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International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit is not a driving licence. It must be used WITH your national driving licence.

It is used to enable a visitor to drive in countries that do not accept the domestic driving licence of a particular country as a valid document. As the Cyprus licence is in English and Greek it is accepted in many countries. Check validity with the local Government Offices if you are unsure.

This is sometimes because the licence is not in a language that the host countries officials can read or will accept. It also restricts the time a person can drive in a country before complying with domestic law regarding driving tests and issuing of driving licences.

Validity of International Driving Permits.

A full domestic licence is required before an International Driving Permit is issued. Both documents must be valid and in date and produced together for the International Driving Permit to be accepted.

How to apply for a Cyprus International Driving Permit.

You require:

Completed form TOM 26A.
Your Full Cyprus Driving Licence
Two recent passport size photograph (40x35mm)
Fee of € 30

Take the completed form to your local Department of Road Transport Office or Citizens Service Center.

Those IDP’s issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are valid for one year. This applies to those issued in Cyprus.

The form which is in English and Greek can be downloaded here

Each State authorizes issuing agents within its territory. IDP’s can only be issued by them and they must conform to a set pattern. Other documents purporting to be IDP’s or international driving licences issued by anyone else are not acceptable or legal.

Cyprus has ratified the Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 1949) and the Vienna Convention (1968).

Most countries have signed up to the Geneva convention or honour it. A smaller number of countries accept the IDP’s issued under the Vienna Convention.

The information on this page refers to non vocational driving licences.

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 although these can still be found.

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