Driving licence renewal in Belgium
Renewing a Belgian driving licence involves visiting the municipal administration of the applicant's place of residence. The process consists of submitting a renewal application, providing updated photographs, and collecting the new card once processed.
It is generally recommended to initiate the renewal process at least 3 to 4 weeks before the expiration date to account for local administrative processing times and potential delays in document production.
Start 21 days ahead
This reflects the standard interval between submitting an application at a municipal office and receiving the renewed document.
The process
- 1Verify the current validity status of the existing driving licence.
- 2Schedule an appointment if required by the local municipal office (commune/gemeente) of current residence.
- 3Present the required documents and current licence at the municipal office.
- 4Provide a recent passport-sized photograph if the municipal system does not automatically retrieve a photo from the national register.
- 5Pay the applicable processing fee at the municipal counter.
- 6Return to the municipal office to collect the new licence once notified that it is ready.
What to bring
- Current Belgian driving licence
- Valid Belgian electronic identity card (eID)
- Recent passport-sized photograph (only if not available in the national register)
- Medical certificate (only required for specific categories or older age brackets, to be confirmed with the local authority)
Who handles it
Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer / Service public fédéral Mobilité et Transports (Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport)
Fees vary by municipality as local authorities set their own administrative charges; confirm the current amount with the local commune or gemeente office.
What commonly goes wrong
- Failure to update a residential address in the national register before applying for renewal can cause administrative delays.
- Some categories of licences require a valid medical examination report to be presented at the time of renewal.
- The physical licence card must be surrendered to the municipal office when collecting the new one.
Sources
This guide is based on one official source.
Other documents in Belgium
Driving licence renewal in other countries
Often renewed together
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