Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
Jan 31st 2015, 4:51 am
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Christina Lake. BC
Posts: 674
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
Staying with friends for 10 months, up to 3 years?
They may not be your friends after that time.
Realistically - if you are planning to become lodgers, etc, won't you have an agreement documenting this? And then you would get on the Electoral Roll, change your details with HM Revenue & Customs, then change over your driving licence? Which you have to do anyway. A foreign driving licence is not valid for indefinite use in the U.K.
They may not be your friends after that time.
Realistically - if you are planning to become lodgers, etc, won't you have an agreement documenting this? And then you would get on the Electoral Roll, change your details with HM Revenue & Customs, then change over your driving licence? Which you have to do anyway. A foreign driving licence is not valid for indefinite use in the U.K.
Would like to get a UK car and insurance as soon as possible after arrival so was looking at a way to get my UK licence before we travel if possible.
Feb 10th 2015, 2:48 am
#17
Get me out of here ...
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Home Sweet Home
Posts: 178
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
I think there's some confusion w/r/t the question about residency when you start this questionnaire:
https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence
If you have moved back permanently, then you are resident. AFAIK, the first question is geared to folks who have never held a UK license, and is a 'check' to try to prevent someone getting a license who really isn't a resident. In any case, you can normally drive on your foreign license for 12 months. Insurance will likely be higher however.
DVLA will have you on record; you likely just need to get a new license with your new UK address.
I was out of the UK for 11 years. I just sent in the paperwork when I returned in 2011 with the photo and passport (for proof of identity) and I think something else as proof of address. Got the UK license back in about a week.
https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence
If you have moved back permanently, then you are resident. AFAIK, the first question is geared to folks who have never held a UK license, and is a 'check' to try to prevent someone getting a license who really isn't a resident. In any case, you can normally drive on your foreign license for 12 months. Insurance will likely be higher however.
DVLA will have you on record; you likely just need to get a new license with your new UK address.
I was out of the UK for 11 years. I just sent in the paperwork when I returned in 2011 with the photo and passport (for proof of identity) and I think something else as proof of address. Got the UK license back in about a week.
how did you get around the 6 month residency requirement? Not sure if the process has changed since 2011, but they now need an address that you have lived in for that amount of time before they will grant a new licence. But how would they know? Could anyone just put their current UK address and state they had lived there for 6 months, even if they had only just moved in?
Feb 10th 2015, 6:17 am
#18
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: Cheshire East
Posts: 588
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
We were not exchanging our foreign driving licenses - merely updating our address. We had purchased a house which we were living in at the time, and it was the only address we could have, as we no longer had property or ties to any other place in the universe. Again, for someone who is entitled to exchange a foreign license, I suspect this is an attempt to limit the ability to get a UK license immediately, then just ask for a replacement license in the former country, and use whichever is convenient in case of 'issues'. But that's speculation on my part.
As I recall, there was no "how long have you lived there" question for updating an address.
As I recall, there was no "how long have you lived there" question for updating an address.
Feb 10th 2015, 8:41 am
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: My happy place
Posts: 3,043
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
When I moved to Oz in the 80s, there was no such thing as exchanging licences, everyone took the Australian test (I took two as there was no combined m/bike and car theory back then).
In fact, I was still driving on the old 'pink licence' until last year. I just gave them my passport number and they used the photo from my passport on file. Took about 10 days and the licence came back, no questions asked about anything.
Mrs TB exchanged her Oz licence for a UK one so she had a photo licence before I did, bloody foreigners taking liberties
I think I read the paper part of the licence is being scrapped in June 2015 (don't quote me!)
In fact, I was still driving on the old 'pink licence' until last year. I just gave them my passport number and they used the photo from my passport on file. Took about 10 days and the licence came back, no questions asked about anything.
Mrs TB exchanged her Oz licence for a UK one so she had a photo licence before I did, bloody foreigners taking liberties
I think I read the paper part of the licence is being scrapped in June 2015 (don't quote me!)
Feb 10th 2015, 8:56 am
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: Cheshire East
Posts: 588
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
We also had to provide pictures as I wasn't a British Citizen at the time and hubby's UK passport picture wasn't transferable - probably because it was renewed while we were still in the US.
The whole process was very fast. Interestingly, hubby had to renew his picture a year of so back. Cannot for the life of me remember why.
The whole process was very fast. Interestingly, hubby had to renew his picture a year of so back. Cannot for the life of me remember why.
Feb 10th 2015, 2:24 pm
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,294
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
You need to be healthy to have a UK driving license.
"You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result."
I don't suppose your car insurance would be valid either.
You can check the health conditions that DVLA may need to know about, here.
"You may need to tell DVLA if you have a driving licence and one of these health conditions.
Having some of these conditions means you need to fill in a questionnaire or form. Select your condition to find out if this applies to you."
https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
"You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result."
I don't suppose your car insurance would be valid either.
You can check the health conditions that DVLA may need to know about, here.
"You may need to tell DVLA if you have a driving licence and one of these health conditions.
Having some of these conditions means you need to fill in a questionnaire or form. Select your condition to find out if this applies to you."
https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
Last edited by formula; Feb 10th 2015 at 3:02 pm.
Feb 24th 2015, 8:08 am
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,125
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
I've been informed today that you have to have been in the UK for 6 months in order to get your UK licence back. I am currently in Canada and have a BC licence. I am not PR in Canada instead I am on a WHV and have temporary residence in Canada.
Would it be best for me to surrender my BC licence in Canada before I leave and tell DVLA I no longer hold a current, valid licence anywhere and would like to get mine back in the UK?
Do I surrender my BC licence in the UK?
If I still have to wait 6 months, what is the process for getting insurance with a foreign licence. Will they take my no claims into account from my UK licence?
Will DVLA have my information on file and the fact I past my test in a manual as I don't want the licence to go to an automatic. I do have copies of my photo card and counterpart before it was surrendered in Canada and that shows that I can drive a manual.
Please let me know how you got on when you returned to the UK as a resident.
Thanks
Would it be best for me to surrender my BC licence in Canada before I leave and tell DVLA I no longer hold a current, valid licence anywhere and would like to get mine back in the UK?
Do I surrender my BC licence in the UK?
If I still have to wait 6 months, what is the process for getting insurance with a foreign licence. Will they take my no claims into account from my UK licence?
Will DVLA have my information on file and the fact I past my test in a manual as I don't want the licence to go to an automatic. I do have copies of my photo card and counterpart before it was surrendered in Canada and that shows that I can drive a manual.
Please let me know how you got on when you returned to the UK as a resident.
Thanks
Mar 10th 2015, 7:02 pm
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 102
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
I was directed to this thread after asking a similar question.
I've a slightly different set of circumstances, I currently have a temporary Canadian BC paper license, since I had less than 6 months remaining on my Canadian work permit when the time came to renew my BC Photocard. This temporary paper license expires early April, I'll be returning to the UK on the 1st of May.
I understand that I should just be able to obtain my UK license back, but will they accept my (at that point expired) temporary paper BC license in order to exchange it back for my UK license?
Am I the only person who's been in this situation? :S
I'm assuming I also can't drive upon returning to the UK since before I have my UK license back I'll just have this expired temporary paper one?
I've a slightly different set of circumstances, I currently have a temporary Canadian BC paper license, since I had less than 6 months remaining on my Canadian work permit when the time came to renew my BC Photocard. This temporary paper license expires early April, I'll be returning to the UK on the 1st of May.
I understand that I should just be able to obtain my UK license back, but will they accept my (at that point expired) temporary paper BC license in order to exchange it back for my UK license?
Am I the only person who's been in this situation? :S
I'm assuming I also can't drive upon returning to the UK since before I have my UK license back I'll just have this expired temporary paper one?
Mar 10th 2015, 11:57 pm
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand
Posts: 75
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
@doubleym, as I understand if you qualified for a UK licence, having passed a UK Test, if your photocard has expired your entitlement hasn't, so you can simply update your details and get a new licence when you return to the UK.
In a nutshell that's what the DVLA told me about a year ago when I asked a similar question.
In a nutshell that's what the DVLA told me about a year ago when I asked a similar question.
Mar 11th 2015, 12:08 am
#25
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 102
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
@doubleym, as I understand if you qualified for a UK licence, having passed a UK Test, if your photocard has expired your entitlement hasn't, so you can simply update your details and get a new licence when you return to the UK.
In a nutshell that's what the DVLA told me about a year ago when I asked a similar question.
In a nutshell that's what the DVLA told me about a year ago when I asked a similar question.
I thought as much, I was just a little confused by the possibility of having to exchange my Canadian one when it's expired, but I'm guessing that's more of an issue for someone that's never held a UK license as opposed to someone like me who is already 'in the system' so to speak.
Mar 11th 2015, 12:12 am
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand
Posts: 75
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
You can check that you're still in the system here https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
Mar 11th 2015, 12:20 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 102
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
You can check that you're still in the system here https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
"You do not hold a current GB driving licence, a licence has been issued by another licensing authority"
Hence my confusion with the situation, I won't have a UK license because I exchanged it to a Canadian one, then the Canadian one will be expired when I return to the UK. So I won't have a valid license at all.
Mar 11th 2015, 12:31 am
#28
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand
Posts: 75
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
Sorry I hadn't realised that you actually had to exchange your licence for Canada, here in Thailand you just show your licence to get a local one.
The fact remains that you qualified to drive in the UK, I suspect that you only exchanged your physical licence, not your entitlement to hold one.
My licence is also listed on the site as not being current, because the photocard has expired. When I queried this with the DVLA they confirmed that whilst my physical licence had expired the fact I was qualified to hold a UK licence hadn't.
I think you will probably be in the same boat, might be worth firing off an email to them, they were quite helpful.
The fact remains that you qualified to drive in the UK, I suspect that you only exchanged your physical licence, not your entitlement to hold one.
My licence is also listed on the site as not being current, because the photocard has expired. When I queried this with the DVLA they confirmed that whilst my physical licence had expired the fact I was qualified to hold a UK licence hadn't.
I think you will probably be in the same boat, might be worth firing off an email to them, they were quite helpful.
Mar 11th 2015, 1:31 am
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 102
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
Sorry I hadn't realised that you actually had to exchange your licence for Canada, here in Thailand you just show your licence to get a local one.
The fact remains that you qualified to drive in the UK, I suspect that you only exchanged your physical licence, not your entitlement to hold one.
My licence is also listed on the site as not being current, because the photocard has expired. When I queried this with the DVLA they confirmed that whilst my physical licence had expired the fact I was qualified to hold a UK licence hadn't.
I think you will probably be in the same boat, might be worth firing off an email to them, they were quite helpful.
The fact remains that you qualified to drive in the UK, I suspect that you only exchanged your physical licence, not your entitlement to hold one.
My licence is also listed on the site as not being current, because the photocard has expired. When I queried this with the DVLA they confirmed that whilst my physical licence had expired the fact I was qualified to hold a UK licence hadn't.
I think you will probably be in the same boat, might be worth firing off an email to them, they were quite helpful.
Thanks for the help though
Mar 11th 2015, 5:02 pm
#30
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Finally moving!
Posts: 1,236
Re: Re applying for UK driving licence when returning perm to UK
In a straightforward case you can reclaim your British licence and process the paperwork as a simple change of address with both old and new UK addresses (not even mentioning the overseas ones in between). Or as a simple late renewal in the unlikely event that you are moving back to the same address you left years ago (parent's house?).
But will will need to quote the Driver Number printed on that old licence even if you can't find (or gave away) the paper. DVLA will help you rediscover your lifetime Driver Number if necessary, but you will need it before you submit paperwork.
But will will need to quote the Driver Number printed on that old licence even if you can't find (or gave away) the paper. DVLA will help you rediscover your lifetime Driver Number if necessary, but you will need it before you submit paperwork.
