How to get a driving licence in Cyprus: personal experience

A car is not a luxury in Cyprus, but a means of transport that you can't do without.

Of course, you can try to get around by public transport, or rather buses (there are no other options on the island). But eventually you will start to think about buying your own car, especially if there are children in the family and they need to be taken to school and extra lessons every day.

Many people, after moving to Cyprus, are somehow intimidated by driving on the left side of the road. And for no reason! A few days behind the wheel and you will not remember that you used to drive differently. Driving on Cypriot roads is a pleasure: no fear and no stress. Everyone is polite and friendly (well, almost everyone).

It should be mentioned that if you are not a local and not a European, but you have a driving licence, you have the right to drive a car on its basis for the first 6 months from the moment the plane landed and your foot stepped on the land of Aphrodite's Island. After this period you must obtain a Cypriot driving licence.

There are two ways of doing this. The simplest is to exchange your documents.

There is one very important nuance. Not all foreigners have this privilege. The list of the lucky ones includes people from countries such as Australia, Canada, Georgia, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the USA and Zimbabwe.

Everyone else will have to repeat both theory and practical. Put simply, even if you have an impressive driving record, but you're from, say, Belarus, you'll have to remember your youth. Whether you like it or not, you will have to repeat all the signs and take at least a few driving lessons. If you want to pass from scratch, you will have to sweat a little more.

Generally speaking, the whole process will take two to three months in the first case and six to nine months on average in the second. So the first thing you need to do is get your learner's licence. Without it, you will not be allowed to practise, and you will not be allowed to take the exam. Today we will talk about how to do this without too much effort and expense.

Conditions and restrictions

First of all, let's understand who can apply for an international driving licence in Cyprus. Foreign citizens (residents) who have lived on the island for at least six months can obtain a licence. In other words, you must have at least some form of residency. For example, a work or study visa issued at least six months ago.

You can start studying in Cyprus and take the theoretical test from the age of 17.5, but you cannot take the practical test until you are 18. There is no upper age limit, but people over 70 and those with disabilities need a medical examination and certificate. Everyone else does not.

How do I register for the theory test?

I should mention that I have been living in Cyprus for more than five years. All this time I successfully drove a car with a licence from the Republic of Belarus until I decided to buy a new car in a showroom. The insurance company suddenly "honked the horn" and demanded a local licence for the CASCO registration. Although previously the agent had not been embarrassed by the lack of a Cypriot licence. Apparently because I had paid my insurance premiums faithfully and without delay all these years.

To be honest, I realised that sooner or later the day X would come. But I put it off until the last minute, chasing away the thought that I would have to learn the road signs again (and in English too!), take driving lessons (with my 15 years of experience!) and retake the test (why should I need extra stress at my age?). Considering that all my friends with Russian and Ukrainian passports had changed their driving licences by simply writing an application, it was at the very least insulting. A fascinating quest awaited me).

I started thinking about how to do it faster. Anyone who lives in Limassol knows that this process can take at least six months. And that's if you're lucky. The queues to get a licence here are crazy. In my search for useful life hacks, I read several local telegram channels, and on one of them I found a girl who offered to help me get a learner's licence, or rather an entrance ticket to the theory test. My hand was already reaching for the phone to transfer 120 euros to the Revolution for Services, which actually included the delivery to and from the Road Traffic Department, since there was no appointment, as it turned out later.

But then I suddenly received an email from my insurance agent, who had not been lazy and had sent instructions on "How to get a driving licence quickly in Cyprus". Seeing the promising headline, I thought that luck had finally smiled on me. Lifehacks from a Cypriot! It's a jackpot! However, my euphoria only lasted until I opened the letter.

It said: buy a book and learn the signs, collect the documents and go to the Road Traffic Department, pass the theory test in the order of the 'live queue', and so on down the list. As they say, expectations did not match reality. But thanks to the agent, I realised that it is not necessary to pay 120 euros for a "taxi" when you can get from A to B comfortably by bus.

As you probably already know, there is no need to make an appointment to get a driving licence in Cyprus (at least not in Limassol). You simply turn up at the Road Traffic Department, having learnt all the signs beforehand. It is fair to say that those who are getting their licence from scratch have the sense to seek the help of their instructor, who knows the whole "kitchen" from the inside. In fact, he is the one who will take you to the theory test:

1. Takes you to the theoretical test.
2. Fill in the form in Greek, check all the documents.
3. Guide you through the signs before the exam.
4. Will cheer you up, put you in a positive mood, provide psychological support (but this is not certain).

Learning theory

There are very few driving schools in Cyprus, and learning theory is mostly done on your own, using books sold in any local periptera. That's where I went on the instructions of my agent. The price is around 5 euros. By the way, if you know Greek, you don't have to spend money on a book: the website of the Road Traffic Department has a free textbook in electronic form. You can also use the Cyprus Road Signs app.

In total, it took me about a week to review the signs. This takes into account the fact that I had to learn the English version by heart. As far as the instructor's help at this stage is concerned - before the driving lessons start, he is just an intermediary between the student and the department. The most he can do is explain the procedure for obtaining a licence. In any case, you will have to study the traffic rules yourself.

Collecting documents

I advise you to pay particular attention to this point. In view of the fact that I have decided to do everything myself, barring a force majeure situation, of course I could not do without. The fact is that before you are allowed to sit the theoretical test, an official from the Road Traffic Department carefully checks all your documents.

Unfortunately, I did not have the original marriage certificate with me, so I was turned back. I had to go home to get the missing document. There was the option of postponing the test until tomorrow, but I decided it was "today or never". Much to their surprise, an hour later I was standing on their doorstep with a stack of papers.

The full list for "housewives" is as follows (originals and copies must be submitted)

1. Completed questionnaire
2. Passport or identity card
3. Visa (pink slip)
4. Husband's social security statement for the last 6 months
5. Original marriage certificate in English or Greek (Apostille)
6. Husband's passport
7. Husband's residence permit
8. Two 45×35mm photographs
9. Electricity or water bills (last 6 months)

If you are working, you only need to bring:

1. A completed application form
2. Passport or ID card + a copy of its front page
3. Pink slip + a copy of both sides of it
4. Two 45×35 mm photographs
5. Electricity or water bill (for the last 6 months)
6. Extract from your social security account (either the original with a stamp, or you must show the e-mail from which you received this extract).

Where do I sit the theory test?

In Cyprus, the theory test is taken at one of the offices of the Road Traffic Department. There are five of them on the island: in Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos, Larnaca and in a large village on the border with Northern Cyprus - Derinia. A full list of addresses and telephone numbers can be found on the authority's website. Personally, I passed in Limassol, at Americou Argyriou, 3112 Limassol. It is next to the Polemidia National Park.

The 2-storey building of the department is right in front of the entrance to the national park. In fact, it is hard to miss. There is a large car park in front of the building where you can park your car. When you enter the building, you come to a small room with a reception desk, behind which I have the impression that there is never anybody. But there are various instructions and announcements.

Don't waste your time here and go straight up to the first floor, where you have to register before being admitted to the theory test. The office you need is to the left of the stairs. After paying the 10 euro fee and stamping the form, go to the opposite end of the corridor. This is where all the interesting things happen. When I entered the next office, I was surprised to find that there was no queue of people waiting to take the theory test. I was alone! Maybe it was because the clock showed 8 am.

In any case, I didn't have to wait long. I was invited into a neighbouring office, where they began to check my documents with particular meticulousness. As I mentioned earlier, the inspector flatly refused to take my exam because I did not have the original marriage certificate. Smiling sweetly, he muttered: "Avrio, kyria." "How could I not!" - I thought and hurried home. An hour later I was back at the department. By this time, however, the vestibule was packed with an impressive number of people. I found out that many people had come with instructors to do the theory for the practical exam. I had to wait for about 30 minutes. Finally I was able to go to the examiner's office. This time I got a different examiner. After checking my documents, he reached for the exam book.....

How is the theoretical test conducted?

The examination itself is not complicated and literally consists of a few questions of the inspector's choice. It is conducted in either Greek or English. My theory test took about two minutes. The strict and silent inspector pointed with a pen to pictures printed in a small A4 book. In total I was asked about 9 signs, one police signal and one road marking. I got all 11 questions right. From what I could find:

1. Danger of ice
2. No overtaking
3. Minimum speed limit
4. No stopping or parking
5. No mechanically propelled vehicles
6. Controlled intersection (box junction)
7. Right hand bend
8. Falling rocks
9. Stop for vehicles approaching from the front
10. Maximum speed
11. A continuous and intermittent line

With a sigh of relief, I left the office and went to find out where I could get a paper version of the learner's licence. At the Road Traffic Department, the next date they could offer me was a month away. So I decided to call the local Citizen Service Centres (general enquiry number: 1434). And miraculously, two days later, the office opposite Molos Quay found me an appointment.

Getting a learner's licence

On the agreed day and time, I arrived at the Limassol Citizens Service Centre at 21 Spyrou Araouzou Street, 3036. To my surprise, I found an electronic queue. It took 5 minutes to wait and another 10 minutes to process. There were no more unpleasant stories about documents. The agent was satisfied with all the documents I had presented. After paying 20 euros on the spot, I got my learner's licence.

For your information, a learner's licence is valid for one year and only on the territory of Cyprus. 21 days after receiving the licence, the learner can take the practical test. With a learner's licence you can drive the instructor's car. If you drive your own car or a friend's car, the learner driver must take out third party insurance and display two stickers with the red letter E on the front and back of the car. At the same time, there must always be a second driver in the same category, aged over 25 and with at least 5 years' driving experience. It is forbidden to drive on motorways even with a second driver. You can only drive on motorways with a licensed instructor beside you.

So in less than 2 weeks and for just 30 euros, I had my learner's licence in my pocket. The next step was the practical part of the test. But that's another, no less exciting story.....

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