The new legislation follows a consultation in January and could see thousands of motorists across the UK have their licence extended – here’s all you need to know
Big changes are afoot for certain drivers as fresh licence regulations set to be introduced in March have been confirmed.
After significant discussions earlier this year, thousands of motorists could now benefit from an extended licence period on UK road. From March 3, 2025, the Labour government will roll out an extension to the Ukraine driving licence exemption.
The new measures have been backed by Minister for Future of Roads Lilian Greenwood, who praised the Government’s efforts to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country. She said: “My department has been actively engaged in making the transition to life in the UK as seamless as possible for those arriving here under such difficult circumstances, and initiatives such as the Free Onward Travel Scheme have all made it easier for Ukrainians to travel and settle into UK life.
“We recognise, however, that continuing this transition is not always straightforward, and one area where Ukrainian arrivals must adapt, is in motoring. The continued ability of Ukrainians to get around is integral to integrating, socialising, accessing healthcare and working during their time in the UK.”
The Department for Transport (DfT) explained: “We are proposing an additional extension of 18 months, beyond the current 36 month period, of the Ukrainian driving licence exchange policy.
“This policy, allowing Ukrainian driving licence holders to be treated as holding a Great Britain (GB) driving licence within GB, will increase the overall time to 54 months. The time of use begins after the holder becomes resident.”
In May 2021, legislation was first put in place to allow a Ukrainian car licence to be exchanged for a UK licence without the need to take a UK driving test. This followed Ukrainian testing standards being assessed as equivalent to those in GB by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, reports Birmingham Live.
According to Statista, between February 2022 and July 2024 there were 244,560 Ukrainian refugees recorded in the UK.