The Irish-US Driver’s Licence Campaign has published a new report with major recommendations to create a "workable licence exchange system" between Ireland and the US.
The campaign, which was launched in 2025 and features prominent Irish and Irish Americans, says that the inability to exchange American driving licences for Irish ones impacts thousands of returning Irish citizens, as well as US citizens in Ireland for work, every year.
As it stands in Ireland, a driver can exchange their driving license issued by certain 'recognized states' for an Irish driving license. The US is not among the recognized states.
Ireland also requires proof of normal Irish residency - at least 185 days per year - to renew Irish driver's licenses. With Irish driver's licenses carrying a maximum ten-year term, many Irish emigrants are eventually prevented from renewing their licenses after moving abroad.
As such, Americans moving to Ireland and Irish emigrants returning to Ireland must go through the full Irish driver licensing procedure to get an Irish driver's license - even if they have a US driver's license and or despite having been previously licensed in Ireland. In these instances, however, only six essential driver training (EDT) lessons are required instead of the usual 12 lessons.
(This procedure does not apply to US tourists - US citizens are permitted to drive in Ireland for the duration of a visit up to 12 months, but after that period would have to apply for an Irish license.)
Announcing the publication of the report this week, the Irish-US Driver’s Licence Campaign labeled the current process as "unnecessarily burdensome."
However, the authors of the report believe that, following extensive review of current Irish and EU legislation, as well as Irish Statutory Instruments related to driving licence exchange, "it is possible to use the experience and current practices of other EU countries to develop less burdensome approaches to facilitating driver license exchange for our returning citizens."
This report concludes that under Irish law, Ireland could exchange foreign licences unilaterally, without a reciprocal agreement.
Under Irish law, Ireland could, via amendment to Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2007, add a country or state for the exchange of a foreign license unilaterally, without a reciprocal agreement.
The report stated that, based on review of what is being done in other EU countries, a unilateral license exchange process is practical and permissible by precedent under EU law. This unilateral license exchange process is in alignment with and is permissible by EU driving license Directive 2205 of 2025.
Ireland could reinstate expired Irish driving licences for holders of current licences from other countries, the authors further concluded.
Based on the findings, the report put forth three recommendations for Ireland's Minister for Transport Seán Canney and the RSA.
The first is to "prioritise license exchange agreements with US states that already have reciprocal exchange agreements with other EU countries."
It also recommends, via amendment to Statutory Instrument, to allow for unilateral and reciprocal foreign license recognition, as is the case in other EU countries, as well as allow for reinstatement of Irish driving licenses that have been expired for more than 10 years if the person holds a current license from another country.
The campaign, which is co-chaired by Ciarán Staunton and Karen McHugh, is due to present and discuss the report and its proposals to members of the Oireachtas on April 28.
Comments