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Driving licence loan

You can apply for a driving licence loan to help you on your way to a category B licence. A driving licence increases your chances of getting a job. The loan is available to people who are unemployed and who fulfil certain conditions. You can also apply for the loan if you are aged 19–20 and have an upper secondary diploma. Here you can read about the size of the loan, conditions and how to apply.

Information in English and other languages

We provide information about our various forms of grants and loans in different languages. Quite a lot of information has been translated into English. The most important information has been translated into other languages, such as Arabic, Spanish, etc.

What is a driving licence loan?

Swedish speech with subtitles in Arabic, Somali, English and Persian.

You can borrow money from CSN to help you towards a Swedish category B driving licence. This licence will entitle you to drive passenger cars and light goods vehicles. You can borrow a maximum amount of SEK 15,000. You must pay back what you have borrowed, even if you do not qualify for your driving licence.

Driving licence loans are available to two groups. You can apply for a driving licence loan if you are

  • aged 18–47 and unemployed or
  • aged 19–20 and have an upper secondary diploma or equivalent.

To be eligible for a driving licence loan, you need to be aged 18–47, unemployed and registered with the Swedish Public Employment Service. You cannot apply for a driving licence loan while you are studying, on parental or sick leave, or in prison. You can also take out a driving licence loan if you are aged 19–20 and have an upper secondary diploma or equivalent.

How much you can borrow

You can borrow a maximum amount of SEK 15,000. The money will be paid out three times during the period you are learning to drive. Each payment is SEK 5,000. If you want to borrow less, you do not need to request all three payments. You cannot receive the full amount in one payment.

You can only be granted a CSN driving licence loan once. The decision to award a driving licence loan is valid for one year from the date the decision is taken.

The driving licence loan may not cover all of your costs for learning to drive, but it can help you along the way. Check with your driving school and they can help you set up a plan. Then you will also have an idea of how much the loan will cover.

What costs can the driving licence loan cover?

The driving licence loan can be used to pay for:

  • educational materials and driving theory guides
  • the introductory training course
  • theory lessons
  • practical lessons
  • risk training courses
  • the practical and theory tests
  • car rental from an authorised driving school or the Swedish Transport Administration on the day of your practical test.

The loan may only be used for the costs you incur during the period the decision is valid. This means that you cannot borrow money to cover any costs you incurred before you were awarded the loan, or once your decision has expired.

The loan may only be used towards a Swedish category B driving licence that entitles you to drive passenger cars and light goods vehicles.

Conditions for applying for the driving licence loan

The driving licence loan is aimed at different groups. The borrowing conditions vary depending on which group you belong to.

  1. You are unemployed and aged 18–47. You must be registered as a job seeker with the Swedish Public Employment Service. People participating in a labour market programme also count as unemployed. The unemployment requirement is different depending on your age. More information can be found further down the page.
  2. You are 19–20 years old and have an upper secondary diploma or equivalent. Your diploma can be from an independent adult education college, municipal adult education (Komvux), upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disabilities or certain international schools. You do not need to be unemployed.

Conditions that apply for all applicants:

  • You must not already have a Swedish category B driving licence.
  • You must be enrolled at a driving school authorised by the Swedish Transport Agency.

Requirements for the driving school

Your driving school must also fulfil certain requirements for you to be eligible for a driving licence loan.

  • The driving school must be authorised by the Swedish Transport Agency.
  • The driving school needs to have an agreement with CSN.

The Swedish Transport Agency website has a list of authorised driving schools.

Find companies with permission to run a traffic school on the Swedish Transport Agency's website

If you are unemployed – age conditions

If you are unemployed, different conditions for the driving licence loan will apply depending on your age.

You are 18–24 years old

If you have turned 18 but are not 25 yet, you need to be registered as a job seeker with the Public Employment Service to be able to apply for the driving licence loan. In addition, you must meet one of these two conditions:

  • You are participating in the Public Employment Service’s job and development guarantee programme or the job guarantee programme for young people. You must be enrolled in the programme when CSN receives your application.
  • You have participated in the Public Employment Service’s establishment programme for at least three consecutive months up until the day before CSN receives your application.
You are 25–47 years old

If you have turned 25 but not 48, you must be registered as a job seeker with the Public Employment Service. You must have been registered as a job seeker for at least six consecutive months up until the day before CSN receives your application. In addition, you must meet one of these two conditions:

  • You have been unemployed during the entire period.
  • You have taken part in a labour market policy programme for the entire period.

Apply for a driving licence loan

Here you can read about what you need to do if you want to apply for a driving licence loan.

1. Visit a driving school. Inform them that you intend to apply for a driving license loan from CSN.

2. Apply for a driving licence loan via My pages on csn.se. Log in using mobile bank ID or any other e-ID.

Illustration på en dator

3. CSN will review your application and send a decision to My Pages. You will receive a text message or email when it has arrived.

4. Tell your driving school that you have received a decision on a driving licence loan so they can notify CSN that you have enrolled with them.

5. Register your bank account details with Swedbank’s account register. We can then can pay the money directly into your bank account.

6. Request payment from CSN when you start your driving lessons. Do this by logging on to My Pages.

How to apply via My Pages

Click the yellow button above and log in. Fill out your application, sign and submit it to CSN.

When will the money arrive?

The money will not be paid out automatically. You must request it yourself once you have started your driving licence training. The driving licence loan is paid directly to you, not to the driving school.

Remember to register your bank account details with Swedbank’s account register. We can then can pay the money directly into your bank account.

The driving licence loan consists of three payments and each payment is SEK 5,000.

You can request the first payment when the driving school has informed CSN that you have enrolled with them.

You can request the second payment when the driving school or the Swedish Transport Administration has notified CSN that you have had costs for at least SEK 4 300.

You can request the third payment when the driving school or the Swedish Transport Administration has reported to CSN that you have had costs for at least SEK 9 300 in total.

The Swedish Transport Administration will notify CSN about the costs for your theory and practical driving tests once you have taken them. This means that you do not need to notify the driving school or CSN yourself.

How to request a payment

  1. Click the yellow button above and log in using mobile bank ID or other form of e-ID.
  2. Sign and submit your request.
  3. CSN will review your request and send a decision to My Pages. You will receive a text message or email when the decision has arrived.
  4. Once we have approved your request, it will take approximately two or three business days before you have the money in your account.

Do not wait too long!

Remember not to wait too long to request your payments. You cannot receive money after you have passed your theory and practical tests. Furthermore, you cannot receive money once your loan decision has expired.

How to register your bank account details with Swedbank

You need to register your bank account details with Swedbank in order to receive your payments. Swedbank manages CSN’s payments to you. You can have an account with any Swedish bank – you do not need to be a Swedbank customer.

If you have received payments from CSN in the past, but over one year has passed since your last payment, you will need to re-register your bank account details. If you do not register your bank account with Swedbank, or if you do not have a bank account, you will be sent a cheque. The cheque will contain information about where it can be cashed.

Register your bank account (in Swedish)

How long is the decision valid for?

The decision regarding driving licence loans is valid for one year.

In some cases, we can extend the decision so that it applies for longer. We might do this if you have been unable to complete your driving lessons and tests as planned due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, you may have broken your leg and been unable to drive.

If you want to extend your decision, you need to contact CSN no later than one month before it expires. The maximum extension available is two years. Extending the period of validity will not affect the amount you may borrow. You will still only be able to borrow a maximum of SEK 15,000.

You can no longer request payments once your loan decision has expired. Furthermore, you cannot receive money after you have passed your theory and practical tests.

You cannot borrow money to cover any costs you incurred before you were awarded the loan, or once your decision is no longer valid.

Extending decisions due to the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has meant that many people have been unable to take their driving licence as planned. The government has therefore decided to extend the validity of driving licence loan decisions taken between 1 April and 31 December 2019. These decisions will now be valid for two years.

This means that if you received your decision during this time, you can request loan payments over a longer period. This also applies even if your decision has already expired. Request your payments via My Pages, as usual. If you have already used your entire loan or passed your driving tests, you cannot request more payments – even if your decision has been extended.

Decisions taken after 31 December 2019 are valid for one year.

The government’s decision to change the validity period applies as of 15 July 2020, and amends section 8 of the driving licence loan ordinance (förordningen (2018:1118) om körkortslån).

Repaying the loan

You must pay back the money that you have borrowed. CSN also charges interest on the loan amount. The interest rate for 2023 is 1,7 percent. When it is time to repay the loan, CSN will send you information about when and how much you must pay. You will begin to repay the loan no earlier than six months after your decision regarding a driving licence loan has expired. Repayment always begins at the start of a new calendar year.

Examples – when will Sarah start making repayments?

Sarah’s decision regarding a driving licence loan expires in May 2021. She will start repaying her loan in January 2021.

If the decision had expired in September 2021, she would have started repaying her loan in January 2023.

Your repayments are SEK 300 per month. This means that if you have borrowed SEK 15,000, it will take a little more than 4 years to repay the loan. Naturally, it is possible to repay the loan faster if you wish.

It is also possible to start repaying the loan earlier. Use BankGiro number 5268-6011. Use your personal identity number as the OCR (10 numbers, no spaces or dashes).

Repaying your driving licence loan

Appealing against a decision by CSN

If you believe that CSN has reached an incorrect decision, you can appeal against it. CSN must be in receipt of your appeal within three weeks from the date on which you were notified the decision.

How to appeal against a decision

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the loan doesn’t cover all the costs of my licence?

Once you have borrowed the maximum amount of SEK 15,000, you cannot borrow more money from CSN to put towards your driving licence. You will need to find another way to fund any additional costs.

What do you mean by “upper secondary diploma or equivalent”?

An upper secondary qualification or equivalent can include:

  • proof of studies including grades from courses worth a combined total of at least 2,500 upper-secondary school credits
  • upper-secondary certificate from an introductory programme
  • diploma or equivalent from upper-secondary education at a Swedish school abroad
  • diploma or equivalent from an upper secondary school abroad or at an international school in Sweden
  • certificate from a national programme at an upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disabilities
  • certificate from municipal adult education stating that the courses taken are the equivalent of a national upper-secondary programme from an upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disabilities
  • International Baccalaureate, or
  • certificate from an independent adult education college showing you meet the general entry requirements for university studies or a higher vocational education programme.
Can I apply for the loan and request payments via the CSN app?

No, you cannot use the app to apply for the driving licence loan or request payments. If you use a mobile device when you apply or request payments, you need to select “no” when you are asked if you want to switch to a mobile-optimised page.

I can’t request my payment. Why?

If you are unable request your first payment, this may be because your driving school has not notified CSN that you have enrolled with them.

If you cannot request your second or third payment, this may be because your costs may not have been high enough for you to receive the next payment.

Does the driving licence loan affect other grants and loans from CSN?

No, the driving licence loan is a separate loan. It will not affect the other grants and loans from CSN, such as student finance, education entry grants and home equipment loans.

Does the driving licence loan affect other grants and loans from CSN?

No, the driving licence loan is a separate loan. It will not affect the other grants and loans from CSN, such as student finance, education entry grants and home equipment loans.

Can I get a driving licence loan if I am studying?

The driving licence loan is aimed at two groups. One group is for people who are registered as job seekers with the Swedish Public Employment Service. This means you cannot be studying.

However, if you have received a decision that you are entitled to a driving licence loan, this will not be affected if you start studying. The condition that you must be registered as a job seeker with the Public Employment Service only applies for the time before you apply for a driving licence loan.

If you are studying during your period of unemployment, and have any questions about whether you meet the unemployment condition for the driving licence loan, the best thing to do is to contact the Public Employment Service. You can also try applying for a driving licence loan via My Pages. When you apply you will be told whether you meet the unemployment condition.

If you are in the 19–20 group and have an upper secondary diploma or equivalent, you can apply for the driving licence loan even though you are studying. There is nothing to stop you taking the driving licence loan and studying at the same time.

If I take out the driving licence loan, will this affect my weeks with student finance?

No, the number of weeks of student finance or education entry grants you are entitled to will not be affected by the driving licence loan.

What happens if I get a job while I am learning to drive?

This will not affect your driving licence loan. The condition that you must be registered with the Public Employment Service only applies when you apply for the loan.

I have already started learning to drive, can I get a driving licence loan?

The fact you have already started learning to drive will not affect your driving licence loan. However, you cannot use the loan to cover costs you incurred before your received the decision granting you the loan.

Can I cancel my loan?

You cannot cancel your loan, but you can choose not to request any payments or request fewer payments. Please note that if you have been granted a driving licence loan once, you cannot apply for it again. This applies even if you have not requested any money.

My decision on a driving licence loan has expired but I have not requested any payments. Can I apply again?

No, if you have applied and received a decision regarding a driving licence loan, you cannot apply again.

Is the money that CSN is allocated for driving licence loans enough to cover all applications, or can it run out?

Each year, CSN receives a sum of money to be used for driving licence loans. Parliament determines how much money CSN will receive.

We take decisions on driving licence loan applications in the order they are received. If you apply later in the year, it might be the case that the money allocated to CSN for driving licence loans has run out. If this is the case, you can apply again next year.

Updated: 2023-01-01
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