How to get a driving licence in Sweden
The short answer
First apply for a learner's permit (körkortstillstånd) from Transportstyrelsen. Then learn to drive at a driving school or privately with an approved supervisor, and take both parts of the risk course. After that you pass Trafikverket's theory test and driving test. You can get the licence from age 18.
A plain-English guide for newcomers. You can take the theory test in English, but the driving test is in Swedish.
This text was written with AI help, checked against Trafikverket and Transportstyrelsen and approved by Fri Vei AS. Last updated .
Checked against Trafikverket and Transportstyrelsen · Report a mistake
The steps at a glance
| Step | Who runs it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Learner’s permit | Transportstyrelsen | Free to apply. Needs a health declaration and an eyesight certificate. |
| 2. Learning to drive | A driving school, or a supervisor approved by Transportstyrelsen | From age 16, with a valid permit and valid ID. |
| 3. Risk course, parts 1 and 2 | An approved course provider | Must be done and still valid before the tests. |
| 4. Theory test | Trafikverket | 70 questions in 50 minutes. You can take it in English. |
| 5. Driving test | Trafikverket | The examiner speaks Swedish. |
How do I get a learner’s permit in Sweden?
You need a valid learner’s permit (körkortstillstånd) before you can practise driving or take any test. You apply to Transportstyrelsen, the Swedish Transport Agency, online or with a paper form.
- What to send: a health declaration that you fill in yourself, and an eyesight certificate. The eyesight certificate must not be more than two months old when you apply. Many opticians can send it to Transportstyrelsen for you.
- Cost: applying is free.
- How long it takes: normally up to four weeks, if everything is in order.
- How long it lasts: five years. It cannot be extended.
The e-service is in Swedish. Transportstyrelsen has an English translation of the health declaration on its driving licences page, so you can read the questions in English.
Source: Transportstyrelsen, “Körkortstillstånd”, checked 4 November 2026.
Can I practise with a friend or family member?
Yes. From age 16 you can practise privately in a car, but your supervisor (handledare) must be approved by Transportstyrelsen for you. You also need your learner’s permit and valid ID. If you only practise at a driving school, the permit is enough.
The supervisor must be at least 24 and have held a car licence for at least five of the last ten years. Since 1 August 2026 neither of you needs the introduction course (introduktionsutbildning) for category B. Our Swedish guide Övningsköra privat has the steps.
Source: Transportstyrelsen, “Övningsköra” and “Introduktionsutbildningen tas bort”, checked 4 November 2026.
What is the risk course?
The risk course (riskutbildning) is mandatory and has two parts. Part 1 is about alcohol, drugs, tiredness and other risky behaviour. Part 2 is about speed, safety and driving in different road and weather conditions. You must do the risk course before the theory test and the driving test. It is valid until you get your licence, or for at most five years.
If you learn at a driving school, the school books it for you. If you practise privately, you contact a course provider yourself. Read more in Swedish: Riskutbildning.
Source: Transportstyrelsen, “Riskutbildning bil”, checked 4 November 2026.
How do the theory test and the driving test work?
You book and pay for both tests in Trafikverket’s booking service. You need a valid learner’s permit to book a test. Trafikverket suggests booking both tests at the same time, a few weeks apart, so that you have time to retake the theory test if you need to.
- Theory test: 70 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes. Five are trial questions that do not count, and you need at least 52 of the 65 points. You choose English (or another language) when you book. A theory test passed on or after 19 August 2026 is valid for one year, and you must pass the driving test within that time.
- Driving test: a safety check, some special manoeuvres and driving in traffic. The examiner speaks Swedish, and you cannot book the driving test in another language. If you take it in an automatic car, your licence will only cover automatic cars (code 78).
The details, with the languages and the interpreter rules, are on our page Swedish driving theory test in English.
Source: Trafikverket, “Passenger car and light lorry”, checked 4 November 2026.
What does it cost?
Trafikverket’s fees for category B, updated 7 January 2026 and checked on 4 November 2026:
| Fee | Weekdays, daytime | Evenings (after 6 pm) and weekends |
|---|---|---|
| Theory test | SEK 420 | SEK 520 |
| Driving test | SEK 1,000 | SEK 1,400 |
| Photo at a test | SEK 120 | SEK 120 |
Driving schools and risk course providers set their own prices. If you are under 18 when you book, you must pay at least 25 hours before the test starts, or it is cancelled.
Source: Trafikverket, “Prices for tests and photos” and “Book, pay and cancel tests”, checked 4 November 2026.
How old do I have to be, and do I need to live in Sweden?
You can get a category B licence from age 18. You must also be permanently resident in Sweden, or have studied here for at least six months. Transportstyrelsen counts you as permanently resident where you live at least 185 days a year because of personal or work ties.
Source: Transportstyrelsen, “I’m going to take my driving licence” and “I have a driving licence”, checked 4 November 2026.
What if I already have a licence from another country?
A licence from an EU or EEA country is valid in Sweden as long as it is valid in the country that issued it. A licence from outside the EEA stops being valid once you have been registered as living in Sweden for more than a year, with some exceptions, such as licences from the UK and the Faroe Islands. Only a few non-EEA licences can be exchanged. Check Transportstyrelsen’s page I have a driving licence before you start lessons.
Checklist: your steps to a Swedish licence
Tick the steps you have done. Nothing you tick is saved or sent anywhere.
- An eyesight certificate, not more than two months old.
- The health declaration, filled in.
- A learner’s permit from Transportstyrelsen.
- A driving school, or a supervisor approved for you by Transportstyrelsen.
- Risk course, part 1.
- Risk course, part 2.
- Theory test and driving test booked with Trafikverket.
- A valid ID that Trafikverket accepts.
How can I study the rules in English?
The theory test is in English if you choose it, but the road signs and many words you will hear in the car are Swedish. Our page Swedish road rules in English explains the key rules and has a short glossary.
Drivoku’s own practice questions are in Swedish only. If you want to learn the Swedish words as well, try our övningsprov (free practice test) or the vägmärken (road signs) pages, ideally with a Swedish-speaking friend.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the Swedish theory test in English?
Yes. The category B theory test is translated into 15 languages, British English among them. You choose the language when you book.
Is the driving test in English?
No. The examiner speaks Swedish during the driving test, and you cannot book the driving test in another language.
How much does a learner’s permit cost?
Nothing. Applying to Transportstyrelsen for a learner’s permit is free.
How long is a passed theory test valid?
A category B theory test passed on or after 19 August 2026 is valid for one year. You must pass the driving test within that time.
Can my partner or a parent teach me to drive?
Yes, if Transportstyrelsen approves them as your supervisor. They must be at least 24 and have held a car licence for at least five of the last ten years. The approval is for you as their learner, and a supervisor can have at most five learners at the same time.
Read more (in Swedish)
Sources
(9)
- Passenger car and light lorry, Trafikverket. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Prices for tests and photos (updated 7 January 2026), Trafikverket. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Book, pay and cancel tests, Trafikverket. Checked 4 November 2026.
- I’m going to take my driving licence, Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Körkortstillstånd (learner’s permit, in Swedish), Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Övningsköra (practice driving, in Swedish), Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Introduktionsutbildningen tas bort (in Swedish, 30 July 2026), Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
- Riskutbildning bil (risk course, in Swedish), Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
- I have a driving licence, Transportstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
Drivoku is made by Fri Vei AS and is not affiliated with Trafikverket or Transportstyrelsen. This page is a simplified summary, written with AI help and not copied from the law. The authorities and Swedish law always apply.
Practise with someone
Drivoku is a theory quiz you play live with friends, each on their own phone. The questions are in Swedish, so a round with a Swedish-speaking friend is a good way to learn the words too.