Driving in Sweden · 7 min read

Foreign driving licences in Sweden: validity, exchange and getting a category B licence

A foreign licence may be valid in Sweden, exchangeable for a Swedish one, or only usable for a limited period. The decisive question is usually where it was issued. This guide focuses on ordinary category B passenger-car licences and helps you identify the right official route before you make plans around driving.

1. Start with the country that issued your licence

An EEA licence is generally valid in Sweden for as long as it remains valid in the country where it was first issued, including after you are registered as resident in Sweden. If you are permanently resident in Sweden and hold a valid EEA licence, you can apply to exchange it for a Swedish licence. The Swedish Transport Agency’s current guidance is the right place to check unusual histories, including a licence that has previously been exchanged in another country.

2. Non-EEA licences have different time limits and exchange routes

A non-EEA licence must be valid in its issuing country and may need a certified translation or an international driving permit if it is not in the required format or language. Most non-EEA licences stop being valid once you have been a registered resident in Sweden for more than one year. Licences from the United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands may still be used after that point. Licences from the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland and Japan may be exchangeable if you meet the personal and medical requirements for a Swedish licence and are permanently resident in Sweden. For Swiss and Japanese licences, apply within the first year if you need to avoid a gap in your right to drive.

A clear note for US licence holders

A driving licence issued in the United States is a non-EEA licence. It is not on Sweden’s current list of licences that may be exchanged directly. If you become a registered resident in Sweden, plan on the basis that you will usually need to complete the Swedish category B process once your first year has passed. Do not wait until month eleven to investigate training, risk education and test availability. Your exact right to drive before then still depends on the validity and format of your individual licence, so check Transportstyrelsen’s current foreign-licence guidance before relying on it.

3. A limited exemption is not a back-up for a late test booking

For a non-EEA licence, the Swedish Transport Agency can sometimes grant an exemption beyond the first year where the stay in Sweden is genuinely limited in time and road safety is not affected — for example, a temporary study period or time-limited employment. It does not grant an exemption simply because a driving-test appointment is difficult to find. Apply several months before the first year ends if this may be relevant, and rely on the agency’s decision rather than an assumption.

4. What an exchange usually involves

The exchange application goes to Transportstyrelsen. Order or download its current foreign-licence exchange form, send the completed application together with your original foreign licence, and wait for the agency’s decision. If it is approved, you are asked to visit a Trafikverket test office for a photograph and signature. Transportstyrelsen then charges the current production fee before the Swedish licence is issued. Your original licence is returned to the issuing authority, so confirm the current arrangements before sending it.

5. If you need to take the Swedish category B route

Start with a learner’s permit from Transportstyrelsen. For category B, the application includes a health declaration and eyesight certificate; the permit is normally valid for five years. You can train through a driving school, privately with an approved accompanying driver, or through a combination. Private category B practice requires both an approved accompanying driver and an introduction course for you and the accompanying driver. Before the theory test, complete both compulsory risk-education parts. The theory test can be booked in another language, but the practical driving test is conducted in Swedish; Trafikverket provides a preparatory video in other languages.

6. Plan for official fees as well as training costs

At the latest official price update, the category B theory test costs 420 SEK in daytime or 520 SEK after 6 pm and at weekends. The category B driving test costs 1,000 SEK in daytime or 1,400 SEK after 6 pm and at weekends. A photograph taken in connection with a test costs 120 SEK. Driving-school lessons, risk education, a private-practice car or test-car hire are separate costs. Since 19 August 2026, a passed category B theory test is valid for one year, giving you more room to book the practical test.

7. Keep the two authorities distinct

Transportstyrelsen handles learner permits, exchange and exemption decisions, and the eventual licence. Trafikverket Förarprov runs the theory and practical tests, photographs and test bookings. Start with Transportstyrelsen when your question is about whether you may drive or exchange; use Trafikverket when it is about test preparation, timing or booking.

8. Where Scandibound fits

I can help you put the question in the right order alongside the rest of a move — housing, registration, school and everyday setup — and prepare a clear list of what to ask next. I do not decide whether your licence is legally valid, make an exchange or exemption application for you, arrange driving training or represent you to an authority. For an individual answer on your eligibility, use the relevant official service directly.

A practical caution

This guide is practical orientation, not legal advice. Driving-licence validity can depend on the exact issuing country, the licence’s history, registration status, translation requirements and the category of vehicle. It covers ordinary category B planning, not professional or higher vehicle categories. Check the current official source before driving, sending an original licence or relying on a deadline.

Official sources checked 3 October 2026

Transportstyrelsen — Foreign driving licences and exchange Transportstyrelsen — Exemption for a non-EEA licence Transportstyrelsen — Taking a Swedish driving licence Trafikverket — Category B passenger car and light lorry Trafikverket — Test and photo prices

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Gabrielle Spång · Founder, Scandibound