Introduction
After moving to Sweden there are many things that you will want to do. You will need to get a personnummer, a Swedish ID, a bank account, and you will definitely want to sign up for BankID. One thing that you might not think about is what it will take to get a driver's license, particularly if you have already been driving in your home country for a number of years.
There are several reasons that you might want to get a Swedish license. For one, it can be used as a form of ID in Sweden, which is a nice way to avoid carrying your passport around all the time. Second, if you have a foreign driver's license it is only valid for one year after you are registered as a resident. So if you want to continue to drive in Sweden you will need to get a local driver's license anyway. Lastly, if you are planning on driving in other EU countries, it is much more convenient if you have an EU license. For example, many countries want you to have an International Drivers Permit, which can be an inconvenience if you are not in your home country.
For EEA License Holders
If you already have a driver's license from the European Economic Area (EEA), Faroe Islands, Japan, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom you are in a good position, as you will likely be able to exchange that license for a Swedish one. Technical, it is not necessary to do this, but if you are planning to stay in Sweden for an extended period of time, you might as well get a local license. To do this, there is an application form that you fill out and mail to one of the offices. You do have to pay a small fee of 280 SEK (at the time this was written).
Minimum Requirements
If you have a license from another country, then the process is going to take a little bit longer and be a bit more complex. For starters, there are a few basic requirements for getting a driver's license for a passenger car: (1) You need to have a learners permit; (2) you need to be a permanent resident or have been studying in Sweden for at least six months; (3) be at least 18 years of age; and (4) have successfully passed both the theory and practical driving test. While it is not technically a requirement, this will be significantly easier if you have a personnummer and BankID.
Getting a Learners Permit
To start the process, you will want to book an eye exam (Syntest för körkort). This can be done at many glasses stores, but you will almost certainly need to book an appointment ahead of time. The price varies based on location and which store you go to, but it will most likely be between 150 and 200 SEK. It is a very quick appointment where they will ask you to read a few different lines of letters off of an eye chart.
A day or two before your eye exam, you should apply for a learner's permit on the Transport Styrelsen website. There is an online service for this where you provide information about yourself, including a self-health declaration. After this application is in the system, you should attend your eye exam. As previously mentioned this is a very quick appointment. Assuming you pass the eye exam, they will submit the results to Transport Styrelsen and your learner's permit will be issued. In my case, my learner's permit appeared in the system less than 24 hours after my eye exam.
Driving Lessons
Now that you have a learner's permit you are allowed to continue the process. For some, it might be a good idea to take a practice lesson. I had visited Sweden quite a few times in the past where I drove with people from Sweden so I felt relatively comfortable. I did take one lesson and to be honest I am not sure if it was worth it, other than giving me a little peace of mind that I would probably pass. However, it is in the driving school's best interest for you to do more lessons, which they will always suggest. You do need to be a defensive driver and there are some things you are tested on that I know I did not have to consider for my US driver's license, such as driving in a fuel-efficient manner. These lessons also vary in cost, but in the Stockholm area, it will probably be at least 700 SEK per lesson. Most reputable driving schools will have prices listed online, so shop around and make sure you are getting a good deal.
Risk 1 Class
After you feel like you are ready to continue the process, you will need to take the Risk 1 class. This is a session that takes place in the classroom and essentially explains that you should not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is offered in Swedish or English and depending on the school you take this course through, will be varying times of the week. I managed to find a weekend course, which was convenient for my schedule. This again varies between schools, but will likely cost around 800 SEK. This is just based on participation, so as long as you pay attention while you are in the class, you will pass. After passing, the instructor will report that you passed to the driving authorities.
Risk 2 Class
After passing Risk 1, you need to take the Risk 2 class. This also involves a classroom session, but there is also a practical driving portion. This class is intended to teach you about stopping distance and maneuverability in different kinds of traction. You learn about braking distance in the classroom and then get to experience driving in different conditions. You will accelerate to the speed that the instructor tells you and then after reaching a certain speed you do an emergency brake and try to avoid an obstacle. You will then drive on a curvy section and try to keep the car from going outside the lines. Again with this course, if you participate and learn through the process, you will pass this course. This course will likely cost around 2300 SEK and is also offered at various times throughout the week depending on which driving school you book the class with. After successfully completing Risk 2, the instructor will submit that result to the driving authorities.
Theory Exam
Throughout the process, you should be practicing for the theory exam. If you search online, you will find a number of resources with things such as the driving booklet and theory practice exams. Some of this information is free, while other resources you will need to pay for. After feel like you have a good understanding of the theory, you are ready to take the theory exam. You can book exams prior to completing Risk 1 and Risk 2, but the two courses do need to be completed before you take the exam. For the theory exam, there will be questions from a few different categories, including vehicle knowledge, environment, traffic safety, traffic regulations, and individual circumstances. If you are able to consistently pass the practice theory exams, you will be fine. These exams are booked on the Trafikverket website. You will need to show up about 15 minutes early, as they will start by checking your ID and you will take your picture. After taking your picture it is time for the exam. It starts with 5 practice questions before beginning the 65-question exam which you have 50 minutes to complete. This exam is taken on a computer and you will find out immediately whether or not you passed. This will cost between 325 and 400 SEK depending on the time of day that you take the exam.
Practical Driving Exam
Last, you will need to pass the practical driving test. For this portion, you can select whether you to take a license for a manual or an automatic car. If you have an automatic license, you are not allowed to drive a manual car. If you have been taking lessons with a driving school, you will have the option to book the exam through the school and use that car, which might be nice as the controls will be familiar. If you want, you can also book directly with Trafikverket and use one of their vehicles. For the exam, you will start by doing a safety check. They can ask you to do the full safety check which includes checking all of the lights, the horn, the steering, the brakes, the horn, and the fluids in the car. It is also possible that they will ask you to check a particular part of that inspection, so be prepared to check all of these things which are also described in the driver's manual. You will then drive for around 30 minutes where you will be evaluated in a number of elements of driving that are selected by the examiner. As soon as you finish the test, the examiner will tell you whether or not you passed. This will cost approximately 1200 SEK if you are using Trafikverket’s vehicles, but could be more or less if you book through a driving school.
After the Exam
If you pass you are immediately allowed to drive in Sweden. Since your picture was already taken, they will process your drivers license and send it by mail. You will be required to pick up the package in person and show your ID to collect it. After you have your driver's license, you are free to drive in Sweden with whichever category of vehicles your license covers.
Total Cost and Timeline
In total, this process will cost at least 5600 SEK, but likely more than that if you take multiple lessons or if you don’t pass the exam on the first try, which is very common as the bar to pass the exam is high. In my case, I spent approximately 8000 SEK to get my driver's license. The amount of time to get a driver's license varies depending on a lot of factors. Your learner's permit, Risk 1, and Risk 2 classes are all valid for 5 years (or until your learner's permit expires). However, if you do not successfully pass the practical driving test within 4 months of successfully completing the theory exam, you will need to retake the theory exam.
After all of this is complete, you are good to drive in Sweden until you need to renew your license, which you will be notified of in good time. Good luck, and happy driving!
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