Getting a drivers license

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Relocation Expert | Annemette Krogh on October 24, 2008 at 7:57pm

Dear Janet,



Thank you for posting your question with Life in Denmark.



As of 1st May 2006 drivers who are not in possession of an EU Member-State Driving Licence must apply to change their existing licence to the Danish equivalent.



PROCEDURE AND RULES



Law

From the date you receive your Danish CPR number, you are allowed to drive a vehicle using a foreign driving licence for a limited period of 14 days. If you exceed this deadline, you will receive a fine of DKK 5,000.00 (Five Thousand Danish Kroner).



START OF PROCESS



1. Doctor’s appointment

In order to start the procedure of changing your driving licence, you need to make an appointment with your doctor for him to issue a Health Certificate to be used when changing your licence. The doctor will charge you approximately DKK 350.00 for the certificate. Please note that you should take a separate passport photo to the doctor for the above meeting.



Please be advised that there are very strict rules in regards to the passport photo. For example, if you wear glasses, the frame must not in any way cover your eyes, a shiny forehead or shiny cheeks are not allowed, if you wear a veil; eyes, nose and mouth must not be covered.



2. Applying for a Danish EU Driving Licence

To start the procedure of acquiring the Danish EU licence, you need to visit:



Borgerservice



- at your local municipality.



Please take the following documentation with you to support your application:



- The Health Certificate from your Danish doctor together with the Passport photo



- Your Passport with the Work and Residence Permit and a certified copy of the relevant pages.



- Proof of your Danish CPR number



- Your current Driving Licence translated into English and certified as a valid copy



You will be asked to complete a form at the Borgerservice Office. After completion, you need to lodge this and the above documentation with one of the case handlers there. The charge for starting the procedure is DKK 260.00.



If your driving licence is issued in: Japan, Russia, Switzerland, and South Korea, your procedure stops here. You are not required to take any theory or practical test. The 4 (four) countries are exempted from the above law of May 2006. The exemption only applies to the mentioned 4 countries, all other non-EU licence holders need to follow the below procedure.



3. Temporary Licence

You will then receive a temporary licence, which you can use for up to 2 (two) months. Within the 2 month period you will have to pass a Driving Test and a Theory Test.



4. Theory Test

The Driving Instructor below will assist you in registering for the written theory test. The first written theory test is included in the DKK 260.00 fee for the change of Licence. If you fail the theory test there is a DKK 870.00 charge each time you re-take the test. We recommend that you have a few theory lessons at a Driving School prior to taking the test.



The theory test is in Danish and will take place at Københavns Kørekortkontor at a later date. You will need a translator for the theory test as well as the driving test. Københavns Kørekortkontor can provide a list of translators that you can contact. Please be advised that the translator will charge for this service. The driving instructor mentioned below will also be able to provide this service.



5. Driving Test

Once you have passed the Theory Test, you need to make an appointment for a Driving Test with a suitably qualified Driving School. The Driving School will probably suggest that you have a few lessons with them, which you will be charged for.



6. Proper Danish EU Licence

Once you have passed the Driving Test, Københavns Kørekortkontor will issue a new Temporary Driving Licence. The proper Danish EU licence will follow 3-4 weeks after you have passed the Test.



I hope the above covers your questions.



Best regards, Annemette Krogh, All Denmark Relocation A/S

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Permalink Reply by Dagmar Fink on November 19, 2008 at 1:29pm

Hi Annemette, your info is very helpful. What if the non-EU residents have an international license? Does the whole procedure have to be followed in that case as well? All the things that need to be done are really nerve-wrecking.
Thx Dagmar

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Permalink Reply by Ali Qureshi on October 28, 2008 at 6:07pm

Hello,

If you have a US driving license, then you wouldn't need any tests, but maybe an eye-sight check at the doctor, and they will give you a danish license. I'm not sure about how and if you'll get your american license back. But you can ask the local police station about that.

/Ali

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Permalink Reply by Patti Groenborg on October 28, 2008 at 10:58pm

This is no longer the case. The information listed in detail above is correct. A US Driver's License can no longer be converted without taking both the theory and road tests.

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Permalink Reply by Soumitra Burman on October 28, 2008 at 11:07pm

Just three things to add to Anne-Mette's comprehensive overview of the process (which is probably the best one I have seen) based on my experience for obtaining a Danish Driving License:

1.Temporary License Extension: The likelihood of completing all the formalities within the 2 month period (time period of temporary license) is quite remote if you are completing all the formalities in English due to limited slots. Only driving schools are allowed to book the slots and you need to be registered students with the school and there are limited schools that offer the English option. The borger service will extend the temporary license if you can show them that you are following the normal process and are unable to complete the formalities within the alloted time.

2. Return of Original License: I spoke to the Police Department / Borgerr Service about the same and was told that you can receive your original license back when you hand in your Danish License - this applies for both permanent exchange or for a temporary period, i.e., returning to your home country where the Danish license might not be acceptable which can then be exchanged back when you come back to Denmark. .

3. Costs: I managed to pass both the theory and driving test on the first try. The process still cost me approximately Dkk4,500. The split was as follows:
1. Doctors and license fee as above: Dkk610 + Dkk 80 for special photo
2. Driving School: 2 theory classes + online tests (highly recommended): Dkk1300
3. Practical Driving Class: 1 - Just to understand the do's and don't's from the Danish perspective: Dkk700
4. Translator for Theory Test: Dkk400
5. Driving Exam: Car Rental Dkk900 (Yup, you gotta pay for that too!)
6. Translator for Driving Test: Dkk550

Remember that if you take the theory test with translator, you have to take the driving test with translator. My recommendation would be to take some basic theory and the tests - the test is not designed to check your driving knowledge / ability but rather to find ways to fail you. There are quite a few trick questions in there so best that you try a few tests to get a feel and also the language in use.

Cheers
Soumi

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Permalink Reply by Haris Rashid on October 30, 2008 at 11:01am

Hi,
can you kindly post some contact information of driving school in copenhagen or translator.
I have been driving for more than 15 years and as part of being posted here in Denmark need to change the driver license. If you can point to some book for taking the exam and translator contact, it would be very useful.
Regards

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Permalink Reply by Dagmar Fink on November 19, 2008 at 1:02pm

Soumi, thanks for this very comprehensive overview. This really gives an idea of the detailed costs.
Thx, Dagmar

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Permalink Reply by Larry Feinberg on October 29, 2008 at 1:48am

The law changed just 2 or 3 years ago concerning a U.S. drivers license. When I got my Danish license I just went to the doctor and took a eyetest and turned in my U.S. license and was handed a Danish license in return. Yes it is true that technically if you want your U.S. license back from the Danish authorities you must hand in your Danish but a easier way is to do what I did. My license is from Arizona and when I was on a visit there after I handed in my U.S. Arizona license I just contacted the DMV in Arizona and asked them to issue me a copy of my license. 5 bucks ad a few minutes later presto! There was my Arizona license again. No problem at all. As for the driving test well here in DK that can be tricky BUT since the test you will take is not a test for a first time license but a so called control test you are allowed to take th test in a car that is a automatic instead of a stick! It has to be in a automatic with two sets of brakes and you can only rent one of those from a driving school and it is expensive but it makes the driving test a lot easier especialy for Americans who are not used to a stick!

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Permalink Reply by Diane Carole Burgess on October 29, 2008 at 9:36am

Hi
Just to check, I am British and have a UK driving licence. I have been here 8 years, and have never changed my driving licence. Am I falling foul of the law? Do I need to change to a Danish licence? I did enquire when I first came and was told there was no problem since I have an EU licence.
Thanks for any ideas

Diane

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Permalink Reply by Larry Feinberg on October 29, 2008 at 1:49pm

If you have seen the rules posted here you can see that holders of any E.U. drivers license are exempt from all that bullcrap of taking tests etc. In other words your license is valid here. It is beyond logic why Americans have to do that crap when for years we did not have to. To me it seems like a indecent way for the state to gather money and that is all.I can undersatnd that those retesting rules for persons from some third world countries where corruption is everywhere and a person can get a license by vitue of a bribe. I also do not undestand why Russians,Swiss,south Koreans and Japanese are exempt from these rules. The whole thing makes as much sense as the Brits driving on the wrong side of the road!

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Permalink Reply by Diane Carole Burgess on October 29, 2008 at 2:44pm

Hi Larry
Thanks for the reassurance.
Yes it seems like crap to allow some (non-EU) people to drive here but not any others. I kind of understand if you have learnt in an automatic car, that you need to be 'upgraded' by a shortened test, to be able to drive a 'normal' car. But other than that it makes no sense. It also does seem like a whole load of crap for someone who has already been driving safely for years (my assuption;o)) to have to go through the 'full process' that would be required of a new driver to the roads.

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Permalink Reply by Diane Carole Burgess on March 18, 2009 at 3:15pm

Would anyone happen to know if an international driver's permit (issued by the "AAA" in the United States) coupled with a valid driver's license from the U.S. would give you any more time? I have a friend from the US who would like to know.

Thanks

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