Foreigners with Temporary Refuge Status Do Not Need to Exchange Their Driver’s License for a Slovak One
23. 06. 2025
Recently, the police have been receiving inquiries from foreigners residing in Slovakia under various types of residence permits regarding the obligation to exchange their driver’s license for a Slovak one. This mainly concerns individuals with temporary refuge status.
According to the Road Traffic Act, to be issued a driver’s license, the applicant must have residence in the Slovak Republic as defined by law. Such residence may include:
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Permanent residence of a Slovak citizen,
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Temporary residence of a foreigner, or
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Other legally recognized forms of residence, such as studying in Slovakia for at least six months.
However, the status of “temporary refuge” and the related tolerated stay are not considered a form of residence that entitles a person to be issued a driver’s license under the Road Traffic Act. Tolerated stay is only a temporary measure and does not have the character of standard temporary or permanent residence.
Therefore, individuals with temporary refuge status are neither required nor eligible to exchange their foreign driver’s license for a Slovak one.
Foreigners with temporary residence are obliged to exchange their driver’s license within 180 days of being granted residence. However, this does not apply to those with temporary refuge status, as the legal condition of residence under the Road Traffic Act does not apply to them.
