Some countries require a UK driving licence to be apostilled before it will be accepted as valid identification, used in a residency application, or exchanged for a local licence. If this applies to your situation, here is the complete process set out clearly so you know exactly what to do.
Understand why a Driving Licence cannot be apostilled directly
The FCDO legalises documents by authenticating the signature, seal or stamp of the issuing authority. A standard UK photocard driving licence issued by the DVLA does not carry a registered official's signature. This means it cannot be submitted directly for apostille in the way a birth certificate or court document can be.
Get a certified copy from a solicitor or notary
The solution is to have your driving licence certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public. You take your original licence to them, they examine it and produce a certified copy - a document confirming it is a true and accurate reproduction of the original, signed and stamped with their official credentials. That certified copy is what gets submitted to the FCDO for apostille.
Submit the certified copy to the FCDO
Once you have your certified copy, it can be submitted to the FCDO through the standard postal application process. The FCDO charges £45 per document and typically processes postal applications within ten working days. During peak periods - particularly summer - this extends to fifteen or twenty working days, so factor this in if you have a deadline.
Check whether Embassy Attestation is also required
An apostille is accepted as the final step in any Hague Convention member country. If your destination is outside the Hague network - for example the UAE, or certain countries in Asia and Africa - you will also need embassy attestation. This is an additional authentication step carried out by the relevant embassy in London after the apostille has been obtained. Confirm requirements with your destination country before starting the process.
Let us arrange it all for you
If you want the certification and apostille handled without coordinating each stage yourself, call our team on +44 (0) 204 646 9500. We manage the full process from solicitor certification through to apostille and embassy legalisation where needed.