A driving licence can catch you out. At home it may be valid for many years, but in a new country it may only last a few months after you move. If you miss the deadline to exchange it, you may get a fine, have trouble with your insurance and need to take driving tests again.
Every country has its own rules for exchanging a licence, so check the exact dates on the website of the local transport authority. This guide explains the general principles.
The date of expiry is on the licence itself. A Russian licence is valid for 10 years, and in other countries it can be shorter or longer. When it expires, you get a new one, usually in the country that issued it, which can be difficult when you live abroad.
If you have moved, you may need to change your licence before it expires, because of the rules of your new country.
As a visitor, you can usually drive on your own licence for your whole trip, sometimes together with an international driving permit. Moving changes this. In many countries, once you become a resident — when you get a residence permit or register your address — a period starts during which your foreign licence is still valid. Most often it is 6 to 12 months.
After that, you cannot drive on your old licence. Driving without a valid licence can lead to a fine, and if you have an accident, your insurance may not pay.
What happens next depends on the country that issued your licence and on the agreements between countries:
The exchange also takes time: an appointment, a medical certificate, a translation of your licence, and waiting for the new one. So find out the rules as soon as you move, not in the last month.
An international driving permit is a translation of your national licence. It is only valid together with it, and it does not replace the exchange after you move. It has its own date of expiry, usually up to 3 years, but never later than your national licence.
Create a timer with the end date and turn on an email reminder.