Differences between a national and an international driver's license

Over the past year, many Ukrainians have been forced to travel outside the country in their own cars. And there are many of our citizens who are driving a vehicle outside their home countries for the first time. In this regard, one of the frequent questions is: where is the Ukrainian national driver's license valid and in what cases should you also obtain an international driver's license? Let's figure it out.

Two licenses and two conventions

In order to legally drive a car outside Ukraine, you should know where exactly you can do it based on your national license, and where it will not be enough and you need to apply for an international one.

In fact, everything is quite simple. Your national driving license is valid in countries that are signatories to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. This list is extensive and includes European, Arab, African and other states.

However, there are countries that are signatories to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. On their territory, you can legally drive a vehicle only if you have an international driving license. In order not to make a mistake, check in advance which Convention is in force in the country where you are going to participate in road traffic as a driver.

What is the difference between a national license and an international one?

You receive a national license according to the standard procedure for Ukraine - when you pass an exam. Since March 2021, it has an updated form: a plastic card containing information about you as a driver stipulated by law. Previously, the national license was issued in paper form. If you are interested, you can see what all Ukrainian driver's licenses look like. An international license is a translation of information in several languages, which is contained in a national driver's license. In addition, please note that an international license is issued for a period of three years in addition to the national one and is not valid without it. It is also important to know about the changes that took place in July 2022: the Regulations on the use of Ukrainian driver's licenses in EU countries came into effect. This is important for our citizens who have temporary shelter or appropriate protection. In particular, this Regulation established special rules for expired, lost or stolen Ukrainian driver's licenses. You can also use a national license, even if its fields are filled exclusively in Cyrillic, however, together with a document on temporary or appropriate protection and a foreign passport.

Differences between a national and an international driver's license