British driving licences will no longer be legally recognized by Irish authorities after 11pm on December 31st. So holders of UK driving licenses are asked to transfer as soon as possible to the Irish ones.
By the end of this year, the Brexit transition period will be over and the UK will be out of the single market and Customs Union. After this phase, a number of changes will come into force in Ireland. Since then, the Irish authorities will not legally accept the UK licence.
It is estimated that around 70,000 UK licensees reside in Ireland.
The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan has said that he expects 10,000-17,000 people to transfer their British licences to Irish ones by the end of December.
The Minister of Transport is urging the immediate transfer of the 17,000 UK licence holders residing in Ireland as the number of applicants is expected to increase within the next two and a half months.
“A potential 17,000 UK licence holders (are) vulnerable to losing their driving privileges come January,” the Rathdown TD said in a statement.
He said it is essential that anyone in Ireland who holds a UK license should give priority to this. But he added that it would not affect visitors to Ireland.
To exchange your licence:
● Drivers do not have to resit their test
● You need to fill out a licence application form
● A €55 fee and your UK license must be submitted along with the application form at any of the 36 NDLS centers
● Due to COVID-19, you have to book an appointment with an NDLS centre.