Ruby2

Thanks, Modicasa. I wasn't aware of the new law but here's a link to it for anyone else:
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...esident_en.htm
Delays the hassle of exchanging my UK licence for an Italian one for a few more years!

37100

Well, we'll agree to disagree then. The link I placed is from the ministry of Transport and refers to the new laws.

37100

Yes, in this (your's) case I agree. I wasn't referring to the paper part. Aren't they fazing them out in the UK, too? Your EU licence is valid until 2015, so yes it is valid. That is because the expiry date of validity is within the normative had it been a Italian one. However, this is not the same for everyone. Not everyone can wait until the expiry date of their UK one because in Italy, over 50 the licence must be renewed every 5yrs until 70 (then every 2) and not every 10 as in the UK.

modicasa

Im going to be a bit pedantic here but... a paper licence without your EU photocard is no longer valid anywhere. They need to be presented together. The photocard, since its introduction has a fixed validity of 10 years, so if you are resident in Italy you must convert on its expiry. Even if you get your new EU licence when you are 49 it is valid in Italy until its expiry under the new Europe wide legislation, although the carabinieri that stops you might have a problem getting his head round the concept. Obviously if you get a new UK photocard when you are 45 there is no problem because you will be 55 when it expires and you will fall under the Italian 5 year licence term for over 50's. Seeing that every time the carabinieri stop me they spend 40 minutes poring over the black book before coming over to the car and asking 'So is Britain in Europe then?' - it might be better converting to an Italian licence if you are between 55 and 59 just to prevent brain death.

linseed oil

as said above , is Britain in the eropean community , is very often asked of me and mine , it brings to light that every law . in Italy is up to the commune or the cop , on how they intpertate the law
I changed my old ragged paper licence , getting fed up of machine totting caribinerry telling its not legal , I now have an Italian issue , straight swap , only prob it does not last long , , ie 5 years or so , I have to take my docter a bottle of wine and he sorts it all out easy peasy

37100

That's is exactly what I said, Modicasa. Or didn't I. That is, under 50 ten years, over 50 etc. Same as Italian licences. No different. Though it actually expires on next birthday and a Italian paper licence without a photocard is valid here. There are still a lot of Italians out there with just a paper card with a lot of stamps. As you said, if you renew your UK card at 49 it will be valid the full 10yrs, but if you renew it at 51 will only be able to use it for 5yrs from the date of residency. This is not my interpretation, but has been clarified by the MdT.

'So is GB in Europe than'. I'm so not answering that.

jiminalpago

A tip. When the Carabinieri stop you, say you are Scottish.
The senior of the two will then chat about how he always wanted to go there; his junior will be left to flick through the ledgers and when he comes back muttering that he isn't sure, his boss will dismiss him with disdain and you with a cheery "Bye, bye".
Works also with the Polizia Stradale and, I kid you not, the Guardia di Finanza.

Pecora Nera

I like the Scottish bit.

My UK licence had my country of birth... Malta, so this always added just a bit more fun for the Carabinieri when they checked my licence.

Usual questions...
1) Are you British or Maltese
2) Your licence is from Ukraine, if it was British it would have GB for Gran Brittania not UK... which is from Ukraine
3) If you were born in Malta why do you have a Ukrainian or even a GB licence?
4) The UK is not part of Europe!! you don't have the Euro do you?
5) Why the hell haven't you learnt Italian.

PS I have had my Italian licence for nearly 6 months and no bu#*er has stopped me to have a look at it yet.

modicasa

As regards 4 - which I get very often, they often add - Do you have Christmas in England? and Are you christians in the UK ? -

Pecora Nera

Lol, I have been asked if there are Christians in the UK.

Every Thursday evening I teach a group of 9 Italians conversational English. This is part of my master plan to convert Italy over to the English language, so that I don't have to learn Italian.

A couple of lessons ago, I was explaining how Christmas Eve and New Years Eve is a huge celebration in the UK. I was describing how busy the pubs are, and the parties that happen.

One woman asked, "Don't most English people go to church on Christmas Eve?" Erh, cough cough!!! Sure the good people do..... then they go to the pub and party..

ononno

My UK licence being a bi-lingual Welsh/English version, if stopped I've been asked if I'm Dutch.
by by dicette l'inglese

globecafe

does the british licence not say in bold letters that you must change your licence if you live out of the uk for more than a year although in my experience most police dont bother but you have to think if something serious was to happen like knock someone down and kill them maybe then they would go to town on you for driving with an invalid licence.

Margaret M

Just looked at my photocard and can't see anything on there, will check my paper one later.