Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence in Greece
Once you live in Greece you are expected to hold a Greek driving licence.
How you get one depends entirely on where your foreign licence was issued, and there are three genuinely different routes: an EU/EEA administrative exchange with no test, a no-test conversion for a fixed list of agreement countries, and a full Greek theory-and-practical test for everyone else.
Estimated time
About 45 days end to end once the file is complete; the authenticity check is the longest stage (10 days to one month for EU licences via RESPER, 3 to 10 days for conversions via diplomatic channels)
Cost
30 โฌ for the EU/EEA exchange; conversion routes run higher and depend on the licence categories requested
Before you start
What You Need
Tap to check off items as you gather them
Additional Items
- Service existence rests on Presidential Decree 51/2012 (which transposes EU Directive 2006/126/EC on driving licences into Greek law); the fees are set by subordinate ministerial-decision instruments tied to numbered e-administrative fee codes (20, 28, 61, 62, 64, 39), not by the enabling Act.
- The dedicated EU-exchange procedure page is framed around older-format licences (issued before 19 January 2013) and specific expiry circumstances; EU/EEA licences otherwise remain valid to drive in Greece, so the formal exchange is mainly needed on expiry, loss, damage, or when a Greek-format card is wanted.
- The UK conversion route is conditioned on the applicant being a beneficiary of the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom.
Step-by-Step
- 1
Confirm which of the three routes applies to you
- EU/EEA licences (any EU Member State, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) qualify for a no-examination administrative exchange
- Licences from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland qualify for a no-examination conversion under a fixed agreement
- Licences from any other country cannot be converted โ the holder must apply as a new driver and pass the Greek theory and practical tests
๐ก Tip: The single most common mistake is assuming non-EU means a test. Eight non-EU jurisdictions convert with no examination at all; only countries outside both the EU/EEA set and the agreement list require the Greek theory and practical tests.
- 2
Confirm you meet the habitual-residence requirement
- Your residence document must already be at least 185 days old on the date you file the application
- Students and scholars may instead prove at least six months of study status in Greece
- You must reside within the jurisdiction of the regional unit where you file, hold a valid foreign licence, hold no other licence, and meet the minimum age for the category sought
๐ก Tip: The source states this requirement in plain terms: "This document must have been issued at least 185 days before the date of the application to the Regional Unit's Transport and Communications Directorate."
โ ๏ธ Watch out: Newly arrived residents cannot apply the week they arrive โ the residence document has to clear the 185-day threshold first. Wait out the qualifying period before lodging, or the application is not admissible.
- 3
Gather the documents for your route
- EU/EEA exchange: identity document, proof of residence, photocopy of the licence, one photo, the solemn declaration, and the print-application โ no medical certificate, no translation
- Conversion routes: all of the above plus the original licence, an official Foreign-Ministry or lawyer translation, at least two specialist health certificates, and the authenticity certificate
๐ก Tip: Get the ฮฮฆฮ (AFM) tax number sorted first โ every route is processed through the Greek administrative system and cannot proceed without it.
- 4
Submit the application in person or by post
ฮ ฮตฯฮนฯฮญฯฮตฮนฮฑ
- File at the Directorate of Transport and Communications of your regional authority (the *ฮ ฮตฯฮนฯฮญฯฮตฮนฮฑ*, Perifรฉreia) or at a *ฮฮฮ * (KEP, ฮฮญฮฝฯฯฮฟ ฮฮพฯ ฯฮทฯฮญฯฮทฯฮทฯ ฮ ฮฟฮปฮนฯฯฮฝ โ the Citizen Service Centre)
- The application must be signed by the licence holder personally, not by a representative
- The file is checked for completeness, registered in the protocol system, and you are issued a Certificate of Application Submission
โ ๏ธ Watch out: If the clerk finds the file incomplete you are notified of the deficiencies and sent away to gather what is missing โ bring everything for your route the first time.
- 5
Wait for the authenticity check of your foreign licence
- EU/EEA licences are verified through the RESPER network (the EU driving-licence information exchange) or the issuing state's authority โ this takes 10 days to one month
- Conversion-route licences are verified through the issuing authority via diplomatic channels โ this takes 3 to 10 days
- This is the stage that most distinguishes the conversion routes from the EU/EEA exchange
- 6
Collect the Greek licence and surrender the foreign one
ฮฌฮดฮตฮนฮฑ ฮฟฮดฮฎฮณฮทฯฮทฯ
- The new licence is registered in the Greek Driving Licence Register, and the print form is transmitted to the Hellenic Police Passport Directorate, which produces the physical card (about 5 days)
- You collect the Greek *ฮฌฮดฮตฮนฮฑ ฮฟฮดฮฎฮณฮทฯฮทฯ* (adeia odigisis) in person and surrender the foreign licence at the moment the Greek one is handed over
- Surrendered EU licences are returned to their issuing country; conversion-route licences are retained in the file, except Japanese licences, which are returned to the Greek Embassy in Japan
๐ก Tip: The Greek licence is valid for 15 years from issuance across all routes.
Local Tips from the Community
- Work out which of the three routes applies before you gather anything. The EU/EEA exchange needs no medical certificate and no translation; the agreement-country and Switzerland conversions need both. Preparing the light document set and then discovering you are on a conversion route means a second trip.
- Every route is processed through the Greek administrative system, so you need a Greek tax number โ the ฮฮฆฮ (AFM, ฮฯฮนฮธฮผฯฯ ฮฆฮฟฯฮฟฮปฮฟฮณฮนฮบฮฟฯ ฮฮทฯฯฯฮฟฯ ) โ in hand first. This is why the AFM step comes before the licence exchange in the Greek onboarding sequence.
- The application must be signed by the licence holder in person. A notarial power of attorney lets a representative submit and collect the file, but it does not let them sign the core application for you.
- South Korean licences convert for categories A and B only, and South Africa accepts plastic-card licences only โ older paper South African licences are not accepted for conversion.
What Could Go Wrong
Confirm you meet the habitual-residence requirement: You have just arrived and have no residence document 185 days old
Recovery: The application is not admissible until the residence document clears the 185-day threshold. Wait out the qualifying period, or โ if you are a student or scholar โ substitute proof of at least six months of study status in Greece.
Gather the documents for your route: You prepared the light EU/EEA document set but are actually on a conversion route
Recovery: Conversion routes additionally require the original licence, an official Foreign-Ministry or lawyer translation, at least two specialist health certificates, and an authenticity certificate. Gather these before re-attending; the clerk will not let you proceed with the lighter set.
Collect the Greek licence and surrender the foreign one: You want to keep your foreign licence as well
Recovery: This is not possible โ the foreign licence is taken at the moment the Greek one is handed over. EU licences are returned to their issuing country; conversion-route licences are retained, except Japanese licences, which go back to the Greek Embassy in Japan.
Costs
| Item | Amount | Payment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA exchange โ single administrative fee (e-fee code 28) | โฌ30 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | The only government fee on the EU/EEA exchange route. No medical certificate and no translation are required on this route. |
| Agreement-country conversion (USA/Canada/Australia/Japan/South Africa/South Korea) โ licence grant (e-fee code 20) | โฌ60 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | Base fee for the multi-country agreement conversion route, separate from the EU/EEA route's single fee. |
| Agreement-country / UK / Switzerland conversion โ print driving-licence form (e-fee code 28) | โฌ30 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | Charged on the conversion routes alongside the licence-grant fee. |
| Agreement-country / UK conversion โ extension into category AM, A1, A2, A, B (e-fee code 62) | โฌ27.02 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | Applies when expanding the converted licence into these lighter categories. |
| Agreement-country / UK conversion โ extension into category BE, C1, C, D1, D, C1E, CE, D1E, DE (e-fee code 64) | โฌ108.15 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | Applies when extending the converted licence into the heavier categories. |
| Switzerland conversion โ base renewal (e-fee code 39) | โฌ108 | Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post | The Switzerland procedure page states a higher base figure than the multi-country agreement route; the two are reproduced separately because each is the authoritative figure for its own route, not a single blended fee. |
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- The only government fee on the EU/EEA exchange route. No medical certificate and no translation are required on this route.
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- Base fee for the multi-country agreement conversion route, separate from the EU/EEA route's single fee.
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- Charged on the conversion routes alongside the licence-grant fee.
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- Applies when expanding the converted licence into these lighter categories.
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- Applies when extending the converted licence into the heavier categories.
- Payment:
- Bank cashier, debit/credit card, web banking, or Hellenic Post
- Notes:
- The Switzerland procedure page states a higher base figure than the multi-country agreement route; the two are reproduced separately because each is the authoritative figure for its own route, not a single blended fee.
FAQ
General
Do I have to take a Greek driving test to swap my foreign licence?
Only if your licence was issued by a country that is neither in the EU/EEA nor on Greece's agreement list. EU/EEA licences, and licences from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, the UK, and Switzerland, all convert with no examination. Everyone else must apply as a new driver and pass both the Greek theory and practical tests.
How long can I drive in Greece on my foreign licence before I must exchange it?
EU/EEA licences stay valid to drive in Greece. Non-EU/EEA licences may be used for up to 185 days (six months) of residence, after which a Greek licence is required.
How much does the EU/EEA exchange cost?
A single fee of 30 โฌ (e-administrative fee code 28). No medical certificate and no translation are needed on this route, so there are no further official costs.
Why do the Switzerland fees look different from the agreement-country fees?
The procedure pages denominate the same nominal services under different e-fee code combinations, and the Switzerland page cites a higher base figure (108 โฌ) than the multi-country agreement page (60 โฌ). Each figure is the authoritative one for its own route, so they are reported separately rather than blended into a single range. The translation and medical-certificate costs are charged separately by the translator/lawyer and the doctors and are not published on the procedure pages.
Where do I apply?
At the Directorate of Transport and Communications of your regional authority (the ฮ ฮตฯฮนฯฮญฯฮตฮนฮฑ), or at a ฮฮฮ (KEP, the Citizen Service Centre). Submission is in person or by post; the EU/EEA exchange is not provided digitally.
Do I keep my old licence?
No. The foreign licence is surrendered when you collect the Greek one. It is sent back to its issuing country on the EU/EEA route, or retained in your file on the conversion routes โ except Japanese licences, which are returned to the Greek Embassy in Japan.
After This Process
- โ Greek tax number (AFM) โ required first; the application cannot be processed without it
- โ Register the licence change with your motor insurer once the Greek licence is issued
Sources
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation โ exchange of an EU Member State driving licence (en.mitos.gov.gr) (en.mitos.gov.gr โ)
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation โ conversion from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa and South Korea (en.mitos.gov.gr) (en.mitos.gov.gr โ)
- gov.gr โ driving-licence recognition and validity (non-EU) (gov.gr โ)
- gov.gr โ acquiring and renewing a driving licence (gov.gr โ)
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4 sources cited last accessed 2026-06-03
T1 official portal ยท T2 embassy/consulate ยท T3 news ยท T4 community โ higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →
- T1Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation โ National Registry of Administrative Public Services 2026-06-03
EU/EEA licence holders exchange for a Greek licence with no examination of any kind. The route carries a single 30 โฌ fee (e-administrative fee code 28) and no medical examination. The authenticity check runs through the RESPER network (10 days to one month). The Greek licence is valid for 15 years. Total processing is estimated at 45 days. The service is not provided digitally โ submission is in person or by post at a regional Transport Directorate or KEP.
en.mitos.gov.gr - T1Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation โ National Registry of Administrative Public Services 2026-06-03
Licences from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa and South Korea convert with no examination. The route requires an official translation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a lawyer, at least two specialist health certificates, and an authenticity certificate obtained via diplomatic channels. Fees attach to e-fee codes 20 (60 โฌ), 28 (30 โฌ), 61, 62 (27,02 โฌ) and 64 (108,15 โฌ). The residence document must be issued at least 185 days before the application. South Korea conversions are limited to categories A and B; South Africa accepts plastic-card licences only; surrendered Japanese licences are returned to the Greek Embassy in Japan.
en.mitos.gov.gr - T1gov.gr โ Hellenic government unified portal 2026-06-03
Holders of non-EU/EEA licences may drive in Greece for up to 185 days (six months) of residence, after which a Greek licence is required. A holder from a country with no exchange agreement cannot convert and must apply as a new driver, passing both the Greek theory and practical tests. (Canonical gov.gr URL; page content corroborated via the National Registry mirror after a direct request returned a 403.)
gov.gr - T1gov.gr โ Hellenic government unified portal 2026-06-03
The citizen-facing portal entry for the driving-licence procedure cluster sits on gov.gr under vehicles โ acquiring and renewing a driving licence; the structured procedure detail is published in the National Registry of Administrative Public Services.
gov.gr