UK driving Licence changes
We went back to the UK last year and booked a hire car in advance. OH only had his pink card and not the paper bit of his licence. They wouldn't let us hire a car (and we tried every car hire company at the airport). They said that normally they could phone the DVLA and check over the phone but it was a Saturday afternoon and they were closed. The train companies did well out of us that weekend.
Regards
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
My French licence (issued 10 years ago) is paper. There's a laminated photo but the licence itself is (robust-ish) paper.e-richard wrote:Am I wrong in thinking that most other countries have only had a photocard for decades. The paper part was peculiarly British and essentially a Neo Georgian relic.
Thanks Anne I thought that would be the case which is why I posted. We should warn our guests or risk problems.annedab wrote:We went back to the UK last year and booked a hire car in advance. OH only had his pink card and not the paper bit of his licence. They wouldn't let us hire a car (and we tried every car hire company at the airport). They said that normally they could phone the DVLA and check over the phone but it was a Saturday afternoon and they were closed. The train companies did well out of us that weekend.
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Do not forget you have to exchange your licence when you are resident of a country which has not issued your Drivers Licence.
When that is depends on the country you are now living in. Usually it is only 12 months. Or if the date is due before the time period stipulated.
When that is depends on the country you are now living in. Usually it is only 12 months. Or if the date is due before the time period stipulated.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
No you don't. It's perfectly legal to be a French resident and continue to use your British licence... unless you are naughty in France and need to have points deducted in which case you may be required to change to a French licence.casasantoestevo wrote:Do not forget you have to exchange your licence when you are resident of a country which has not issued your Drivers Licence.
To me it makes no sense not to change to a licence issued by your country of residence* - particularly if you no longer own the address to which your UK licence is registered - but you don't have to. It's European law afaIr, not a French / British deal.
However, if I moved back to the UK and kept my French licence, I could use it until I reached the age of 70, or for 3 years after becoming resident in Great Britain, whichever is longer. In reality, of course, I'd change from FR to GB.
* if you lose your UK licence getting a new one will be a hassle (DVLC will want to send it to the UK address to which your licence is / was registered) and you cannot renew your licence from abroad.
Not necessarily true, Casa, an EU-issued driving licence is valid in all EU countries and does not have to be changed.casasantoestevo wrote:Do not forget you have to exchange your licence when you are resident of a country which has not issued your Drivers Licence.
When that is depends on the country you are now living in. Usually it is only 12 months. Or if the date is due before the time period stipulated.
Btw, since 16 Sept 2013 French licences are also of the "credit card" type.
Mols
Jumping is just dressage with speed-bumps.
Great choice of phrase, since they are now cards we have to pay to have them renewed whereas paper we didn't.Moliere wrote: Btw, since 16 Sept 2013 French licences are also of the "credit card" type.
Mols
Passivpool Energy "A" rated Swimming Pools, the most efficient, lowest running cost pools in the world
Quite right Teapot, but it's the same everywhere - what was once part of a service is being monetised.
Still, the photo card is quite useful when proof of identity is required - Mme Mols bought a new mobile recently in France and they were quite happy to accept her UK driving licence as evidence that she's a real person. Better and safer than carting your passport about.
Mols
Still, the photo card is quite useful when proof of identity is required - Mme Mols bought a new mobile recently in France and they were quite happy to accept her UK driving licence as evidence that she's a real person. Better and safer than carting your passport about.
Mols
Jumping is just dressage with speed-bumps.
Like posted it it depends on country you live in.
But you cannot use any D.L. which is out of date.
France:
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/part ... 1757.xhtml
In Spain requirements are totally different.
http://www.tumbit.com/news/articles/668 ... ments.html
Using a UK driving licence that is not registered to the correct address breaks UK laws. There fines up to around 1000GBP.
So figure out if you are within the law or not.
But you cannot use any D.L. which is out of date.
France:
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/part ... 1757.xhtml
In Spain requirements are totally different.
http://www.tumbit.com/news/articles/668 ... ments.html
Using a UK driving licence that is not registered to the correct address breaks UK laws. There fines up to around 1000GBP.
So figure out if you are within the law or not.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Not if you are no longer a UK resident. Your British licence is still legal for use in the EU - despite the address issue - but, as I indicated, if the British licence is lost or stolen, getting a replacement may not be possible if you no longer have access to the address to which the licence was originally registered so personally I can see no advantage in retaining a British licence.casasantoestevo wrote:Using a UK driving licence that is not registered to the correct address breaks UK laws.
As you hand over your UK licence in order to have a French licence (in my example) issued, you'd have no licence to exchange for a French one.
No. The point being that you are not a resident of the UK.casasantoestevo wrote:The point being is if you use your UK D.L. back in the UK after you have moved and for any reason that you and the police are involved. If the address is not correct you can be fined.
When you are resident elsewhere, your UK driving licence is treated as a licence of the EU state in which you are a resident and falls under that state's regulations.
If you move back to the UK permanently and do not then register a change of address (if you haven't returned to your old address) then you would be breaking the DVLA rules but as a resident in another EU country you are not.
I realise it feels counter-intuitive but the distinction is that the UK requirements are written for UK residents; an EU driving licence is just a document governed by the country of residence. This is why, if you've committed an offence in France, you can then be forced to change to a French licence but the DVLA cannot force you to give up your UK-issued licence just because you now live in another EU state - even though the address is wrong.
However, I suspect you will remain unconvinced so that's my last word in this thread - particularly as it's really a sidebar to the original topic.
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Cassis
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That's probably the Welsh spelling. Like rwgby for rugby.FelicityA wrote:I only have the paper licence. My name is spelt wrongly - Phelicity - because evidently they didn't know how to spell in Swansea at the time.
Real name Phil
Moved to France in 2004
Likes ducks, nature, gardening, furniture restoration, DIY, rugby, blah, blah.
Moved to France in 2004
Likes ducks, nature, gardening, furniture restoration, DIY, rugby, blah, blah.
Normandie wrote:
This is why, if you've committed an offence in France, you can then be forced to change to a French licence but the DVLA cannot force you to give up your UK-issued licence just because you now live in another EU state - even though the address is wrong.
I have been caught for speeding on a few occasions (twice with just 1km/hr over the limit after the 5% deduction) i just sent a photocopy of my (credit card) license and the payment, thankfully no one has said that i must change to a French license.
This is why, if you've committed an offence in France, you can then be forced to change to a French licence but the DVLA cannot force you to give up your UK-issued licence just because you now live in another EU state - even though the address is wrong.
I have been caught for speeding on a few occasions (twice with just 1km/hr over the limit after the 5% deduction) i just sent a photocopy of my (credit card) license and the payment, thankfully no one has said that i must change to a French license.
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kevsboredagain
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casasantoestevo is actually correct. You can't just up and leave the UK and drive around for years in the EU on a license that is registered to a place where you no longer live. Yes, the license is valid in the EU but the address must be your permanent address.
I got away with it for years using my parents address but doesn't mean it's legal.
The DVLA says "If you are moving abroad, you cannot update your British driving licence with your foreign address, you will need to contact the relevant driving licence authority in the country you are moving to."
I got away with it for years using my parents address but doesn't mean it's legal.
The DVLA says "If you are moving abroad, you cannot update your British driving licence with your foreign address, you will need to contact the relevant driving licence authority in the country you are moving to."