EU moves to fully digital driving licences, impacting all new applicants across member states
Executive summary: The EU announced a mandatory digital driving licence for all new applicants, replacing the paper licence. The reform affects administrative workflows, driving‑school operations, and creates demand for digital identity solutions, with potential cost savings and new compliance requirements.
Who is involved: European Commission, national transport ministries, driving‑school associations, IT vendors specialising in identity verification.
Likely next: Member states will draft national legislation to implement the digital licence, with pilot programmes expected in late 2026 and full rollout targeted for 2027.
The European Union announced that driving licences will be issued exclusively in digital format, replacing the traditional paper document for every new applicant. The change is part of broader digitalisation efforts and will require updates to national transport IT systems and driving‑school procedures. While the shift aims to streamline verification and reduce fraud, it introduces immediate compliance costs for administrations and private providers.
Timeline
- — El permiso de conducir cambia por completo: ¿Cuándo es obligatorio y cómo podemos obtenerlo? (Expansión)