Can I get car insurance in Ireland on an international licence?

If you are resident and insuring a car registered in Ireland, you can apply, and the full quote asks where your licence was issued and how long you have held it. GMIB.ie puts your details to 14 different insurers.

What is an international driving permit?

It is a translation of your own driving licence, used alongside it, not a licence in itself. Drivers from outside the EU, EEA and the recognised states use one with their national licence for the 12-month visitor period.

How long can I drive in Ireland as a visitor?

Up to a year on a recognised-state licence, and up to 12 months on any other licence together with an international driving permit. An EU or EEA licence is valid for as long as it is in date.

What changes when I become resident in Ireland?

Citizens Information defines normal residence as living here for at least 185 days in a calendar year. A recognised-state licence is then exchanged for an Irish one; a licence from any other country means going through the Irish licensing process; an EU or EEA licence stays valid.

I am visiting in my own UK car. Am I insured here?

What your UK policy covers here is set by your UK insurer, so ask before you travel. GMIB.ie insures cars registered in Ireland.

What do I need to get a quote?

For the Quick Quote: the car’s registration and value, your area, name, date of birth, licence type, no-claims years, mobile number, email, cover start date and Eircode. For the full quote: where your licence was issued, how long you have held it, and any no-claims statement from abroad.

Does my no-claims bonus from abroad count in Ireland?

Some of the insurers GMIB.ie works with recognise no-claims history earned abroad. You will need proof from your previous insurer, translated into English where it is not already, and it has to be verified before it can be used; some insurers do that themselves, in other cases our agents do it. Acceptance varies by insurer, so tell us about your history when we call back and we will say what can be used on your quote.

Car insurance for international licence holders in Ireland

Whether you can drive in Ireland on your licence, and for how long, depends on where it was issued and whether you are visiting or living here. The rules are below. Once you are resident and insuring a car registered in Ireland, GMIB.ie puts your details to 14 different insurers, and where the form cannot give a price straight away one of our agents reviews them and calls you back with the options. Enter your details below to get a quote in under 60 seconds.

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How long you can drive in Ireland on your licence

EU or EEA licence. You can drive in Ireland on it for as long as it is valid, with no need to exchange it.

Recognised state. Licences from the states the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) recognises, which include the UK, Australia, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, Taiwan and some Canadian provinces, can be used for up to a year as a visitor. Once you are normally resident, which Citizens Information defines as living in Ireland for at least 185 days in a calendar year, you exchange it for an Irish licence, within a year of the licence expiring.

Any other country. You can drive for up to 12 months as a visitor on your national licence together with an international driving permit. If you plan to stay longer than 12 months you need an Irish licence, through the driver theory test, a learner permit and the driving test; foreign licence holders who cannot exchange take six Essential Driver Training lessons instead of 12.

UK licence. Visiting from the UK, you drive on your UK licence. Living in Ireland, you can no longer drive on it and must exchange it for an Irish one. Ukrainian licences under temporary protection have their own page: car insurance for drivers with Ukrainian licences.

Getting insured, and what an international driving permit is

An international driving permit is a translation of your own licence, not a licence in itself; it is used alongside the national licence. It is the national licence that the full quote asks about: where it was issued, and how long you have held it.

GMIB.ie insures cars registered in Ireland. If you are visiting in a car registered and insured in the UK, Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) confirms that UK-registered vehicles have not needed a Green Card in Ireland since 2 August 2021; the cover you have here comes from your UK policy, so ask your UK insurer what applies. Living here with a licence from abroad? Our foreign licence driver insurance page covers the quote in more detail, and car insurance with no driving history covers proving experience from abroad.

Have ready your licence, your permit if you hold one, your address in Ireland, and any no-claims statement from an insurer abroad. To go through it first, call 0818 92 92 42, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.

Sources: Citizens Information – foreign driving licences in Ireland; Citizens Information – international driving permit; MIBI – Green Cards. Last reviewed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get car insurance in Ireland on an international licence?
If you are resident and insuring a car registered in Ireland, you can apply, and the full quote asks where your licence was issued and how long you have held it. GMIB.ie puts your details to 14 different insurers.
What is an international driving permit?
It is a translation of your own driving licence, used alongside it, not a licence in itself. Drivers from outside the EU, EEA and the recognised states use one with their national licence for the 12-month visitor period.
How long can I drive in Ireland as a visitor?
Up to a year on a recognised-state licence, and up to 12 months on any other licence together with an international driving permit. An EU or EEA licence is valid for as long as it is in date.
What changes when I become resident in Ireland?
Citizens Information defines normal residence as living here for at least 185 days in a calendar year. A recognised-state licence is then exchanged for an Irish one; a licence from any other country means going through the Irish licensing process; an EU or EEA licence stays valid.
I am visiting in my own UK car. Am I insured here?
What your UK policy covers here is set by your UK insurer, so ask before you travel. GMIB.ie insures cars registered in Ireland.
What do I need to get a quote?
For the Quick Quote: the car’s registration and value, your area, name, date of birth, licence type, no-claims years, mobile number, email, cover start date and Eircode. For the full quote: where your licence was issued, how long you have held it, and any no-claims statement from abroad.
Does my no-claims bonus from abroad count in Ireland?
Some of the insurers GMIB.ie works with recognise no-claims history earned abroad. You will need proof from your previous insurer, translated into English where it is not already, and it has to be verified before it can be used; some insurers do that themselves, in other cases our agents do it. Acceptance varies by insurer, so tell us about your history when we call back and we will say what can be used on your quote.