Driving licences

PURPOSE: to modernise the European framework relating to driving licences in order to improve road safety, facilitate free movement and support the sustainability and digital transformation of road transport.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2025/2205 of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences, amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2022/2561 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EU) No 383/2012.

CONTENT: the revision of the Driving Licence Directive is part of the European Commission's ‘Road Safety’ package (2023). This set of measures falls within the framework of the EU's road safety policy for the 2021-2030 Digital Decade.

The amending directive lays down common rules on:

- the models, standards and categories of driving licences;

- the issuance, validity, renewal and mutual recognition of driving licences;

- certain aspects of the exchange, replacement, cancellation, withdrawal, suspension and restriction of driving licences;

- certain aspects applicable to novice drivers, in particular concerning an accompanied driving scheme and a probationary period.

Several key elements are introduced with this update:

Mobile driver's license

By the end of 2030, a uniform mobile driving licence will be available for all EU citizens, placed in the future European Digital Identity Wallet. The digital driving licence will be recognised in all EU member states. At the same time, road users will have the right to request a physical driving licence, which must be issued as soon as possible and generally within three weeks.

Validity period

Both the physical and digital versions of the driving licence will be valid for driving passenger cars and motorcycles for 15 years from the date of issue, except when the driving licence is used as an identity card (10 years). Member States may reduce the validity period of the licence when its holder reaches the age of 65.

Medical examination

To improve road safety, the directive provides for the harmonisation of medical examination procedures applied in Member States. Before obtaining their first licence or when applying for a renewal, drivers will be required to undergo a medical check, which includes eye and cardiovascular tests. EU countries may choose to replace the medical examination for car or motorcycle drivers with self-assessment forms or other assessment systems developed at the national level.

Inexperienced drivers

For those novice drivers, a probationary period of a minimum of two years should be established, during which stricter rules or sanctions for driving under the influence of alcohol should apply, without prejudice to Member States’ competences to regulate drivers’ behaviour. Such stricter rules could include, or consist of, specific training for novice drivers, in which they receive further instruction on risk awareness and reflect on their behaviour.

Accompanied driving scheme

The directive provides for the introduction of a Union-wide accompanied driving scheme for certain driving licence categories, in order to improve road safety. The rules of such a scheme should provide the possibility for applicants to acquire driving licences in the relevant categories before the required minimum age is reached. However, the use of those driving licences should be subject to being accompanied by an experienced driver, for instance a family member.

The accompanied driving scheme could, without prejudice to its overall goal of improving road safety, contribute to making the profession of truck driver more accessible and appealing to younger generations, in order to broaden their occupational possibilities, and to help tackle the driver shortage within the Union. Member States should have the possibility to apply that scheme to driving licences of categories C1, C1E and C (heavy goods vehicles) in addition to the driving licences of category B (cars), and the driving licences issued accordingly should be mutually recognised among those Member States applying that larger scope to the scheme.

The minimum age for professional bus drivers is set at 21, regardless of whether they complete the accelerated or standard initial qualification.

New training requirements

The driving test will now also cover blind spot risks, driver-assistance systems, safe opening of doors, and phone usage distraction risks. Emphasis will be placed on raising awareness of the risks faced by pedestrians, children, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

Normal residence

Lastly, adjustments are being made to make it easier for citizens to acquire a passenger car license when living in a different member state than their member state of citizenship. In cases where the Member State of normal residence does not provide the opportunity to take tests in the official language of the Member State of which the applicant is a citizen, it should be possible that the applicant take the theory test or practical test, or both, in the Member State of the applicant’s citizenship.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 25.11.2025.

TRANSPOSITION: no later than 26.11.2028.