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Ever wanted to drive to IKEA and ICA Maxi on weekends, or go on a road trip to Lapland? You need a driver’s license! If yours is from the EEA (plus a short list of countries, more below), it works just as well in Sweden. Otherwise, it is only valid in Sweden for exactly one year. But how to get a Swedish license? Sweden has one of the strictest driving standards in the world. As an international student, this might feel overwhelming at first sight.
But it’s fine! Let me break down the process step-by-step for you:
If you got your license from the EEA 🇪🇺🇮🇸🇳🇴🇱🇮 (plus the UK 🇬🇧, Faroe Islands 🇫🇴, Switzerland 🇨🇭, and Japan 🇯🇵):
Licenses from the EEA, the UK, and the Faroe Islands are valid in Sweden, even if you’re staying for more than one year.
If you got your license in the EEA, the UK, the Faroe Islands, Switzerland, or Japan, you may exchange for a Swedish license provided you meet the personal and medical requirements and are a permanent resident under the definition1 by the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportyrelsen).
To swap in your license, complete the form Ansök om utbyte av utländskt körkort (in Swedish), then send your application with your foreign driving licence in the original to Transportstyrelsen’s address:
Transportstyrelsen
701 97 Örebro
More information is available on Transportstyrelsen’s website here: https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/driving-licences/i-have-a-driving-licence/
- Permanent residency refers to a place where a person lives for at least 185 days every calendar year owing to:
– personal and professional connections, or
– personal connection characterised by close ties between the person and the place where he or she lives. ↩︎
If you got your license from everywhere else (like me!):
In Sweden, you cannot simply exchange a non-EEA license. Having gotten the Taiwanese and American licenses (plus driven on freezing mountain roads in a Faroese storm), I was shocked to hear that I have to retake the tests! But hey, a Swedish license will get you similar privileges everywhere else in Europe and, who knows? It might also help with your journey to see the northern lights!
That said, already knowing how to operate a vehicle gives you a massive head start, though you still cannot bypass the bureaucracy. To get your Swedish Category B (passenger car) license, you must complete the full pipeline.
Fortunately, as an experienced driver, you can skip the expensive driving school packages and go through the process by following these steps:
1. Get your learner’s permit
You would need a permit to start your journey to a Swedish license, even if your foreign license is still valid. A learner’s permit (körkortstillstånd) from Transportstyrelsen is required to practice driving on roads and to eventually book driver tests with the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket).
For a Category B license, you need to fill out an online health declaration and visit a local optician for a quick eye exam with your application. The application can be submitted online to Transportstyrelsen: Ansök om körkortstillstånd (in Swedish).
Pro-Tip: You will need a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer) or a coordination number (samordningsnummer) to smooth this process out. Apply early, as processing times can drag!
2. Attend the mandatory risk training
Sweden takes road safety incredibly seriously. Everyone, regardless of prior driving experience, must pass two mandatory safety courses. The good news? You can easily find English-language sessions for both.
Risk 1 (Riskettan): A roughly 3-hour interactive session focused on the dangers of alcohol, drugs, fatigue, and mobile phone usage while driving. There is no written test to pass. Your attendance and engagement are your “ticket” to completing it.
Risk 2 (Risktvåan or Halkbana, the Skid Pad): This is easily the most memorable part of the entire process. You head to a closed, specialized track where instructors cover the asphalt in oil and water to simulate extreme winter ice. You will practice slamming on the brakes, recovering from skids, and experiencing exactly how a car behaves when traction disappears. It is equal parts terrifying and incredibly fun.
3. Complete the theory test
Once your Risk courses are registered, you head to Trafikverket for the computer-based theory exam (teoriprov). You can choose to take the test completely in English (among several other languages). It is famously tricky, and more than road signs. It tests your knowledge on traffic situations, defensive driving, and environmental physics. Use apps like iKörkort to study Swedish-specific traffic scenarios beforehand!
4. … and the driving test
The final boss. You will book a car through Trafikverket and complete the driving test (körprov) with an examiner. As you already know how to drive, bad habits might be your biggest hurdle. The examiner will look for flawless mirror checks, smooth scanning at roundabouts, and strict adherence to speed limits. Don’t forget about eco-driving (sparsam körning)!
Hold on… Did you say exemption?
You already read about the rule: your non-EEA license is valid in Sweden for only one year from the day you are registered. Once that clock runs out, your license turns into a pumpkin. But as a temporary university student, you might be granted an exemption to drive with your foreign driving licence for the remainder of your studies for more than a year.
Transportstyrelsen issues an exemption based on the requester’s purpose of residence in Sweden and their duration of stay. Since there isn’t a standardized online form for this niche request, you have to do it the old-fashioned way: write a physical letter and mail it to Transportstyrelsen.
Below is what you need as an international student:
- Personal identity number (personnummer), name, address, and contact details.
- A description of the purpose of your stay in Sweden and how long you are staying.
- A copy of your foreign driving licence. If it is not in English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, or Danish, you need to send in a certified translation or an international driving permit (IDP).
- A certificate showing that you are currently studying and the total period of time you are going to study in Sweden. Note that a record showing the courses you are registered in doesn’t count as a certificate in this particular situation.
- A copy of your Swedish residence permit.
Once your packet is ready, send it to Transportstyrelsen:
Transportstyrelsen
701 97 Örebro
You would normally hear back from Transportstyrelsen somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks after the request, though an exemption is not guaranteed. More information can be found here: https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/Driving-licences/i-have-a-driving-licence/apply-for-an-exemption-non-eea-licences/
Takeaway
While Sweden’s efficient public transit and bike paths mean you won’t necessarily need a car every day, having the freedom to drive opens up incredible opportunities for northern lights hunting and remote hiking adventures. Pack your home driver’s license today, and happy driving!