Before you start

A full, valid driving licence from your home country (not a provisional/learner one)
GB residency — you can drive on the foreign licence for up to 12 months from when you become resident
For an exchange: be a GB resident and meet the minimum age and health standards

Step-by-step

1
Check whether you can exchange or must test
Use the GOV.UK 'Exchange a non-GB driving licence' tool. Licences from the EU/EEA and from 'designated countries' (e.g. Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, and others) can be exchanged without a test. Licences from other countries cannot be exchanged — you must pass UK tests.
OnlineWho: YouMinutesFree to check
2
Designated country: exchange via the DVLA (form D1)
If eligible, complete form D1 and post it to the DVLA with your foreign licence, identity documents and the fee. There is currently no fully online exchange route — it's a postal application and your foreign licence is surrendered.
In personWho: You (postal application to DVLA)Allow a few weeks for processingDVLA exchange fee around £43 — verify current amount
3
Non-designated country: get a provisional and take UK tests
If your licence can't be exchanged, apply for a GB provisional licence, then pass the theory test followed by the practical driving test. You may keep driving on your foreign licence only within the first 12 months of residency.
In personWho: YouWeeks to months (test waiting times vary)Provisional ~£34 online + theory ~£23 + practical ~£62 — verify current fees
4
Set up for driving in London (ULEZ & Congestion Charge)
Before driving in central London, check your vehicle against the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and the Congestion Charge on the TfL site, and pay any daily charge that applies. Hire cars are covered too — fees can be billed back to you.
OnlineWho: YouPer journeyCongestion Charge ~£15/day; ULEZ ~£12.50/day if non-compliant — verify current rates

Documents you’ll need

Your full valid foreign driving licence
Form D1 (for an exchange) or a GB provisional licence application (for the test route)
Proof of identity (passport) and UK address
Passport-style photo as required by the DVLA
Payment for the relevant DVLA/DVSA fee

Things most newcomers don’t know

The 12-month clock starts when you become resident, not when you arrive to visit.

You can legally drive on most full foreign licences for up to a year. If your country can't exchange, start the provisional + test process early — test waiting lists can be long and the 12 months pass quickly.

Source: GOV.UK — driving on a foreign licence

'Designated country' is a specific legal list — check it, don't assume.

EU/EEA plus a defined set (Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland and more) can swap without a test; everyone else must test, even experienced drivers. The GOV.UK tool gives the definitive answer for your country.

Source: GOV.UK — exchange a non-GB driving licence

Exchanging is a postal job and you give up your old licence.

There is no instant online swap — you post form D1 and your original licence to the DVLA, so plan for a window without your physical licence. Don't post it right before a trip home.

Source: GOV.UK / DVLA

In London you may not need to drive at all — and central driving has daily charges.

The Tube, buses and rail cover the city well, so many residents skip car ownership. If you do drive in, the Congestion Charge and ULEZ apply daily and are enforced by camera — easy to forget and get fined.

Source: TfL — Congestion Charge & ULEZ

Common mistakes to avoid

Driving past the 12-month limit on a non-exchangeable licence
Assuming your country is 'designated' without checking the GOV.UK tool
Posting form D1 and your only licence just before you need to drive abroad
Forgetting the daily ULEZ/Congestion Charge in central London and getting a penalty