Greek Driving Licence

[WilfySwarez]

Can anyone advice how to change my valid UK licence to a Greek one.
Mine runs out in 2020 when I am 70yrs old, how often will I have to have ...eg ..retest,medical, etc.
Thanks in advance.

[Hudson]

"expires when I am 70" Do you have the two part licence? If so have you checked the expiry date on the plastic part?

[Kilkis]

You can do it a driving centre but I would recommend going to KEP. They will help you with all the forms and submit the application for you. When I changed mine a long time ago I had to provide the following documents:

1 Completed M15 application form, which I had to sign in front of the person at the licensing office.
2 Completed Legal Declaration, ΥΠΕΥΘΥΝΗ ΔΗΛΩΣΗ, stating my address, my ΑΦΜ and declaring that I had not submitted an application to any other office, which I also had to sign in front of the person at the licensing office.
3 My passport and a photocopy of my passport.
4 A legal translation of my UK driving licence. This was quite long since it was the old green paper licence*. I am not sure if this will still be necessary if you have a modern laminated plastic UK licence since they are all to an EU format.
5 My English licence which they kept and returned to DVLA I believe.
6 Two photographs of a suitable size. A photographer will know if you tell him/her that it is for a Greek driving licence.
7 Receipts from the tax office that you have paid the necessary fees. It is possible that you might be able to pay at the bank now using an e-ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΟ. I also had to pay €3 in cash at the driving licence office.
8 A Residence Permit issued at least 95 days before the application for the driving licence.

Some of this may have changed over time but it tells you everything you need at the bottom of the M15 form. Since you are over 65 you will also need certificates from a pathologos and an ophthalmologist. KEP will provide you with a list of suitable ones and also provide the necessary paperwork for them. You will need to renew every three years. When you reach 80 you will need additional health checks, e.g. psychiatrist's report. I think you also need photographs for the medicals which they attach to their report.

Warwick

[altohb]

On point 4 - yes, you do have to have an official translation if you have a plastic licence. Our lawyer did ours and the price certainly wasn't unreasonable.

[WilfySwarez]

Thanks to all.

[Kilkis]

On point 4 - yes, you do have to have an official translation if you have a plastic licence. Our lawyer did ours and the price certainly wasn't unreasonable.

Which just goes to show how idiotic Greek bureaucracy is. Top left is the EU flag with the country code in the middle of the stars in the Latin alphabet, i.e. my Greek licence says GR not ΕΛ, so that wouldn't change. Next to that is says DRIVING LICENCE in the language of the country of issue so they know what that means. Next to it is the country of issue in the language of that country. I'm guessing that says UNITED KINGDOM for a UK licence. Obviously you could translate that but is it necessary? Under Item 3 they put the date of birth followed by nationality. My Greek licence says UNITED KINGDOM in the Latin alphabet not in Greek so they obviously know what it means. Item 4 has four sub divisions denoted by letters. On a UK licence I presume it says a, b, c, d while on my Greek one it say α, β, γ, δ. Is it really necessary to translate that? Everything else on the front is either numbers or Latin letters even on my Greek one so nothing to translate there. On the back of my Greek one it is virtually all Latin letters and numbers so nothing to translate. In minuscule text it defines in Greek what each number means. I presume a UK licence has the same in English. The numbers mean the same thing for all countries so again no point in translating. Total waste of time and money.

Warwick

[moved 2 crete]

I changed mine 2 years ago, no translation needed, just a medical that was short and sweet and of course eyesight test, no driving test needed, if you can go to the licencing office in Souda and see the very helpful lady there and get her advice as we did, Kilkis advice was sound...

[WilfySwarez]

Thank you Dave H.
I presume the Licencing office is in the IKA building ?
If so do you turn left or right.

Thanks again.

[john4d]

Warwick

Some years ago I visited a KEP to enquire about swapping my UK driving licence (EU style) for a Greek one. I was told I had to have it translated into Greek. I pointed out those things you have already mentioned and that the only items to translate were my name, which wouldn't need translating and my UK address which would not be relevant on a Greek licence and finally that it was an EU standard licence.

"Yes" she said "but it's not a Greek one is it?"

I'm now more into the Greek mind set and so wouldn't even try a logical argument.

John

[Kilkis]

Thank you Dave H.
I presume the Licencing office is in the IKA building ?
If so do you turn left or right.

Thanks again.

No it is not in the IKA building. The IKA building is only concerned with healthcare and pensions. If you are driving towards Chania from Souda go past the IKA building to the next set of traffic lights. Here a single road goes to the right but two roads go to the left in a narrow V. Take the first road on the left. As you drive up it after about 500 m a very wide road joins it from the right at an angle. About 50 m after that junction there is a gate on the right hand side. I think the licence centre is the long building on the right immediately after you go through the gate. I think the door is at the opposite end of the front of that building from the gate. There is a blue sign with white lettering at the gate saying:

Δ/ΝΣΗ ΜΕΤΑΦΟΡΩΝ
& ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΩΝ

Warwick

PS This is also where you transfer ownership of a vehicle but in a different building, i.e. the last door of the building on the left as you go through the gate unless it has changed.

[WilfySwarez]

Thank you Warwick.
As usual very informative.

[moved 2 crete]

Well worth a visit Wilfy...

[bobscott]

Just one point to remember that I don't think is covered above. If you change to a Greek licence, that is renewable every 3 years.

I thought you could extend your licence in the UK online these days without visiting doctors etc? Bob

[Kilkis]

... I thought you could extend your licence in the UK online these days without visiting doctors etc? Bob

Typically you can. For anybody under 70 it shouldn't be a problem provided you can use a UK address, e.g. relative or friend, and I know several people who do exactly that. If you are 70+ then you can self declare on health status so there shouldn't normally be a problem then either. There is a small probability, however, that you might be randomly selected to get a medical certificate from your GP which might be a bit awkward if you no longer have a GP in the UK. If you couldn't satisfy DVLA and your licence is not renewed then you wouldn't have a valid licence to exchange for a Greek one. The risk is small but not zero.

Warwick

[bobscott]

Point taken. Tks Bob