Issuing of Czech driving licence

Main information

Everyone who drives a motor vehicle must have a valid driving licence. Once you have passed your driving test after completing driving school, you will apply for your first licence. 

You must also apply for a licence in the following cases. The original licence is:

• damaged, destroyed, stolen, lost,
• is about to expire, or the licence has expired,
• there has been a change in your details (e.g. surname),
• a driving licence issued by a foreign country but you have permanent residence or temporary residence permit for more than 1 year in the Czech Republic --> exchange your driving licence for a Czech one.

You can apply for a driving licence if your licence is: 

• Issued in the EU or a European Economic Area country and you are habitually resident in the Czech Republic,
• issued by an EU or EEA State, has been stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed,
• issued by a foreign state which does not comply with international conventions.

If you are a holder of a Group B, B1, AM, A1, A2, A or T driving licence, the licence will be issued with a validity period of 10 years.

If you also hold one of the following vehicle groups - C1, C, D1, D, C1+E, C+E, D1+E or D+E, the licence will be valid for 5 years.

By exchanging a driving licence of a member state or a driving licence issued by a state of the European Economic Area, you will avoid dealing with unpleasant situations, e.g. in case of loss or theft of your driving licence issued by another member state or issued by a state of the European Economic Area.

You can choose whether you want to collect your licence in 20 or 5 days. Depending on the speed of issuance, the price of the administrative fee for issuing the licence also varies. You will then pay the fee in person at the office and collect your new licence within the chosen time limit. 

You can then pick up your licence at a drop-off point (delivery service box) if you request it, or at the municipal office of the municipality with extended jurisdiction.

Habitually residecy in the Czech Republic means:

• permanent residence in the Czech Republic,
• or if you do not have permanent residence, then it is the place where you reside in the Czech Republic:

1. for at least 185 days in a calendar year for reasons of personal ties, which means in particular cohabitation, family ties, ownership or rental of real estate, and, if applicable, also for reasons of business, other self-employment or dependent work in the Czech Republic, or

2. because of personal ties and you return to this place regularly, although you are carrying out business, other self-employed activity or dependent work in another country, unless the exercise of such activity in another country is limited to a fixed period.

This applies to you if

Are you a licensed driver and your licence: 

• expires or is already expired,
• change of personal data (e.g. surname),
• damage, theft, loss, destruction of the licence,
• driving licence issued by a foreign country but you have permanent residence or temporary residence permit for more than 1 year in the Czech Republic,
• issued in the EU or a European Economic Area country and you are habitually resident in the Czech Republic,
• a driving licence issued by an EU or EEA State has been stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed,
• issued by a foreign state that does not comply with international conventions.

When to use this service

• Before your licence expires, or as soon as you find out that it has expired,
• no more than 5 working days after a change of personal details - e.g. surname,
• as soon as you become aware of loss, theft, destruction or damage, 
• a Czech card or a card issued by a European Economic Area country,
• you have temporary residence in the Czech Republic for more than 1 year or permanent residence and you hold a driving licence that complies with the Road Traffic Conventions (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968) - you must exchange your licence,
• you are habitually resident in the Czech Republic and hold a driving licence issued by an EU or European Economic Area country (EEA),
• you have lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged your driving licence issued by an EU or EEA State,
• you want to get a licence in the Czech Republic and you have a licence issued by a foreign country that does not comply with international conventions.

Service settlement

What you need if you are using this service

You can apply for a new licence in a free form. In the application you will provide your personal details (name, surname, date of birth, birth number, home address and the reason for applying for a new licence).  

You have to hand in your original or damaged driving licence (Czech or foreign) to the municipal office when you visit it in person. This will prevent any misuse of your data. 

According to the reason for your application, please add the required attachments as listed in the table below: 

Type of document	When you have to submit the document
Valid ID	always
Documents proving habitual residence in the Czech Republic	always (you don't have to prove it if you have permanent residence in the Czech Republic)
Drivers licence	about to expire, expired, damaged
Documents proving change of data	changing your driving licence details
Proof of length of stay in the Czech Republic	exchange of a driving licence issued by another country under the Convention (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968)
Honest declaration that you have not been banned from driving in another country and that your licence is not suspended or restricted	exchange of a driving licence issued by another country under the Convention (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968)
Documents/data confirming possession of the original licence or driving licence	loss, theft, damage or destruction of a driving licence issued by an EU or EEA country
Driving licence issued by another country	exchange of a driving licence issued by another country under the Convention (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968) a damaged driving licence issued by an EU or EEA State replacing a driving licence issued by an EU or EEA country
Replacing a driving licence issued by another country that does not comply with international conventions	proof of medical fitness, not older than 30 days (at the date of application) proof of a proficiency test, not older than 30 days an international driving licence issued by a foreign country

Documents proving habitual residence in the Czech Republic are: 

• a certificate of temporary residence under the Act on the Residence of Foreigners in the Czech Republic,
• extract from the Land Registry confirming ownership rights to the property,
• lease contract for the property,
• employer's confirmation of employment,
• extract from the trade register,
• if necessary, other documents that may help to prove that you are actually residing in the Czech Republic,
• a honest declaration stating that you have not been banned from driving motor vehicles by another Member State, that your driving licence has not been suspended or withdrawn and information on any suspension or restriction of your driving licence by another Member State.

These documents are to be submitted if you are not a permanent resident of the Czech Republic.

Where and how to solve this service

You can apply for a driving licence in person at the municipal office of the municipality with extended jurisdiction.

How much will you pay

You will pay CZK 700 for a licence issued in 5 work days and CZK 200 for a licence issued in 20 days. 

You will pay the fee when you collect your new licence in person at the municipal office, no later than the completion of the driving licence procedure.

Additional information

What is the benefit of this service

You can drive motor vehicles in the Czech Republic and EU countries. 

Appeal options

You can appeal under the Administrative Code. 

Sanctions

If you drive a motor vehicle without a valid licence, you are committing an offence. You may be fined on the spot for this offence, which may result in a fine of CZK 1 500.