Exchange a foreign driving licence

Whether your licence is exchanged with or without examination, and what to bring.

Responsible body: Highway Patrol Corps, Republican Gendarmerie

Guide to this service

Residents who hold a driving licence issued abroad exchange it for an ISEZ licence at the Highway Patrol Corps of the Republican Gendarmerie within six months of registering their residence. Depending on the issuing state the licence is exchanged without examination, after the theory examination, or after the theory examination and a driving test.

Who can apply

Residents registered in the ISEZ and foreign nationals with a residence card.
Visitors do not exchange their licence: they may drive on it for six months from entry, with an international driving permit or a certified translation into Iradi or Russian.

What to bring

Form HPC-12
The foreign licence and a translation into Iradi or Russian certified by a notary (not needed for licences in Russian)
Your identity card, or passport and residence card
A driver's medical certificate from a city polyclinic, valid for 12 months
One photograph 3 × 4 cm
The Talasbank receipt for the state duty

Fees and state duty

Exchange of a foreign driving licence	IS 80
Medical certificate (city polyclinic)	at the polyclinic's rate

How long it takes

Apply within six months of registering your residence; after that the foreign licence is no longer valid for driving in the ISEZ.
Theory examinations are held on Thursdays at 9:00 (arrive by 8:30): 20 questions on paper, in Iradi or Russian, two mistakes allowed.
The ISEZ licence is issued in 15 working days in the online submission pilot, or on the day of a passed examination at the counter when the cards are in stock.

Where to go

Registration and examination departments of the Highway Patrol Corps in Talas and Nurzhan: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00–16:00.

Common reasons for refusal or return

The six-month period has passed.
The translation is not certified by a notary.
The medical certificate is from a private clinic.
The licence cannot be confirmed by the issuing state when the Corps asks.

Online submission (pilot)

This service is in the e-Irad online submission pilot. Form HPC-12 can be submitted on the Applications online page instead of at the counter; the receiving body's term is 15 working days. Originals are presented when the result is collected.

Forms for this service

Application to exchange a foreign driving licence HPC-12 · PDF

Print on A4 paper and complete by hand in block capitals, in black or blue ink. Forms printed from e-Irad are accepted at every counter.

Your foreign licence

The foreign licence is kept by the Corps and returned to the issuing state on its request. If you wish to keep it, say so in section 9 of the form; the Corps will consider the request.

Legal basis

Tax Code of the ISEZ 2009 (№ 09-11) state duty, budget code 142131
Compulsory Motor Third-Party Insurance Act 2009 (№ 09-15) insurance of vehicles driven on the licence