Driver License in Botswana

A Botswana driver's licence lets you drive legally once you live there or hold its citizenship. Depending on your situation, you may get a new licence, exchange a foreign one, or use a temporary permit while you settle in.

We confirm which route applies to you, prepare the documents, book any test or appointment, and follow the file until the licence is issued. If you need to be there in person, we tell you before anything is filed.

How it works in Botswana

These points come from the Government of Botswana's foreign driving licence conversion page:

• Residents with a foreign licence can use it for up to 90 days, then must get a Botswana licence. SADC licences are exempt, and an international driving permit also lets you drive without converting.
• You complete form DL1, do an eye screening, and hand the documents and results to the licensing officer. Eye test results are valid for one year.
• You need the original foreign licence with a certified copy, a letter from the issuing authority or embassy confirming it is genuine, a certified Omang or passport, and the relevant permit if you are not a citizen.
• The service is listed as immediate: you pay, have your photo taken, sign, and collect the printed licence at a Department of Road Transport Services office.

Rules and fees change, so we check the official source again before your application goes in.

Before you apply

• Check your current licence. Whether it can be exchanged depends on the country that issued it and whether it is still valid.
• Plan for an in-person step. Most authorities take a photo, signature, or eye test at the counter.
• Prepare translations. Licences in another language often need a certified translation.

Why applications get delayed

• A foreign licence that has expired or cannot be verified
• Names that do not match across the passport, ID, and licence
• Missing proof of address or residence
• Medical or eye test results that are out of date
• Unpaid fines or an earlier suspension that was not disclosed

We check each of these before the application goes in.

Related services

You can browse every Botswana service, including passport renewal and police clearance. If you are applying for citizenship, see the Botswana programme.

• A check of which Botswana licence route applies to you
• A review of your passport, ID, and current licence
• Help with translations, medical or eye tests, and photos
• Booking of any test or appointment the authority requires
• Filing with the licensing authority
• Follow-up until the licence is issued

1. Brief. Tell us which licence you hold now and where you live.
2. Check and quote. We confirm the route (new, exchange, or temporary), list the documents, and send you the quote.
3. Documents. You send scans; we check them and arrange translations or certificates if needed.
4. Appointment. We book the test, eye check, or counter visit when one is required.
5. Filing. The application is lodged with the licensing authority.
6. Delivery. We track it until the licence is issued and tell you how to collect it.

You receive a quote before any filing starts. It separates the CitizenX fee from government charges, test and medical fees, translations, and courier costs. Those extras are added only when they apply, and only after you approve them.

Government fees change, so we confirm them with the licensing authority for your case before you sign.