Category Archives: Learning to Drive

Driving Licences, Learning to Drive

Residency Requirements

Only Cyprus residents who can prove they have lived in the country for six months are eligible to apply for any Cyprus Driving Licence or take any Cyprus Driving Test.

This is to comply with EU directives.

Driving Licences, Learning to Drive

Cyprus Provisional / Learner / Student driving licence

You should read this page in conjunction with the main Cyprus driving licence page.

Leaner licences issued in Cyprus are paper and only valid in the Republic of Cyprus.

Are you old enough to drive in Cyprus?

Check the drivers minimum ages page of the site.

Residents: How to apply for a Cyprus provisional driving licence:

To obtain a licence to enable you to learn to drive, application has to be made in person at the Department of Transport (DoRT) with the documents shown below.

You have to pass eyesight and theory tests before a provisional driving licence will be issued. You may be able to take this test immediately or make an appointment with the examiner to return at a more suitable time.

The test is verbal, in Greek or English, on traffic signs and the Highway Code.
The fee is €10.

Return to the front office with the pass document and the documents and fee listed below to be issued with the provisional licence.

Documents required to obtain a Cyprus learner / student Driving Licence:

A completed T.O.M. 7 application form only available in Greek.
The form is is available and an English translation of the main headings can be downloaded here.

Two passport style photographs 40×35
Residents Permit
Produce evidence that you have been resident in Cyprus for six months eg. utility bill. If you don’t have this, or similar proof, you will need to attend the office to find out what might be acceptable in your case.
Passport and copy of the page containing the holders information
The appropriate fee
The verbal theory test pass slip

The cost of a learner / student driving licence is € 20 and is valid for one year.

The earliest a driving licence can be renewed is one month before the expiry of the old one.

Category A1 – Learner riders do not have to be accompanied by a full licence holder.
Learner licence holders aged 17.5.

Category B (car) and B + E (car + trailer) – Learner licence holders aged 17.5 must be accompanied by an experienced driver aged 30 and upwards who has held a full driving licence for the class of vehicle for no less than five years.
OR
An Authorized Driving Instructor.

A rider in the above classes cannot take the driving or riding test until they are 18 years of age and have held a licence for 21 days or more.

Learner licence holders aged 18 or over must be accompanied by a person aged at least 25 with a minimum five years driving experience.
OR
An Authorized Driving Instructor.

Learner licence holders must display E Plates on the front and rear of the vehicle.
This replaces the old plate

Provisional / learner / student licence holders are not permitted to drive on the highway unless they are accompanied by a Cyprus Authorized Driving Instructor or taking part in a driving test.

Valid EU provisional / learner / student licences

EU provisional / learner / student licences are valid, as are those licences listed below, and can be used to drive and book a test providing you are old enough to drive in Cyprus and you are accompanied as outlined on this page.

Valid provisional / learner / student licences from outside the EU

Article 20 of the Driving License Laws of 2001 and 2004, recognizes driver’s licences or learner’s licences issued by a competent authority of the country included in the table below:

You must exchange your National driving licence for a Cyprus licence if you are a resident and have lived in Cyprus for six months.

Australia
Canada
Georgia
Iceland
Japan
Liechtenstein
New Zealand
Norway
Russia

Serbia
South Africa
South Korea
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
USA
Zimbabwe

Learning to Drive

The Cyprus Motorcycle Test

Only Cyprus residents who can prove they have lived in the country for six months are eligible to apply for a Cyprus provisional learner driving licence and take a Cyprus Driving Test. This to comply with EU Directives.

EU provisional / learner / student licences are valid and can be used to drive and book a test providing you are old enough to drive in Cyprus.

Driving Test Application

Form T.O.M. 25B is available and an English translation with full instructions can be downloaded here.

The test fee is €20.

It is possible to pay an extra €34.17 to take the test out of hours. This is to pay the examiner to work overtime. The test will be in the afternoon, after normal working hours. However, 21 days must elapse between the issue of a provisional licence and the test.

If you fail the test an interval of 30 days must elapse before it can be retaken.

You may also book your test online.

Download the website details and instructions here (The instructions and the site are currently in Greek Only)

Taking the driving test in your own, or non driving school motorcycle.

You will be required to produce:

Driving Licence.
Insurance certificate. This is an extra insurance certificate which specifically covers your use of the vehicle on the day of the test and for the purpose of taking the motorcycle test.
The vehicle must display E plates front and rear.

The Cyprus Motorcycle Test:

Consists of a short verbal theory test, in Greek or English, on traffic signs and the highway code, similar to that taken when applying for a provisional licence.

A practical test of skills and behaviour for motorcycles was introduced whereby the examiner would follow the student. However this was abandoned in most cases very quickly after its introduction. Therefore the test in Cyprus does not include an on road element in most cases.

The test therefore usually involves driving in the confines of the driving test center, slowly around a circuit of cones. You will be expected to carry out an emergency stop.

Opinion:- The test is totally inadequate for current road and traffic conditions and cannot be described as a test of skills and behaviour.

The Department of Transport has failed in their duty to ensure that the test is suitable for today’s traffic conditions. Until the matter is addressed the death toll will continue to rise. It is no surprise that the death rate is so high amongst motorcyclists in Cyprus.

Hiring a motorcycle for learner rider training or the motorcycle test.

To take the motorcycle test you must be in possession or have use of a suitable motorcycle. It is now legal to hire a motorcycle for the purpose of taking the test.

The test is specific to the category of the motorcycle on which the test is taken, that is A1, A2, A.

If you take your test on an automatic motorcycle or ATV and pass, you will only be able to drive automatics on your full licence. A pass on a motorcycle or ATV with a manual gearbox will enable you to drive manual and automatics.

Motor scooters

Are not a category but are either motorcycles or mopeds depending on their engine size and specification.

Changes to the Theory Test

The Department of Transport have put out to tender for the supply of computers required for adopting a UK style driving theory test for Cyprus. This has been promised for years and has yet to happen.

Learning to Drive

The Cyprus Driving Test.

Only Cyprus residents who can prove they have lived in the country for six months are eligible to apply for a Cyprus learner driving licence and take a Cyprus Driving Test. This to comply with EU Directives.

EU provisional / learner / student licences are valid and can be used to drive and book a test providing you are old enough to drive in Cyprus.