Technical article

How Long Could You Drive on Your US Licence After You Move? Ireland, Portugal and Spain

On the day they become residents, can they still drive?

By Neil Solomon · 6 min read

Picture a couple named Paul and Jean. Both are 64, and both have held US licences since they were teenagers. They plan to move to southern Europe and want to know one thing. On the day they become residents, can they still drive?

The answer depends on the country, and on where the licence was issued. I read the official pages for Ireland, Portugal and Spain, and then for Italy and Great Britain, which are described after the table.

What the pages say

Ireland

The National Driver Licence Service says: "You cannot drive on a non-EU/EEA driving licence once you become a resident in Ireland." Visitors can drive on such a licence for up to 12 months. By the page's summary, normal residence generally means living in Ireland at least 185 days in a calendar year.

The page lists countries whose licences can be exchanged. They include Australia (several states), Canada (several provinces), Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan. The United States is not on the list. For licences from countries not listed, the page says the learning-to-drive process generally applies.

Portugal

The Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes lists "Estados Unidos da América" among the OECD countries whose licences are accepted. The holder must meet three conditions, quoted from the page:

• "O titular tenha menos de 60 anos de idade" (the holder is under 60).
• "Não tenham decorrido mais de 15 anos desde a emissão do titulo de condução estrangeiro ou última renovação" (no more than 15 years since issue or last renewal).
• "O título de condução estrangeiro tem de se encontrar válido" (the licence is valid).

If they are met, driving is allowed "mesmo após os condutores obterem a residência" (even after becoming a resident). Holders are also exempt from exams for the categories being exchanged. A medical exam is still required.

The under-60 rule is the one that stands out for readers over 40. A person aged 64 with a US licence does not meet the first condition as the page states it. For other countries, the page describes a different path with a 90-day window after the residence permit and an exam after two years. It does not say which path covers a 64-year-old US licence holder. I would ask the institute directly.

Spain

The Dirección General de Tráfico says a foreign licence can be used while "no haya transcurrido el plazo de seis meses, como máximo, contados desde que hayas adquirido la residencia normal en España" (the six months since taking up normal residence have not passed). After that: "Transcurrido dicho plazo, los mencionados permisos carecen de validez para conducir en España."

Then there are two options: exchange the licence for a Spanish one, which needs an agreement between Spain and the home country, or get a new Spanish licence, which includes an exam. The agreement list sits on a separate page, dated 26 June 2026. As read, it does not show the United States or any US state. A summary of a page can miss a line, so I would still ask the Dirección General de Tráfico directly.

Italy

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport says that a person with a licence from a state outside the EU and EEA may drive the vehicles it covers for up to one year from taking up residence in Italy. After one year the licence must be converted to drive in Italy, and conversion is possible only if the issuing state has a reciprocity agreement with Italy. The ministry's list shows the United States only for diplomatic staff and their families, so an ordinary US licence holder would take the Italian licence route (read 11 October 2026). Alongside the foreign licence you need either an international permit from the issuing state or an official Italian translation.

Great Britain

GOV.UK says that people resident in Great Britain with a valid licence from outside the EEA may drive cars and motorcycles for up to one year. After that they must pass a British driving test unless the licence was issued in a country or territory designated by law for exchange. The designated list includes Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and Switzerland, among others. It does not include the United States, so a US licence holder would take the test (GOV.UK and the Exchangeable Licences Order, read 11 October 2026). Northern Ireland has its own agency (nidirect, page last modified 30 September 2026), and its page covers Northern Ireland only. Ireland's page does list the United Kingdom as a recognised place to exchange from.

What is left open

• The fees for the exchange in Spain and Portugal.
• Driving on the left in Ireland and the UK. No official page about adjusting to it is among the sources.