Driving licence reinstatement
If you have been disqualified from driving and lost your licence, you will need to reacquire your licence in order to drive legally again. You can reinstate your licence by meeting a number of conditions, which may differ depending on the type of driving disqualification. See all the conditions here and find out how to reinstate your licence.
How do I reinstate my driving licence?
If you have been disqualified from driving, you can only drive legally again once you have reacquired your licence. You regain your driving licence by fulfilling a number of conditions, which can vary depending on the reason why your licence was suspended.
What conditions do I need to fulfil to reinstate my driving licence?
Conditional disqualification from driving
If you have received a conditional driving disqualification, you can reacquire your licence for a three-year probationary period if you pass a driving test. This test consists of a theoretical and practical test where you will be tested on the underlying theory of driving and your practical driving skills.
When you retake the theory test and the driving test, it is not a prerequisite that you must complete the required theory and driving instruction programme again. However, if a deadline has been set for when you must pass the theory test at the latest, you must meet this deadline. The deadline is usually set at 6 months.
If, within the three-year probationary period, you commit a traffic offence that can trigger a new conditional suspension of your driving licence, you will receive an unconditional suspension of your driving licence of at least 6 months. You will only receive a conditional suspension of your driving licence if you have held your driving licence for more than 3 years before it was suspended. If you have not had your licence for more than 3 years, you will receive a driving ban.
Driving bans
If you are banned from driving, you can only regain your licence once you have completed special training and passed a driving test. The special training must be conducted by an approved driving instructor and must consist of at least 8 lessons of 45 minutes in theory and 8 lessons of 45 minutes in driving. It is also a requirement that the training extends over a minimum of 8 teaching days.
Unconditional disqualification from driving
If you have an unconditional driving disqualification, this means that you can only reacquire your driving licence once the disqualification period has expired. You regain your licence by passing a driving test.
Disqualification due to drink-driving
If the disqualification of your driving licence is due to drunk driving or similar, it is also a condition for the reinstatement of your driving licence that you complete an alcohol/drug/traffic course, including a ANT course.
How do I apply for a driving licence reinstatement?
In order to reinstate your driving licence, it is a condition that you apply for the reinstatement.
If you have been disqualified from driving, you will generally have to appear in person at one of the country's municipalities and hand in a completed application form and an approved passport photo. In some municipalities, your driving instructor can attend for you and handle this part of the process. When you hand in the application form, either you or your driving instructor must be able to present your valid driving licence or passport, as well as your letter regarding the driving licence suspension. If you have been disqualified from driving due to drink-driving, you will also need to provide an ANT course certificate.
In the case of a suspended driving licence, make sure you apply for the reinstatement in good time, as you must pass a driving test within 6 months of the conviction.
If this does not happen, you will be sentenced to an unconditional driving licence suspension. If you have been unconditionally disqualified, the earliest you can apply for reinstatement of your driving licence is one month before the disqualification period expires.