UK Proposes 24-Month Extension for Ukrainian Driving Licences in Great Britain

The UK government proposed adding 24 months to the period during which holders of Ukrainian driving licences can operate vehicles in Great Britain, according to GB News. Labour announced the proposals, which would allow these licence holders to drive relevant vehicles including cars, motorcycles and mopeds.

The new rules would extend the existing driving eligibility from 36 months to 60 months for some Ukrainian licence holders.

The extension would apply to those who have become residents under the current Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme. If the terms of the proposals are accepted, Ukrainian licence holders will be able to apply for a 24-month extension to the UPE scheme visa. Licence holders would be able to drive while their UPE application extension is pending.

Driving permission would end if the UPE application extension is withdrawn, rejected or refused. Separate proposals would give Ukrainian licence holders who were initially granted 54 months of driving eligibility a further 24 months. These suggestions apply to those who currently have leave under the UPE scheme, allowing them to drive in Great Britain for up to 78 months after becoming a resident.

From May 2021 to November 2025, 30,293 Ukrainian driving licences were exchanged for a GB licence, according to figures from the DVLA reported by GB News. Separate data from the Home Office shows that 278,529 Ukrainian nationals have arrived in the UK through one of the visa schemes.

Just over 110,000 people have been granted an extension to an existing permission to stay up to September 2025 because of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

A third proposal would give a driving entitlement to certain Ukrainian licence holders who were originally granted Leave Outside The Rules (LOTR) and then moved onto the UPE scheme without having held a visa under one of the original visa schemes. These individuals will be allowed to drive relevant vehicles in Great Britain for up to 78 months from the date they became a resident in GB.

The 78 months would include all the time they have already spent in GB after becoming resident, as the 78-month entitlement would begin after a person becomes resident, according to the consultation.

The consultation acknowledges that there could be some road safety considerations, especially around driving on the opposite side of the road and road signage written in English without pictograms, GB News reported. The proposals come amid broader support for Ukrainian nationals displaced by the conflict.

The consultation was first launched on March 26, 2026. The consultation will close on April 23, 2026, at 11:59pm. Motorists and motoring organisations have until that time to provide feedback on the proposed changes.