Cyprus Driving Licence 2026: How to Get One, Cost, Categories, Renewal and Exchange

A Cyprus driving licence is issued by the Road Transport Department (RTD) under Law 94(I)/2001. To get one you pass a preliminary knowledge test, hold a learner's licence, complete a minimum number of driving-school lessons, and then pass a practical test. A full licence costs €40 to issue and, for car and motorcycle categories, is valid for 15 years. This guide covers the whole journey at overview level and links to detailed guides on each step. If you are preparing for the knowledge test, start with our free Cyprus theory test practice.

Key takeaways

The RTD issues, renews and exchanges every Cyprus licence under Law 94(I)/2001. You need normal residence (at least 185 days a year) or tertiary study to apply.
The order is fixed: preliminary knowledge test, learner's licence, mandatory driving-school lessons, practical test, full licence.
Minimum full-licence age is 17 for AM, 18 for A1, B, B1 and B+E, 20 for A2, 22 or 24 for A, 21 for C, C+E, D1 and D1+E, and 24 for D and D+E.
Fees: €10 preliminary exam certificate, €20 learner's licence, €20 practical test, €40 licence issue or renewal (free over 65).
Car and motorcycle licences last 15 years; C and D group licences last 5 years. Paper licences cease to be valid on 19 January 2033.
EU/EEA licences are recognised without exchange. Non-EU licences are recognised for six months, then residents must exchange; exchange without a test is only possible for countries on the Commissioner's notified list.

What is a Cyprus driving licence and who issues it?

The Road Transport Department (RTD) is the licensing authority for the Republic of Cyprus. It issues, renews and exchanges driving licences and also issues international driving permits. The governing statute is Law 94(I)/2001, as amended, together with the regulations and decrees made under it. You apply in person, or through a representative, at RTD District Offices or Citizen Service Centres (KEP); renewals can also be handled at KEPO post-office counters.

RTD headquarters is at 27 Vasileos Pavlou, 2412 Engomi, Nicosia. You can reach it on +357 22807000 or at [email protected], and the office is open 07:30 to 15:00. Practical tests are booked and paid for online through the RTD Road Transport System portal, which requires registration.

Who can apply for a Cyprus driving licence?

You must have normal residence in Cyprus, meaning at least 185 days per calendar year, or be studying at a tertiary institution here. Beyond that, eligibility comes down to age: for A1, B, B1 and B+E the learner's licence age is six months lower than the full-licence age, and for the other categories the two ages are the same. C1, C, D1 and D also require that you already hold a category B licence.

Category	Learner's licence	Full licence
AM	17	17
A1	17.5	18
A2	Not listed	20 (A1 held for 2 years)
A	Not listed	22 (A2 held for 2 years) or 24 direct
B, B1	17.5	18
B+E	17.5	18
C1, C1+E	18	Not listed
C, C+E	21	21
D1, D1+E	21	21
D, D+E	24	24

Ages marked "Not listed" do not appear in the RTD and legal material we reviewed. Motorcycle progression from A1 to A2 to A is explained in our Cyprus motorcycle licence guide.

What are the Cyprus driving licence categories?

The categories are AM, A1, A2, A, B, B1, B+E, C1, C, D1, D and their +E variants. A1 covers motorcycles up to 125 cc and 11 kW. A2 covers motorcycles up to 35 kW with a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.2 kW/kg. B covers vehicles up to 3,500 kg and also covers B1. C1, C, D1 and D require a category B licence first.

One point catches many drivers out: a category B licence does not cover AM or A1. To ride in category AM or A1 you need that category on your licence.

What are the steps to get a Cyprus driving licence?

The sequence is fixed and every stage runs through the RTD. First, pass the preliminary knowledge test (προεξέταση) and obtain the preliminary exam certificate. Second, apply for a learner's licence with form TOM 7D, two 45x35 mm photos, your ID card (or residence permit for foreign nationals), the preliminary exam certificate and proof of habitual residence. Third, complete the minimum lessons at a driving school, which issues training certificate TOM 180A. Fourth, book and pay for the practical driving test through the RTD portal; the test includes a knowledge check under section 21 of the law and leads to a certificate of competence. Fifth, apply for the full licence with TOM 7D, one 45x35 mm photo, ID, the certificate of competence and proof of residence.

Booking, payment and the document list are covered in our Cyprus driving test booking, cost and documents guide.

What is the Cyprus knowledge test like?

The knowledge test comes before you practise on public roads. Under the regulations it may be oral or written. The RTD does not publish the number of questions, the pass mark or the languages offered, so treat any site that quotes exact figures with caution and aim to know the material thoroughly rather than to a score.

Our free Cyprus theory test practice covers the rules and signs the test draws on, and you can study every sign in the Cyprus road signs gallery or drill them with the Sign Blitz flash-card trainer. For study strategy, read how to pass the Cyprus driving theory test, and for the questions asked at the practical stage, see our Cyprus oral driving exam guide. ExamReady is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the RTD or the Government of Cyprus.

How much does a Cyprus driving licence cost?

The RTD published its current fee schedule in an announcement dated 2 June 2026. All figures are in euro.

Item	Fee
Preliminary exam certificate	€10
Learner's licence issue or renewal	€20
Practical driving test	€20 (out-of-hours surcharge €34.17)
Licence issue or renewal	€40 (free for applicants over 65)
Duplicate licence	€40
International driving permit	€30

The official fees for a first-time car driver are €10 for the preliminary certificate, €20 for the learner's licence, €20 for the test and €40 for the licence. The RTD lists no separate fee for exchanging a foreign licence, so expect the standard €40 issue fee.

How does the learner's licence work?

Under the law a learner's licence is valid for two years. The RTD web page still shows one year, so expect the site to lag behind the law.

Learner car drivers must be accompanied. If you are under 18, your supervisor must be over 30 and have held a licence in the category for at least five years; at 18 or over, the supervisor must be over 25 with at least five years. No other passengers are allowed. You must display L plates front and rear (200 x 200 mm, red L on white), and you may not drive on a motorway except during training with a licensed instructor or during the test. Learner motorcyclists face tighter rules since 1 July 2026: riding on public roads only while training followed by a licensed instructor, during the test, or in police, fire or National Guard training, plus mandatory protective gear; see the Cyprus motorcycle licence guide.

Are driving lessons mandatory in Cyprus?

Yes. Decree ΚΔΠ 273/2026, gazetted on 26 June 2026 and replacing ΚΔΠ 240/2016, sets minimum lesson counts at a driving school before the practical test. Lessons are 45-minute periods and cover theory and practical instruction, and the school issues certificate TOM 180A on completion. The minimums are A1: 5, A2: 5, A: 7, B: 10, B with a 3,500-4,250 kg trailer combination: 7, and B+E: 7. After a failed practical test you must complete 5 more lessons before retaking it.

Press reports have pointed to 14 September 2026 as the enforcement date, but the RTD had not confirmed a date in the material we reviewed. Our Cyprus mandatory driving lessons guide tracks the decree and what it means for learners already in the system.

How long is a Cyprus driving licence valid and how do you renew it?

Categories AM, A1, A2, A, B, B1 and B+E are issued for 15 years; after age 55 they are issued up to age 70. C and D group licences are issued for 5 years, and after 65 up to age 70. From age 70 every licence is issued for 3 years with a health certificate on RTD form TOM 153E, which is also required for C and D group and special categories.

Renewal costs €40 (free over 65) and takes form TOM 7D, one photo, ID and your previous licence, filed at an RTD District Office, a KEP or a KEPO counter. Paper licences cease to be valid on 19 January 2033. Full steps are in our renew a driving licence in Cyprus guide.

Can you exchange a foreign driving licence for a Cyprus one?

It depends on where the licence was issued. EU and EEA licences are recognised and exchange is optional; the RTD says you may exchange after a six-month stay. Non-EU licences are recognised for up to six months. Exchange without a test is only available for countries named in the Commissioner's Gazette notification, and those holders must exchange after six months; the notified list was not available on an official page when we checked. In every case the RTD requires 185 days' residence.

For UK licence holders, GOV.UK states that UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences can be used for up to six months. UK-issued licences must then be exchanged and an IDP cannot substitute; Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences cannot be exchanged, so a test is required. To exchange, bring form TOM 7D, a 45x35 mm photo, your ID or Alien Registration Certificate, passport, the original foreign licence with copies, and a translation if it is not in Greek or English. The foreign licence is surrendered and the Cyprus licence carries an "issued by exchange" notation. Read our exchange a foreign driving licence in Cyprus guide for the full process.

Can visitors drive in Cyprus on a foreign licence?

Temporary visitors may drive on a valid foreign national licence for up to 30 days, and visitors holding a valid international driving permit under an international convention may drive for the length of their stay. EU licence holders need no IDP. Once you become a resident, the six-month recognition period and exchange rules above apply instead.

Cyprus licence holders travelling abroad can get an IDP from the RTD for €30, valid for one year, with form TOM 26A, two 30x35 mm photos, ID card and Cyprus licence. Details are in our international driving permit in Cyprus guide.

What is changing for Cyprus driving licences in 2026?

The biggest domestic change is the mandatory lesson decree ΚΔΠ 273/2026 described above, which fixes minimum driving-school lessons before the practical test. Our mandatory lessons guide follows the enforcement timeline as the RTD confirms it.

Our Cyprus EU driving licence rule changes guide explains what is known so far and what remains open.

What are the penalties for driving offences in Cyprus?

Speeding fines, penalty points and drink-driving limits are covered in our Cyprus speed limits, fines and penalty points guide, and the alcohol rules are in our Cyprus drink-driving alcohol limit guide.

Official sources

RTD fee announcement (2 June 2026) (licence, learner, test and IDP fees)
RTD: exchange of a foreign driving licence (eligibility and documents)
RTD: international driving licence (IDP application)
gov.cy: booking a driving licence examination
gov.cy: paying the examination fee
RTD Road Transport System portal (online test booking and payment)
GOV.UK: Living in Cyprus (UK licence recognition and exchange)
Law 94(I)/2001, as amended, and decree ΚΔΠ 273/2026 on mandatory driving lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who issues driving licences in Cyprus?

The Road Transport Department (RTD), under Law 94(I)/2001. Applications go through RTD District Offices or Citizen Service Centres (KEP), and renewals can also be done at KEPO post-office counters.

How old do you have to be to get a driving licence in Cyprus?

The full-licence minimum is 17 for AM, 18 for A1, B, B1 and B+E, 20 for A2, 22 for A (or 24 direct), 21 for C, C+E, D1 and D1+E, and 24 for D and D+E. You can hold a learner's licence for category B from 17.5.

How much does a Cyprus driving licence cost?

Official fees are €10 for the preliminary exam certificate, €20 for the learner's licence, €20 for the practical test (€34.17 out-of-hours surcharge), and €40 for licence issue or renewal, free for applicants over 65. A duplicate costs €40 and an international driving permit €30.

How many questions are on the Cyprus theory test?

The RTD does not publish the number of questions, the pass mark or the languages offered, and the test may be oral or written. Prepare to know all the rules and signs rather than aiming for a score, and use the free Cyprus theory test practice to check your knowledge.

How long is a Cyprus driving licence valid?

Car and motorcycle categories are valid for 15 years, or up to age 70 if issued after 55. C and D group licences are valid for 5 years. From age 70, all licences are issued for 3 years with a health certificate (form TOM 153E). Paper licences cease to be valid on 19 January 2033.

Do I need to exchange my EU licence in Cyprus?

No. EU and EEA licences are recognised in Cyprus and exchange is optional. Non-EU licences are recognised for six months, after which residents must exchange; exchange without a test is only possible for countries on the Commissioner's notified list.

Cyprus Driving Licence 2026: How to Get One, Cost, Categories, Renewal and Exchange