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

CSDD states that a foreign licence may be exchanged by a person whose permanent residence for the last six months, according to national registers, has been Latvia (Road Traffic Law, Article 22). Finish address declaration, personas kods, and lawful stay first: Residence permit.

Bring a passport or ID card and the licence to be exchanged to a CSDD customer service centre. Complete the driver’s medical examination; CSDD often receives medical results electronically from doctors. EU/EFTA licence holders typically follow this document-and-medical path. Outside the EU, CSDD verifies the licence with the foreign authority (or you supply legalised confirmation), then you pass the relevant category tests before a Latvian licence is issued. Non-EU licences generally must be exchanged once you reside in Latvia more than one year.

Riga residents can delay a car with Rīgas satiksme, but coastal and industrial towns still reward a licence: Utilities, internet and transport. Keep e-CSDD access working once you have eID. Sequence the wider stack in Paperwork after moving.