Your next driving licence will be on your phone

The European Union has rewritten its driving licence rules, and the changes will gradually reach drivers across the continent, including in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The new Driving Licence Directive (EU) 2025/2205, the fourth of its kind, was adopted in October 2025 and entered into force in November of the same year. Member states are now adapting their national laws, and the first changes take effect in 2027.

Norway and Iceland are not EU members, but as part of the European Economic Area they normally follow EU rules on driving licences once these are incorporated into the EEA Agreement.

Heavier EVs with a normal licence

The change that matters most for electric car drivers comes first. Today, a standard category B licence covers vehicles with a maximum authorised mass of 3,500 kg. From 26 November 2027, B licence holders with at least two years of driving experience will be allowed to drive alternatively fuelled vehicles, such as electric cars and vans, of up to 4,250 kg.

The reason is simple: batteries make EVs heavier than equivalent petrol or diesel models, and many electric vans and large SUVs end up above the old limit. Some countries, including Denmark, already allow certain heavier electric vans with a B licence, but only at national level. The new rule makes it the same across the EU. Motorhomes are a separate case: member states can allow B licence holders to drive heavier motorhomes, but only after extra training or a test.

Your licence on your phone

By the end of 2030, every EU country must offer a digital driving licence, stored in the future European Digital Identity Wallet on your phone and recognised in all member states. Several countries, including Denmark, already have national driving licence apps, but these usually only work at home. The new digital licence will be valid across borders, so a Danish or Swedish driver will be able to show it at a roadside check in Germany or Italy. The physical card will not disappear: drivers keep the right to ask for one.

Driving bans that follow you home

Serious offences abroad will also have bigger consequences. Under a separate directive on driving disqualifications, EU countries will have to recognise each other’s decisions more widely. In practice, a driver who loses their licence for a serious offence, such as drink-driving or extreme speeding, in another EU country could also lose the right to drive at home, for disqualifications of at least three months and under certain conditions.

Stricter rules for new drivers

New drivers across the EU will face a probation period of at least two years, with stricter rules and penalties, for example for drink-driving. An EU-wide system of accompanied driving from age 17 will follow from November 2028. Some Nordic countries are already ahead. In Denmark, 17-year-olds can already get a licence, and since July 2025 they may even drive alone between 05:00 and 20:00. Denmark has also applied a lower alcohol limit of 0.2 per mille to new drivers in their first three years since July 2025.

Health checks and modern driving tests

The directive also requires more systematic checks of drivers’ fitness to drive when licences are issued or renewed. However, there will be no automatic medical check-up for every driver: member states can use self-assessments, and countries have considerable freedom in how they apply the rule.

Driving tests and training will also have to keep up with modern cars, with more focus on driver assistance systems, blind spots, mobile phone use and the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. Licences for cars and motorcycles will remain valid for 15 years.

Dates from the EU directive and the European Commission’s implementation strategy. National implementation may vary in detail.