Irish-US Driving Licence Exchange Campaign Seeks Urgent Review for Expats
Thousands of US expats in Ireland face significant challenges obtaining Irish driving licences, impacting their work and daily lives. The Irish-US Driver’s License Exchange Campaign submitted a report to the Minister for Transport and RSA, urging urgent review and action. They propose prioritizing exchange agreements with US states and amending regulations to ease the process for experienced drivers.
Melissa MacKinnon (53) and Michael Hogan (56) moved from Los Angeles to Killaloe, Co Clare, Ireland in 2022, partly due to US political concerns. Despite driving for over 30 years, obtaining Irish driving licences took them almost two years, significantly impacting their ability to work and live. Hogan, who runs a food truck, found driving essential, while MacKinnon faced high insurance costs as a novice driver.
Their experience highlights a broader issue for thousands of US expats in Ireland. While some countries can exchange licences, the US is not among them, requiring expats to restart the licensing process. Central Statistics Office figures show a 96% increase in US-to-Ireland moves between April 2023 and April 2024 (4,900 to 9,600).
The Irish-US Driver’s License Exchange Campaign, co-authored by Larry Donnelly and Damian Greene, sent a report to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) on Wednesday for urgent review. Recommendations include prioritizing licence-exchange agreements with US states having reciprocal EU arrangements, amending statutory instruments for unilateral/reciprocal foreign licence recognition, and reinstating Irish licences expired over 10 years if a current foreign licence is held.
Damian Greene (66) and his wife Joyce (67) returned to Ireland in 2019 after living in New York and Belgium, where they exchanged US licences for Belgian ones. They drove in Ireland for six years on Belgian licences until the RSA refused renewal, not recognizing their exchanged US licence. This left them isolated in Schull, Co Cork, relying on neighbors. Greene has since obtained an Irish licence, and Joyce is in the process.
The Department of Transport noted the complexity of US state-level licensing systems (50 distinct systems), making a federal agreement difficult. The RSA stated that reaching exchange agreements is a technical, two-year process requiring compatible licensing regimes. While a full US agreement was deemed unfeasible due to state-to-state variations, the RSA is engaging with New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey on potential agreements.