Do I need to exchange my foreign driving licence for an Austrian one?

Updated: Jan 15, 2024

The answer to this question depends on whether you have a licence issued by a European Economic Area (EEA) country or not.

The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

1. Licences issued by another EEA member country

EEA licenses for all categories except C and D (trucks) are valid indefinitely (or at least until 18 January 2033, when you'll need the most current credit card type licence), so if you just want to drive a normal car or motorbike no change is needed. You may voluntarily exchange your EEA licence for an Austrian one.
Category C and D licences that were issued by another EEA member state are valid until expiry but for a maximum of five years.
No driving test or medical examination is required for the exchange of an EEA licence.
The cost of exchanging your licence is €60.50 (January 2024).
If necessary the ÖAMTC will translate a foreign driving licence for a small fee (or free to members).
For more information see https://www.oeamtc.at/MG_Info_EWR_Fuehrerscheine_in_Oesterreich_201903_EN.pdf/30.875.354 and https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/fuehrerschein/auslaendischer-eu-und-ewr-fuehrerschein-in-oesterreich-16179194 (an English PDF can be found near the bottom of this page).

These must be converted within six months of being resident in Austria. The cost of exchanging your licence is €60.50 (January 2024).
Licences from some countries are not recognised in Austria so you will be unable to drive or hire a car without passing a full Austrian driving test. The list changes occasionally but in January 2024 was:
- Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Indonesia, Kosovo, Libya, Nepal, Nicaragua, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tonga, Yemen
All drivers with third country licences will need a medical examination
You may need to take a driving test:
- List of countries (January 2024) whose licences can be exchanged WITHOUT a driving test:
  - For all classes: Andorra, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Switzerland, Serbia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  - For class B: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of South Africa, Republic of South Korea (if the driving licence was issued after 1 January 1997), United Arab Emirates, USA.
- Holders of driving licences from other third countries will need to take a driving test before exchanging their licence.
- If necessary the ÖAMTC will translate a foreign driving licence for a small fee (or free to members).

In Austria a driving licence must be carried at all times when driving a car. Failure to provide your driving licence at a police stop will lead to a fine.
An Austrian credit card style driving licence is valid for 15 years. This is a purely administrative issue. No medical examination or driving test will be required on renewal. This also applies to the transfer of a driver's license issued in another EU country in Austria.
All Austrian driving licences are EU driving licences. They can be used throughout the EU. You don't need to exchange it if you move to a different country.