The NDLS mentions translations for only two countries, and both must come from an embassy. Here is how licence exchange really works, what applies to Ukrainian licences, and when a translation still helps.
If you have moved to Ireland with a foreign driving licence, you have probably searched for "driving licence translation Ireland" expecting to find a form, a rule and a list of approved translators. The reality is simpler and, in one respect, stricter. For exchanging a licence, the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) mentions translations for only two countries, and for both of them the translation has to come from that country's embassy in Dublin. For everyone else, the question is not "which translation?" but "can this licence be exchanged at all?"
This guide explains how licence exchange works in Ireland, which licences qualify, what happens with Japanese, Korean and Ukrainian licences, and where a translation of your licence is still genuinely useful.
If your licence was issued by an EU or EEA member state, you can drive in Ireland as long as it is valid. You do not have to exchange it, but if you want an Irish licence you must do so within 10 years of your licence expiring. The NDLS lets you exchange an EU/EEA licence online with a Public Services Card and verified MyGovID, or in person at an NDLS centre. The fee is €65, and there is no fee if you are aged 70 or over.
Ireland has exchange agreements with a short list of countries and territories. Citizens Information lists them as Australia, Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Saskatchewan only), Georgia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Moldova, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK. A visitor can drive on a valid licence from one of these for up to a year. Once you take up normal residence, you must exchange it or apply for an Irish licence.
The NDLS defines normal residence precisely:
Many recognised states come with their own conditions. Several Australian states and Canadian provinces exchange to an automatic-only Irish licence unless a Letter of Entitlement proves a manual test. Moldovan licences qualify only for categories first issued on or after 8 May 2022. Taiwan and New Zealand exchanges cover motorcycle and car only.
If your licence comes from a country without an exchange agreement, such as Brazil, India, Nigeria, Pakistan or Ukraine, it cannot be swapped. The NDLS allows you to drive on it while visiting, for up to 12 months, and notes that an International Driving Permit may also be required depending on the country that issued your licence. Once you become resident, you cannot drive on a non-EU/EEA licence and must go through the Irish learning-to-drive process.
These are the only two licences for which the NDLS exchange page mentions a translation, and in both cases it names the source. For Japan:
For the Republic of Korea:
So if you hold a Japanese or Korean licence and want to exchange it, a translation from a translation company, including ours, is not what the NDLS asks for. Go to your embassy. We say this plainly because it is an easy point to get wrong, and an expensive one if you only find out at the NDLS centre.
People who came to Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive can drive on their Ukrainian licence, but only while that protection lasts. The NDLS explains:
It adds that Ireland does not have a driving licence exchange agreement with Ukraine, that a Ukrainian licence is not recognised for anyone resident under any other immigration permission, and that it stops being valid for driving here when Temporary Protection ends. If you plan to stay, the NDLS advises starting the Irish licence process before your protection ends. Drivers who have held a Ukrainian licence for more than two years may qualify for a reduced process: six Essential Driver Training lessons instead of twelve, and no minimum six-month wait before the driving test.
Citizens Information adds a detail for those who exchanged earlier: if you have already exchanged your Ukrainian licence for an Irish one, you can ask to have it returned or continue to drive on the Irish licence for one year from the date it was issued.
The route to an Irish licence is the full learning-to-drive process: the driver theory test, a learner permit, Essential Driver Training and the driving test. Since 21 January 2019, foreign licence holders who cannot exchange can apply for a reduced programme of six EDT lessons rather than twelve, and to be exempted from the usual six-month wait before the test. One trap: the NDLS notes that once you obtain an Irish learner permit, it takes precedence over your full foreign licence, and learner rules such as L plates and being accompanied apply.
The NDLS describes an International Driving Permit as "a translation of your driving licence" and says it is valid for one year from the date of issue.
Irish-issued IDPs come in two versions: the 1949 UN Convention permit, recognised in most countries, and the 1926 version, needed for Brazil, Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia.
The NDLS can only issue an IDP to holders of a full Irish licence, or to EU/EEA licence holders resident in Ireland. The fee is €15.
A licence that was itself obtained by exchanging a licence from a non-agreement country cannot be exchanged in Ireland.
A Letter of Entitlement for an exchange must be an original, submitted within six months; faxed, scanned or emailed copies are not accepted.
Outside the NDLS exchange process, there are everyday situations where a certified English translation of your licence helps:
In these cases, no Irish rule dictates who must translate, so what matters is clarity: a complete translation of both sides of the card, the categories and their dates, restrictions and codes, with a signed statement of accuracy.
Our certified translations of driving licences cover both sides of the card, every category with its start and expiry dates, restriction codes and issuing authority. Each comes with a signed Certificate of Accuracy, the translator's name and signature, our company address, phone number and email, a company stamp and a reference number. We do not claim NDLS acceptance, and for Japanese and Korean licence exchanges we will point you to your embassy.
A licence is usually a single page at €29.95, delivered within 24 hours, with a 12-hour service on request. We translate from more than 100 languages. If a hire company, insurer or other receiving body rejects our translation, we revise it free of charge or refund you in full. Start an order with a clear scan of both sides.
Checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the receiving body before you apply.
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