It’s official! You are now a resident of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. You’ve taken care of all of the formalities that will help you quickly feel at home here Yes, but not quite all, as you still have one last obligation: have your driving licence validated, registered and insure your vehicle so that you can drive around legally and safely.

Find everything you need to know about registering your driving licence in your new place of residence, whether you obtained it in a European Union country… or not!

If you obtained your licence in a country of the European Union

Good news! Your driving licence is valid in Luxembourg if it has been issued by a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area (EEA). Mutual recognition between Member States facilitates your formalities and allows you to insure your car without having to go through the local administrative channels. Thank you Europe!

What can you do if your valuable licence is lost or stolen?

Has your licence been lost or stolen?  Bad luck… You will have to plan another means of transport because you will no longer be able to drive in Luxembourg, even if you have reported this loss or theft to the competent authorities.

The only solution is to turn to the country that issued your driving licence to obtain a certificate proving that you have a licence.

The vehicle category, date of issuance and date of validity of the licence must appear on this document in order for it to be considered valid.

To avoid this administrative headache in the event that you are unlucky, we advise you to anticipate! To do this, register your licence via the administration of the Grand Duchy or exchange it for a Luxembourg licence.

Exchanging for a Luxembourg driving licence, what are the formalities?

To exchange your licence obtained in the EU for a Luxembourg permit, nothing could be easier! All you have to do is register it with the driving licence department of the Société Nationale de Circulation Automobile located in Sandweiler.

The SNCA will issue you a free duplicate giving you the right to drive in the Grand Duchy. Here are the documents you will need to submit:

– Your transcription request form (to be downloaded from their site)
– Your ID
– The certified copy of your driving licence

Following this registration, Luxembourg law applies:

You have 12 points on your Luxembourg driving licence.

Your licence is valid during 10 years. You will receive a letter from SNCA inviting you to renew it when it expires every 10 years until you reach the age of 70. After this age, it will be renewed for a period of 5 years. Then every 2 years after your 80th birthday.

 For a licence obtained outside of the European Union

The following information is important for drivers who have passed their driving test outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. Indeed, it is mandatory for you to exchange your foreign permit for a Luxembourg permit if you still want to sit behind the wheel in the Grand Duchy.

How do you have your driving licence transcribed?

To drive in Luxembourg with a foreign licence, the first thing you need to do is transcribe your driving licence. You have 1 year to get this done after moving to Luxembourg.

The formalities are the same as for a licence obtained in the EU, with one difference: you will absolutely have to apply for a transcription instead of an exchange request.

To do so, contact the SNCA. You will need to count 30 euros for the cost of transcribing your licence. Here are the documents you will need to submit:

– Your transcription request form (to be downloaded from their website)
– Your ID
– A certified copy of your driving licence
– An extract from a criminal record in Luxembourg
– A certificate of your place of residence

 Driving licence and bonus: useful information

 The “Virtual permit” in Luxembourg, how does it work?

Drivers who drive on the roads of the Grand Duchy, holding a foreign European licence, start off with a capital of 12 virtual points.

In the event of a breach of the Luxembourg road traffic regulations, the points will thus be deducted from this virtual permit. When it reaches zero, the holder of the licence will no longer be allowed to drive in Luxembourg.

Maintaining your bonus, how to do it?

Even if you change countries and therefore your car insurance, you are not to be considered as a young driver. So you should keep your bonus logically! Please note that AXA Luxembourg offers you a fair risk car insurance rate based on your years of experience. This way, you keep your bonus earned in your home country.

Hit the road! You now have all the information you need to have your licence recognised in Luxembourg, or not.

Find out more about the administrative procedures related to your vehicle

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