DaveandLinda

My son has lived in the Netherlands for the past several years. He has a UK driving licence but does not have a Dutch one. He is planning to go to the UK on holiday and hire a car. However, we have been told that as he no longer has a permanent address in the UK (neither do we as we are in Australia) that his licence is no longer valid to drive in the UK. However, it seems he is still able to use it to drive in the Netherlands, and he checked with DVLC he came on holiday to Australia that it was valid for him to drive here. Now it seems rather ludicrous that he can drive in the Netherlands and Australia with his UK licence but not in the UK. Does anyone know whether this is true and a way round it? He has thought of getting a Dutch licence, if he can do this in time, but most car hire companies require that you have held the licence for at least a year.

BritInParis

Yes, he should swap his UK licence for a Dutch one if he wishes to drive in the UK. Otherwise he risks a £1000 fine.

mikelincs

If he has lived in the Netherlands for 'several years is his UK license still valid, remember that photocard licenses are only valid for 10 years, and he cannot renew it from the Netherlands as it needs to be sent to UK address, I would suggest getting it changed for a Dutch one as a matter of urgency. I'm somewhat surprised that, if he has ever been stopped by the police in Holland, he hasn't been told to get it changed. Most EU countries give a limited time you can drive on a 'foreign' license.

DaveandLinda

He lives in Amsterdam where there is a very good transport system so doesn't own a car no need for a licence. I am less concerned about a fine, I think, more the fact that the insurance on the rental car would be invalid, That is what I am trying to ascertain, The DVLC are very unclear on this point.

DaveandLinda

Also getting a Dutch licence wouldn;t really help at this point as you need to have had it for a year to hire a car.

BritInParis

He’s swapping his licence, not applying for a new licence from scratch. It’ll be valid from the day he passed his UK driving test.

calman014

His licence is not valid in the Netherlands if he is already resident in NL. He should go to his local council and exchange it for an NL licence urgently to avoid problems.

DaveandLinda

Thanks for all your replies, however, no one seems to have answered the question. In the meantime he has contacted DVLA again and got a more helpful response:
'It may help if I explain that you may drive in GB on your UK issued driving licence, however we would be unable to process a new licence for you as you are not resident in the UK'
This is obviously confirmation that his UK licence is still valid in the UK.

calman014

As said above..the licence is not valid. Under EU rules you must hold a licence of the country where you are resident. If he drives in UK using the old UK licence, he is effectively driving uninsured as in case of an accident his licence is invalid because he is not resident in UK. So why take the risk.

StevieLW

I think that he is allowed to use his EU issued driving licence whilst living here in NL until it expires.

https://www.rdw.nl/over-rdw/informat...riving-licence

RDW states:

Fugee

I agree with this assuming his licence is not valid for life. Driving licences for European countries are covered by EU regulations.

See the European Unions's website:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...e/index_en.htm

"If you move to another EU country and your driving licence is lost, stolen, damaged or expired, you should renew, replace or exchange it in the country where you usually live."

And
"If you change your residence to another EU country, you don't usually have to change your driving licence. You can use your current licence as long as it remains valid.
If you wish, you can voluntarily exchange your licence for an equivalent one in your new country of residence.
You will have to prove that you are a resident of that country and that you meet the conditions for having a driving licence (e.g. you have reached the minimum age, your state of health permits you to drive, etc.).
Before the authorities exchange your driving licence, they will contact the authorities in your previous country of residence to check that your driving licence has not been restricted, suspended or withdrawn."

And
"When living abroad, you will have to exchange your driving licence for a local one:
if your licence is lost, stolen or damaged
after 2 years of usual residence, if you have a driving licence valid for life (only if required by the country where you live)
if you commit a traffic offence in the country where you live"

Things may change after 31st October, though.

SushiFan

calman014

You need to read the "small writing"... this rule is only valid based on your date of registration in the Netherlands.

StevieLW

I'm intrigued as to which small writing you mean? The text tells me 2 situations based on the date you register and the validity date of your licence:
1) Does your licence expire within 2 years of registration, then you can use it for 2 full years
2) Does your licence expire after 2 years of registration, then you can use it for 15 years from the date of its issue.

Red_Wine_Fairy

To answer the OP's question: contact the Car Rental company (or maybe several) in the UK, who will tell you there and then if they will be able to insure your son on a UK rental car with his UK licence even if he lives abroad. For the immediate future, on his return, I would strongly advise he does change it prior to any no-deal Brexit as then he might fall under the same rules as non-EU folk who have to physically resit their driving test (looking at thousands rather than the 40 or so euros for a simple exchange now). It also acts as legitimate ID as it contains your address and photo - meaning he doesn't need to carry his passport around on him all the time (driving licence is far quicker and cheaper to replace if lost or stolen). Incidentally, we rented a van in NL on a UK driving licence when we first moved here (from Europcar) and took it over on the ferry - that could also be an option?

To the sidelined conversation: We changed our driving licences when they expired at the 10 year mark. The details of our UK licences and all other details were known by the Dutch insurer and it was never an issue. Nor have we had the police complaining. The small print is in effect what will buy you a get-out card because the law depends on who you ask. I'm not saying that law enforcement here is different to the UK, but there are very few police here who wouldn't give you the benefit of the doubt if it meant they didn't have to make a big effort (hours) to establish in full what would only amount to a small fine anyway, only to have it argued away by a smarter lawyer: they'd rather be out setting up mobile speed traps - catching multiple speeders and providing a kings ransom in fines for minimal effort