Highest Minimum Driving Age by Country
Countries ranked by the minimum legal age to hold a full Class B driving licence. Most of the world sets 18 as the floor, but a few notable exceptions go higher — and several countries allow earlier provisional licences.
| # | Country | Min Age | Notes | Explore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🥇#1 | 🇪🇸Ισπανία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
🥈#2 | 🇩🇪Γερμανία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
🥉#3 | 🇮🇹Ιταλία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 4 | 🇳🇱Ολλανδία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 5 | 🇵🇹Πορτογαλία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 6 | 🇵🇱Πολωνία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 7 | 🇯🇵Ιαπωνία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 8 | 🇧🇷Βραζιλία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 9 | 🇲🇽Μεξικό | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 10 | 🇦🇷Αργεντινή | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 11 | 🇸🇪Σουηδία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 12 | 🇻🇳Βιετνάμ | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 13 | 🇨🇭Ελβετία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 14 | 🇫🇮Φινλανδία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 15 | 🇳🇴Νορβηγία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 16 | 🇰🇷Νότια Κορέα | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 17 | 🇦🇹Αυστρία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 18 | 🇹🇷Τουρκία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 19 | 🇪🇪Εσθονία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 20 | 🇷🇴Ρουμανία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 21 | 🇨🇿Τσεχία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 22 | 🇺🇦Ουκρανία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 23 | 🇬🇷Ελλάδα | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 24 | 🇸🇦Σαουδική Αραβία | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 25 | 🇱🇺Λουξεμβούργο | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 26 | 🇰🇼Κουβέιτ | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 27 | 🇧🇭Μπαχρέιν | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 28 | 🇶🇦Κατάρ | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 29 | 🇴🇲Ομάν | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. | |
| 30 | 🇪🇬Αίγυπτος | 18 years | 18 is the most common minimum age globally. |
Methodology
The ranking uses the minimum age to hold a full unrestricted Class B (passenger car) driving licence. Many countries allow provisional or learner licences earlier (often 15-17) with conditions like supervised driving only, restricted hours, or lower alcohol limits.
Graduated licensing systems that require additional stages after the initial age (common in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, most US states) are not factored into this ranking — the age shown is the final full-licence age.
Ties are broken alphabetically. Commercial driver licence ages (typically 21+ for heavy goods and buses) are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum driving age in most countries?+
Which country has the highest minimum driving age?+
Can teenagers drive before their legal minimum age?+
Why do different countries set different minimum driving ages?+
Does a higher minimum age mean safer roads for young drivers?+
Can I drive abroad before the local minimum age with my home licence?+
What is a graduated licensing system?+
Data Sources
This ranking is compiled from official licensing authorities and government road-safety bodies. All values are normalised to allow direct comparison across countries.
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Last updated April 2026. AutoviaTest normalises data from government sources into a single comparable format. Methodology and licence: CC BY 4.0.
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