Guidance

Driving in the EU after Brexit

What you will need to drive while visiting the EU if there's a no deal Brexit.

From:
Department for Transport
Published
12 August 2019

This guidance was withdrawn on

This page is out of date. It told you how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

After 31 January 2020 there will be a transition period until the end of 2020, while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements.

The current rules on international driving will continue to apply during the transition period.

For current information, read: Driving abroad.

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You will not be allowed to drive in the EU unless you have all the correct documentation.

If you are a commercial driver, there is additional guidance for:

Driving licence and IDPs

You will need your UK driving licence to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

You may need one or more international driving permits (IDPs), depending on which country you’re going to or through.

If you have a UK licence you will not need an IDP to drive when visiting Ireland.

Find out which IDPs you might need to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Insurance for your vehicle, caravan or trailer

You will need to carry a motor insurance green card when driving in the EU and EEA.

Contact your vehicle insurance provider 1 month before you travel to get green cards for your vehicle, caravan or trailer.

You’ll need multiple green cards if:

  • you have fleet insurance - you’ll need a green card for each vehicle
  • your vehicle is towing a trailer or caravan - you’ll need one for the towing vehicle and one for the trailer / caravan (you need separate trailer insurance in some countries)
  • you have 2 policies covering the duration of your trip, for example, if your policy renews during the journey

More about vehicle insurance.

Vehicle registration documents

If you’re taking your vehicle to the EU for less than 12 months, you should carry one of the following documents with you:

Trailer registration

You will still need to register some commercial and non-commercial trailers before towing them to or through most EU and EEA countries.

Find out more about trailer registration.

GB stickers and number plates

You should display a GB sticker on the rear of your vehicle and trailer, even if you currently have a number plate which includes the GB identifier.

You will need a GB sticker even if you have a number plate with the Euro symbol and Great Britain national identifier.

You are not required to display a GB sticker to drive in Ireland.

What to do if you’re involved in a road accident

You might need to bring a claim against either the driver or the insurer of the vehicle in the EU or EEA country where the accident happened. This will vary by insurance company. You might have to make your claim in the local language.

You might not get compensation if the accident is caused by an uninsured driver or if the driver cannot be traced. This will vary from country to country.

Get legal advice if you need more information.

Updates to this page

Published 12 August 2019

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