In Larnaca the traffic comes at you from the "wrong" direction, the steering wheel is on the right, and the roundabout feels like a trick question. Driving in Cyprus is an adjustment for anyone coming from continental Europe, but the paperwork is lighter than you might fear, especially if you hold an EU licence.
Which side of the road do you drive on?
On the left, as in the UK, with right-hand-drive cars as the norm. A left-hand-drive car is allowed but less practical for overtaking and at car-park barriers. There is no train or metro on the island, so for most residents a car is part of daily life; there are urban, intercity and rural buses and taxis. Motorways have no tolls, according to EURES.
What happens to your licence when driving in Cyprus?
- EU and EEA licences. The Road Transport Department (RTD) recognises EU licences as equivalent to a Cypriot licence. You do not have to exchange yours. You may do so after six months of residence, and you must do so after loss, theft, damage or an offence committed in Cyprus. Once you live in Cyprus, renewals follow Cypriot rules.
- To exchange voluntarily, go in person to the driving examiners' office in your district with form TOM 7D, a recent photo (45 × 35 mm), your registration certificate, passport, foreign licence (all pages, with copies) and proof of normal residence in Cyprus, meaning at least 185 days of residence. A translation by a translator approved by the Press and Information Office is needed if the licence is neither in Greek nor in English, and a medical certificate from age 70 or for lorry and bus categories. The old licence is returned to the issuing country. A Cypriot licence is valid for 15 years.
- British licences. GOV.UK says you can drive in Cyprus on a UK licence for up to six months. To continue, you must exchange it, ideally before the six months end because processing takes time. You need a DVLA check code (DVA for Northern Ireland) and a visit to an RTD district office, with your residence permit. An International Driving Permit does not replace the exchange. Licences from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man cannot be exchanged: you apply for a Cypriot licence as a non-EU national and take a test.
- Swiss licences. The RTD says licences from countries on its recognition list must be exchanged after six months. The list is not published on its site, so call the RTD (+357 22 807 000) to confirm.
How do you bring a car from another EU country?
- Prove its EU status: a T2L or T2LF document, or the plates and original registration certificate of the previous country. Without proof, the car is treated as coming from outside the EU, with customs duty and VAT.
- Clear it at a district customs office within 10 working days of that check, with the original registration certificate (used car) or the EC certificate of conformity (new car). Within that period you can also put the car in a customs warehouse or send it back.
- Get the CO2 emission certificate (TOM 119, requested with form TOM 118) from the RTD vehicle inspection service; customs asks for it for a used car. Do a technical inspection at an approved centre or at the RTD service where required. A left-hand-drive car also needs an individual approval (SVA, TOM 139B).
- Register it at the RTD district office with form TOM 6A: the registration fee is €150. Your first road tax licence is issued at registration and runs to the end of June or the end of December.
- Insure it. Third-party liability is compulsory, and you may choose any EU insurer authorised in Cyprus.
What taxes apply to your car?
- Excise duty: none on cars brought to Cyprus since 22 March 2019.
- VAT: a car is "used" only if it is more than six months from first registration and has more than 6,000 km. Otherwise it is "new", and the general rule is that Cypriot VAT of 19% applies on its purchase price, even if VAT was paid elsewhere.
- Transfer of residence: if you move your normal residence to Cyprus from another EU country (at least 185 days over 12 months), customs does not claim VAT on a "new" car when you prove, with the purchase invoice, that VAT was already paid in your country of origin. You file an official declaration at a customs office, during a one-month temporary admission if customs grants one. If the conditions are not met, the VAT is due. The customs guide on transfer of normal residence gives the exact conditions.
- Annual road tax for a car registered in Cyprus since the 2019 amendment, including a used EU car registered today, is built from CO2 bands: €0.50 per g/km up to 120 g/km, €3 for each g/km from 121 to 150, €5 from 151 to 180, and €10 above 180, capped at €1,500 a year and rounded down to the euro.
- Special annual fee added to most cars: €12 for an engine up to 2,050 cc emitting up to 100 g/km, €22 above 100 g/km, and €32 above 2,050 cc.
- First-registration supplement by Euro standard, added to the first road tax: petrol €0 for Euro 6 and 5b, €100 for 5a and €300 for Euro 4 or older; diesel €0 for Euro 6, €50 for 5b, €250 for 5a and €600 for Euro 4 or older.
How are the road tax figures set and paid?
The CO2 figure comes from the EC certificate of conformity (the WLTP value divided by 1.30 and rounded down) or from the registration certificate of another EU country, with the same conversion. You can contest the figure within 60 days. Cars registered before 2019 follow older scales, and the RTD gives the amount at renewal.
You pay for the year, or in two instalments of 55% or four of 27.5% of the annual tax, no later than 70 days after the licence expires. Renew online on rtd.mcw.gov.cy with a valid technical inspection. Late payment costs €10 plus 10% of the amount due, and a car whose licence is not renewed for a year and 70 days is struck off the register, with the sums due becoming a civil debt. The RTD gives the exact amount for your car at registration.
Which mistakes cost the most?
- Missing the 10-working-day customs limit. Organise clearance as soon as the car reaches the port.
- Importing an almost-new car without the papers. Outside a transfer of residence you pay 19% VAT on top of the VAT you already paid; with one, keep the invoice and file the declaration on time.
- Losing the original registration certificate. Customs needs it.
- Keeping foreign plates once resident. You risk a fine for non-registration or unpaid taxes.
- Forgetting that British drivers have only six months.
What about a car from the UK or Switzerland?
It counts as a non-EU import: customs duty of 10% for a passenger car on the customs value (purchase price plus transport and insurance), then 19% VAT on the customs value plus the duty, with a customs declaration. GOV.UK adds that you cannot import a vehicle through the northern part of the island. Check the RTD restrictions before you ship. If you are British, see also moving to Cyprus from the UK.
Does this apply in the north?
The RTD and the rules above apply in the areas controlled by the Republic. The northern part has its own system for vehicles and licences, so check the position with your insurer and the authorities before driving there.
What is the short version of driving in Cyprus?
If you hold an EU licence, keep driving. If you hold a UK licence, put a date in your calendar before month six. If you bring a car, clear it within ten working days, register it for €150 and check the VAT status. Before you ship a car, ask the Customs Department, or a licensed customs agent in Cyprus, to confirm the VAT and taxes for your exact vehicle and situation. Plan the running costs alongside your rent in the cost of living in Cyprus budget, and use our moving to Cyprus checklist to place the car in the order of your first weeks. Everything else is learning to look right at roundabouts.