EU / EEA licences
A licence issued by an EU or EEA member state is recognised in Greece and, when needed, replaced by a Greek document. This is not a third-country conversion and does not follow the same procedure.
Foreign licence conversion
Converting a Foreign Driving Licence into a Greek Licence
Conversion is the procedure by which a foreign driving licence is replaced by a Greek one: the foreign licence is handed over to the competent authority and you receive a Greek licence with the categories that are recognised.
Whether conversion is possible at all — and for which categories — depends on the issuing country, the dates on your licence and where you had your usual residence on the critical dates. We check your case before anything starts.
- No theory or driving test when conversion applies
- Case checked before you pay anything
- Full file handled for you
- Agios Dimitrios, South Athens
Conversion is not automatic for every foreign licence. It depends on the issuing country, the categories and your usual residence.
Short answer
What does “conversion” actually mean?
Conversion means that your foreign licence is exchanged for the corresponding Greek licence. The foreign document is surrendered to the Greek transport authority and you receive a Greek licence covering the categories that are recognised for you.
When conversion applies, it is done without a theory or a driving test. If the conditions are not met, a Greek licence has to be obtained from scratch, through the normal examination procedure.
Third-country licences
For licences issued outside the EU/EEA, conversion is possible only where the relevant bilateral basis exists and the conditions are met. In every other case the Greek licence is obtained from the beginning, with examinations.
What decides the outcome
Five things that decide whether your licence can be converted
Before anything starts, these are the points we check together with you.
The issuing country
There has to be a procedure that allows a licence from that country to be converted. We currently have detailed Greek pages for the countries listed further down this page.
Usual residence
Conversion assumes that the foreign licence was obtained while you had your usual residence in the issuing country. If it turns out that your usual residence was already in Greece on the critical dates, conversion is not possible. Usual residence is not judged by your Greek tax number alone.
The dates on your licence
The date the category was first granted, and the date shown in field 4a, are compared with the critical dates that apply to your country. This is why we always ask for both.
The categories held
Some countries convert all categories, others only specific ones — for example only category B, or only A and B. Each category is assessed separately.
A licence in force
The foreign licence must be valid and in force. An expired licence cannot be converted.
Documents
What is usually needed for the file
The exact list depends on the issuing country — we confirm it for your case before you start collecting anything.
- Identification document and, where applicable, residence documents
- The original foreign driving licence
- Official translation of the foreign licence, where required for your country
- Photograph as required by the procedure
- The medical certificates required for your categories and age
- The state e-Paravola (government fees) for the procedure
Government fees
The state fees (e-Paravola) depend on the procedure and on the categories being converted, and are listed on the detailed page for each country. These are always government fees: they do not include the driving school's fee or doctors' fees.
The procedure
How a conversion file is handled
The same steps apply to every country; only the details and the timing change.
- 01
Checking your case
We check the issuing country, the categories, the dates on your licence and your residence history, before anything starts.
- 02
Collecting the documents
Identification, residence documents, the original foreign licence, official translation and photograph, depending on the country.
- 03
Medical examinations
The medical certificates required for your categories and your age.
- 04
Issuing the e-Paravola
We issue the state e-Paravola required for your categories.
- 05
Filing the application
The application and the complete file are filed with the competent transport authority.
- 06
Authenticity check
Where provided for, the authority contacts the issuing authority to confirm that the licence is genuine.
- 07
Issue & collection
The Greek licence is issued. The foreign licence is surrendered at the point set by the procedure of each country — in some countries when the file is submitted, in others when the Greek licence is collected.
Country details
Countries we have a detailed page for
The country pages, with the exact dates, documents and government fees, are written in Greek. Open the one that applies to you, or simply send us your details and we will explain it in English.
Albania
Critical dates 02/06/2001 & 19/05/2020
Serbia
Critical dates 02/06/2001 & 26/02/2020
Moldova
Critical dates 02/06/2001 & 21/06/2025
Georgia
Critical dates 02/06/2001 & 21/06/2025
Switzerland
Special 9 and 12 month rules
United Kingdom
Critical date 02/02/2021
United Arab Emirates
Category B only
USA
Usual residence required
Canada
Per province / territory of issue
Australia
Per state or territory of issue
Japan
Embassy document required
South Africa
Card licence in force only
South Korea
Categories A and B only
EU / EEA licences
Recognition and replacement, not conversion
Your country is not on the list? Send us your details anyway — we will check whether a conversion procedure exists for it.
If your licence cannot be converted
Not every foreign licence can be converted. If your licence is not covered by a conversion procedure, or the conditions are not met, you may need to obtain a Greek licence through the normal first-issue procedure. This matters most once you have acquired usual residence in Greece and are no longer covered by the rules that let you drive here on your foreign licence.
The right to drive in Greece depends on the country, the type of licence, the applicable international convention or agreement, and your usual residence. Licences from countries of the Vienna Convention are recognised for driving as long as you have not acquired usual residence in Greece, the licence is in force and the Greek age limits for the category are met — recognition for driving does not mean that a conversion procedure exists.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Licences from EU and EEA member states are recognised and replaced by a Greek document where needed. For third-country licences, conversion is possible only where the relevant bilateral basis exists and the conditions are met. We currently have detailed pages for Albania, Serbia, Moldova, Georgia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa and South Korea, and we add more countries gradually.
When conversion is possible, it is done without a theory or a driving test. If the conditions are not met, the Greek licence is obtained from scratch, through the normal examination procedure.
Conversion assumes that the foreign licence was obtained while you had your usual residence in the issuing country. If it emerges that your usual residence was already in Greece on the critical dates, conversion is not possible. Usual residence is not judged by your Greek tax number alone.
The state fees depend on the procedure and on the categories being converted, and are listed on the detailed page for each country. They are government fees and do not include the driving school's fee or doctors' fees.
No. The foreign licence is surrendered to the competent authority, as the procedure provides, and you receive the Greek licence.
The time differs per country and per procedure and is stated on the corresponding detailed page. Delays are common, especially where an authenticity confirmation or a residence-history check is required. We follow the file until it is completed.
Yes. We are based in Agios Dimitrios in southern Athens and handle conversion files for people living across Attica. The file is filed with the transport authority that is competent for your address.
Yes. We explain every step, every document and every fee in English, so you always know what you are signing and what happens next.
Check your case
Tell us about your licence and we will tell you what applies
Send us the issuing country, the categories on your licence and the key dates. We will come back to you and explain whether conversion is possible in your case, what documents are needed and what the next steps are.