Exchange of UK driving licence for a Czech one – useful guidelines for UK citizens living in the Cze

Exchange of UK driving licence for a Czech one – useful guidelines for UK citizens living in the Czech Republic
16/07/2021 15:01:00Current topics
Exchange of UK driving licence for a Czech one – useful guidelines for UK citizens living in the Cze
Below, you will find information issued by the Ministry of Transport in a form of questions and answers about normal residence and a list of documents, which may be requested by municipal authorities during the exchange procedure.

Question

Can I exchange my UK driving licence for a Czech one if I came to the Czech Republic before the end of 2020 to stay here after 1 January 2021, i.e. I have been staying in the Czech Republic before 1 January 2021?

Answer

Yes. You do not have to exchange your UK driving licence for a Czech one but if you wish to do so, you have to fulfil the following conditions:
  • The UK driving licence has to comply with a driving licence template set in the Conventions on Road Traffic (Vienna 1968, Geneva 1949), i.e. be in a form of a plastic card;
  • The applicant has to have a normal residence in the Czech Republic.
Normal residence means:
  • A permanent residence in the Czech Republic; or
  • A residence lasting for at least 185 days in a calendar year due to personal or occupational ties, if the applicant does not have a permanent residence in the Czech Republic.
Normal residence is a place of residence where the applicant actually lives and has a close ties to it in terms of residence provisions (i.e. lease agreement, co-habitation in one household) required by the public administrations (payment of taxes, social and health insurance, vehicle registration) and occupational links related to work or self-employment in the Czech Republic.

The principle of normal residence is provided for in Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences, as amended. The term “normal residence” is defined in Art. 12. (The Czech Republic, being an EU Member State, is obliged to follow the European rules.)

Normal residence can be verified by the following evidence, which will prove having close ties with the actual place of residence.

Paragraph 109, article 7, point f) of Act No. 361/2000 Coll., Road Traffic Act, as amended, defines a list of documents, which can be submitted along with the application for an exchange of a UK driving licence for a Czech one (confirmation of temporary residence, lease agreement, extract from land registry, confirmation of employment, extract from trade register).

The list is demonstrative, i.e. gives examples of such evidence, which on their own does not provide for a sufficient prove of having normal residence in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, an applicant has to submit them when applying for an exchange of a driving licence. A relevant authority will assess these documents together and take into account specific circumstances. This means that submission of the documents in itself does not guarantee a successful exchange request. Under certain circumstances, the applicant must submit other evidence, which will prove they have close ties to the place of residence, i.e. a normal residence according to the Czech as well as European law. A relevant authority dealing with your application will call on you to submit such additional documents.

Other documents proving normal residence in the Czech Republic:
  • Marital relationship husband-wife, e.g. marriage certificate;
  • Co-habitation of partners, e.g. documents proving co-habitation (payment of fees for living in one household);
  • Birth certificate of a child;
  • Confirmation of school attendance of children;
  • Confirmation of payment of health insurance (health insurance certificate);
  • Confirmation of payment of social insurance;
  • Confirmation of registration of a vehicle;
  • Confirmation of payment of taxes;
  • Confirmation of having a bank account;
  • Contract with a mobile operator or contract on lease of a satellite TV;
  • A public transport card;
  • A fitness centre membership card.
To apply for an exchange of UK driving licence for a Czech one, the person must submit:
  • UK driving licence;
  • Valid ID card;
  • Documents proving having a normal residence in the Czech Republic – if you do not have a permanent residence in the Czech Republic.
The administrative fee for exchanging a driving licence is CZK 200.

Possible situations:

1.

I came to the Czech Republic in 2019.
I live in the Czech Republic with my family – my wife/husband and our children.
I own a valid UK driving licence.

Possible solution:

You will contact a municipal authority with extended powers (list of all municipal authorities is available on an interactive map of the Ministry of Transport) and when applying for an exchange of your driving licence, you will submit the following documents:
  • UK driving licence;
  • Valid ID card;
  • Documents proving normal residence:
    • Confirmation of temporary residence in the Czech Republic;
    • Lease agreement that shows all persons living in the same household as an evidence of having personal ties;
    • Confirmation of payment of social and health insurance;
    • Confirmation of school attendance of children;
    • Confirmation of registration of vehicle in the Czech Republic;
    • Valid employment contract, which clearly shows that the occupation is performed in the Czech Republic.

2.

I came to the Czech Republic in January 2020.
I am self-employed.
I own a property.
I live in a relationship.

Possible solution:

You will contact a municipal authority with extended powers (list of all municipal authorities is available on an interactive map of the Ministry of Transport) and when applying for an exchange of your driving licence, you will submit the following documents:
  • UK driving licence;
  • Valid ID card;
  • Documents proving normal residence:
    • Confirmation of temporary residence in the Czech Republic;
    • Extract from land registry (Other relevant documents, which will serve as an evidence of your residence, are payment of utility services or Internet services);
    • Solemn declaration from your partner claiming they live in the same household with you;
    • Confirmation of payment of social and health insurance;
    • Extract from trade register;
    • Confirmation of payment of taxes – tax declaration;
    • Confirmation of registration of vehicle in the Czech Republic.
The municipal authority, where you applied for an exchange, will assess whether the condition of having a normal residence in the Czech Republic was met. Each application for an exchange of a driving licence and attached documents will be assessed on an individual basis taking into account the given circumstances and considering whether all legal conditions for an exchange of a driving licence were met.

If the municipal authority has any doubts on whether the condition of having a normal residence was met, it is entitled to call on the applicant to provide additional documents that will prove they have a normal residence in the Czech Republic. If the normal residence cannot be verified, the exchange of a driving licence will be denied.

In case of any further questions, please, contact the municipal authority with extended powers, where you plan to submit the application. List of all municipal authorities is available on an interactive map of the Ministry of Transport.


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