How do you convert a foreign driving licence in Belgium in 2026?

A valid European national licence issued by an EU or EEA state can usually be used in Belgium while it remains valid. Immediate exchange is not always required. SPF Mobilité still lists cases where exchange becomes mandatory, such as loss, theft, damage, certain offence follow-ups, or a licence without an administrative expiry date that must be exchanged within two years after Belgian registration. Exchange applications go to your municipality once you have normal residence recorded.

A recognised non-European national licence can typically be used for the first 185 days after Belgian registration. After that period you normally need a Belgian licence if you keep driving. You may start the exchange file earlier, but SPF Mobilité states the Belgian licence is issued only after those 185 days, and the foreign card is not returned once exchanged. The municipality checks recognition of the exact model, validity, authenticity, and residence history. If your nationality differs from the issuing country, you may need proof that you stayed at least 185 days in the issuing country during the year of issue. Federal Police authenticity checks can take several weeks. A sworn translation may be required when the licence is not in Dutch, French or German.

If your model is not exchangeable, you obtain a Belgian licence by passing the theory and practical tests under the Region where you live. In Flanders, GOCA centres handle vehicle inspection and many driving-exam appointments; Wallonia and Brussels-Capital use their own authorised exam networks. Book only through official regional channels after the commune confirms that exchange is impossible.

Register or exchange only at the municipality of your National Register address. Brussels drivers must use their specific commune desk, not a random neighbouring office. Low Emission Zone (LEZ) camera rules in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent are separate from licence conversion: they police vehicle emissions, not whether your foreign card was swapped.