnummer (postal code) and press Søg (search) in order to find a local Driving
Instructor that can help you arrange a translator for the Theory test and provide a certified car for the Driving test.
The Driving Instructor will assist you in registering for the written theory test. The first written theory test is included in the DKK 260.00 fee for the change of Licence (paid at Borgerservice).
If you fail the theory test you will be charged again each time you re-take the test. Therefore, we recommend that you have a few theory lessons at a Driving School prior to taking the test.
Please note that it is NOT required by law that you receive either theory or driving lessons before you take the tests. Nonetheless, many find that a few lessons are helpful – both to get acquainted with the Danish test types and to avoid the most common pitfalls.
The theory test is in Danish and you will need a translator for this and the driving test. The driving instructor can help you find a certified translator. Please be advised that the translator will charge for this service (usually around DKK 1000.00)
Once you have passed the Theory Test, the Driving Instructor can help you make an appointment for a Driving Test. This test cost about DKK 900.00. The Driving School will probably suggest that you have a few lessons with them, which you will be charged for, but again this is NOT required by law.
Step 4 Your Proper Danish EU Licence
Once you have passed the Driving Test, you will receive a new Temporary Driving Licence right away. The proper Danish EU licence will follow 3-4 weeks after you have passed the Test.
Additional Info
Please note that it can be difficult to complete all the formalities within the 2 month period of the temporary licence, due to limited slots in English. Borgerservice will extend the temporary licence if you can prove that you are following the normal process and are unable to complete the formalities within the 2 months.
Also note that Borgerservice will withhold your original foreign Driving Licence and forward it to the police. When you will need your original licence back you must therefore contact the police.