Exchanging a Foreign Driving Licence for an Uzbek One

In short: a foreign licence is exchanged for an Uzbek one in three stages: an authenticity check via the Foreign Ministry, the theory test and the practical test at a driving ground. Only diplomats and staff of certain international bodies are exempt from the tests. Uzbek citizens may not drive at home on a foreign licence; foreigners may, if the licence complies with the 1968 Vienna Convention.

Who can drive without exchanging

The rules on foreign licences are in clauses 74–76 of the regulation approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 408 of 31 May 2018 (as amended to October 2026).

Who you are	Can you drive on a foreign licence?	What to do
Foreign national or stateless person	yes, with an international or Vienna Convention-compliant licence	for long stays, an Uzbek licence is more convenient
Uzbek citizen with another country's licence	no, only Uzbek licences are valid for citizens in Uzbekistan	exchange with tests
Staff of a diplomatic mission, consulate, international organisation or accredited foreign media outlet	non-Vienna licences are exchanged via the Foreign Ministry	exchange without tests
Foreign employee of an NGO (where an agreement exists)	exchange via the Ministry of Justice and Foreign Ministry	exchange after a medical and the tests

The most common case is Uzbek citizens who worked in Russia or Korea for a few years, got a licence there and came home. Many assume that because the licence is genuine they can drive on it. For Uzbek citizens in Uzbekistan that is not the case: the licence has to be exchanged.

A foreigner getting a licence for the first time follows the general route: driving school, tests, licence. See getting a driving licence in Uzbekistan as a foreigner.

The exchange, step by step

1. Verification via the Foreign Ministry

Before any exchange, the foreign licence is verified: the road traffic safety service (YHXB) sends a request through the Foreign Ministry to the issuing country. Go to the YHXB registration and exam unit where you live with your passport and the original foreign licence. Ask your unit in advance whether a notarised translation is needed; it depends on the language of the document.

The regulation sets no deadline for the check; it depends on how quickly the foreign authority replies. Allow for that and do not plan to sit the tests next week.

2. Documents for the tests

Once the licence is confirmed, you are admitted to the tests. For drivers exchanging a licence, the regulation on private exam centres requires:

• an application (on the centre's website or via my.gov.uz);
• a passport or ID card;
• a medical certificate of fitness to drive the relevant category (form 083);
• a copy of your current driving licence.

A driving school completion certificate is not needed for an exchange. A note on the medical certificate: in January 2026 the reference to a medical examination was deleted from clause 76, but the certificate is still part of the exam document set, so get it in advance.

3. The theory test

Same rules as for everyone: 20 questions, 25 minutes, at least 18 correct answers. The test is in Uzbek or Russian; in any other language you need an interpreter. If you have driven under another country's rules for years, do not rely on experience. Uzbek rules differ in the details: priority at unregulated junctions, stopping rules, trams. The format is covered in the driving theory test.

4. The practical test at the driving ground

The practical test takes place on an automated driving ground: hill start ramp, box, parallel parking, slalom, a junction with traffic lights and other elements. The car belongs to the exam centre and has a manual gearbox. For drivers from Korea, the US or Europe, where nearly everyone drives an automatic, this is the main hurdle. See the practical test at the driving ground.

5. Getting the Uzbek licence

After both tests you pay for the licence (70% of the base calculation unit, i.e. 308,000 soum with the BCU at 440,000 soum) and collect the card in person or by post. Your foreign licence is then sent via the Foreign Ministry to the authority that issued it. You will not get it back, so if you still need it abroad, plan around that.

What it costs

Item	2026 guide figure
083 medical certificate	clinic's rate
Theory test at a unified exam centre	1.5 million soum (public offer, October 2026)
Practical test at a unified exam centre	1.5 million soum if paid on theory day, otherwise 1.6 million (public offer, October 2026)
Each retake	1.6 million soum (public offer, October 2026)
Licence issue	70% of the BCU, 308,000 soum
Instructor lessons before the driving ground	from 100,000 soum per hour (late 2025 data)

Where a YHXB unit runs the tests, fees are lower: 10% of the BCU for a first attempt and 15% for a retake. Private centre prices change, so check before you pay.

Planning your time

While the Foreign Ministry check runs, you can use the time well. The usual sequence for returning learners looks like this:

1. Week one. Submit the licence for verification at YHXB and, in parallel, get the 083 medical certificate.
2. While you wait. Theory from the Uzbek question bank, 20–30 minutes a day, plus 3–5 hours with an instructor on a practice ground in a manual car.
3. After confirmation. Book the theory test. If you are ready, the practical can follow soon after, but do not let it slide: you have two months.
4. After the tests. Pay for the licence via my.gov.uz and collect the card. Processing takes 2 working hours under the regulation, plus postal delivery if you choose it.

That way the waiting weeks are not wasted and you arrive at the tests prepared.

Practical advice

• Start with the check. Until the Foreign Ministry confirms your licence, the tests will not help.
• Book 3–5 hours on a driving ground. Even an experienced driver needs time to get used to the ramp, the box and how sensors score you. You can find an instructor under instructors in Tashkent.
• If you are an Uzbek citizen, do not drive before the exchange. At home a foreign licence does not prove your right to drive, and an officer may treat it as driving without a licence under Article 135 of the Code of Administrative Liability.
• Watch the deadlines. A theory pass is valid for two months, and the practical must be passed within that time.

Practice and exam grounds are listed under driving grounds in Tashkent. If you want a short course to prepare for the driving ground in a manual car, browse driving schools in Tashkent or leave a request for driving school matching, and we will find a school or instructor with a short programme for experienced drivers.