The driving licence

Lost or stolen licence

Find out the cost and duration of your licence: what to do if your driving licence/learner permit gets lost or stolen, plus how to exchange a foreign driving licence for an Irish one.

Cost to replace licence/learner permit 

The fee to replace a lost driving licence is:

  • Duplicate licence (if original is lost/stolen or destroyed) - €35

The licence/learner permit will be issued for the remaining period of the original licence/learner permit.

Lost/stolen licences,learner permits and licence exchange

Important note -please ensure to complete any forms in block capitals using a black ballpoint pen. The application form must only be printed and not photocopied for quality control purposes. 

If you licence/learner permit is out of date and has been lost or stolen, you must 

  1. complete a D401 for a Full Licence application and a D201 for a Learner Permit application at your local Garda station, forms also available at your Motor Tax office.

  2. Then send the completed Driving Licence Application form (D401) or Learner Permit (D201) to your local Motor Taxation office.

Duplicate Licence/Learner Permit 

If your licence/learner permit is current but has been lost or stolen you may apply to your Motor Taxation Office for a duplicate by completing the relevant form (D 401) or (D201). A duplicate licence is issued to replace a valid licence that has been lost, stolen, destroyed or defaced. The duplicate will be a copy of the original licence/permit and will be valid for the same period. Your application should include:

Free-in-lieu licence

Free-in-lieu licences are issued (provided your driving licence is current) in the following cases:

  • Change of name/address 
  • Removal of endorsement (on expiry of three-year endorsement period)
  • If an error has been made in the issue of the licence (eg, incorrect date of birth)
  • Additional category is being added

In all cases you must apply to your local Motor Taxation Office with a completed application form, two passport photographs (signed on reverse).

Exchange of driving licence

When coming to live in Ireland, the holder of a valid driving licence from the EU or the EEA may drive on that licence as long as it is in date. They must then apply to exchange their driving licence for an Irish one. They can also apply to exchange their licence for an Irish one at any time within ten years of the expiry of the licence.

The holder of a valid driving licence issued by a 'recognized state' can drive on that licence for one year after taking up residence or the expiry date of the licence, whichever is sooner.

The following countries are seen as ‘recognised states’ for the purposes of driving licence exchange: 

  • Australia
  • Gibraltar
  • Guernsey
  • Isle of Man
  • Japan
  • Jersey
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Switzerland

Application for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence must be made no later than one year of expiry of the licence.

All applicants for exchange must complete the D401 Full Licence applicaiton form(PDF), available from your local Motor Tax Office or for download at www.ndls.ie.