The Driving Licences (Exchangeable Licences) Order 2025
This Order, effective July 31, 2025, designates the Republic of Moldova's driving licenses as exchangeable with UK licenses under the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The order specifies that exchangeable Moldovan licenses authorize driving category B vehicles and details conditions regarding automatic transmission.
It extends to England, Wales, and Scotland, and includes a Schedule listing other countries with exchangeable licenses.
The order allows for smoother transitions for drivers and simplifies administrative processes, relying on pre-existing legal frameworks.
Arguments For
Improved International Driver Recognition: The order facilitates smoother transitions for drivers moving between the UK and Moldova, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and promoting international mobility.
Harmonization of Driving Standards: By specifying acceptable license types, the order implicitly acknowledges and recognizes comparable driving standards between the two countries, enhancing mutual trust and recognition.
Streamlined Administrative Processes: The exchange system simplifies the process for Moldovan drivers to obtain UK licenses, avoiding the need for extensive retesting and leading to administrative efficiencies for both the UK and Moldovan governments.
Legal Basis and Precedent: The order leverages existing UK legislation (Road Traffic Act 1988) to establish a clear legislative framework for license exchange, providing a stable and predictable process based on established legal precedent.
Arguments Against
Limited Scope: The order focuses solely on car licenses and may not address the needs of individuals holding licenses for other vehicle categories.
Potential for Abuse: Without robust verification processes, there is a potential risk of fraudulent licenses being exchanged, undermining the integrity of the UK's driving license system.
Resource Allocation: The enforcement and administrative processes involved in exchanging licenses demand resources from the relevant UK authorities.
Unforeseen Circumstances: The order may not be robust enough to account for changes in legislation or standards in either the UK or Moldova, potentially necessitating future amendments to reflect the evolving situation.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) This Order may be cited as the Driving Licences (Exchangeable Licences) Order 2025. (2) This Order comes into force on 31st July 2025. (3) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
This section provides the official title of the order, its effective date (July 31, 2025), and its geographical scope, covering England, Wales, and Scotland.
- Designation of the Republic of Moldova (1) Subject to paragraph (3), the Republic of Moldova is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2). (2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which— (a) authorise the driving of the class of vehicle included in licensing category B, and (b) have been granted by the licensing authority in the Republic of Moldova— (i) to a person who has passed a driving test in the Republic of Moldova in respect of the class of vehicle included in licensing category B, or (ii) in exchange for a licence granted in— (aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of the class of vehicle included in licensing category B, or (bb) an EEA State or a country or territory named in the Schedule to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of the class of vehicle included in licensing category B. (3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in the Republic of Moldova or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph (2)(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in the Republic of Moldova of vehicles with manual transmission. (4) In this article— “driving test” means a test corresponding to the practical test of driving skills and behaviour prescribed under section 89(3) and (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as part of the test of competence to drive; “licensing category B” means the licensing category identified as category B, in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999; “vehicle with automatic transmission” means a vehicle in which the person driving the vehicle is either— (a) not provided with any means whereby that person may vary the gear ratio between the engine and the road wheels independently of the accelerator and the brakes, or (b) provided with such means but they do not include a clutch pedal or lever which they may operate manually.
This section designates Republic of Moldova driving licenses as exchangeable with UK licenses.
It specifies that these licenses must authorize driving category B vehicles (cars).
The Moldovan license must have been granted after a driving test in Moldova or by exchange from another specified country.
Crucially, if the driving test was done in automatic transmission vehicle, the exchanged license will only allow for the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission in the UK. The section defines 'driving test', 'licensing category B', and 'vehicle with automatic transmission' for clarity.
Schedule Other Countries and Territories from which a licence may have been exchanged Andorra Australia Barbados British Virgin Islands The provinces and territories of Canada The Cayman Islands The Falkland Islands The Faroe Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Hong Kong Isle of Man Japan Jersey Republic of Korea Republic of North Macedonia The principality of Monaco New Zealand Singapore South Africa Switzerland Taiwan Ukraine United Arab Emirates Zimbabwe
This schedule lists additional countries and territories whose driving licenses may be exchanged for UK driving licenses under similar conditions.
This provides a complete list for reference.