Novocastrian

[QUOTE=Blossom23;11210685]

rivingtonpike

?

magnumpi

If you apply for a UK license and use your UK address for your so called UK residence then how long before the TAX man comes knocking and asking how have you survived for so long without paying into the UK tax system ?

rivingtonpike

I genuinely can't see what a legitimate reason would be to go to all the trouble of obtainng an invalid driver's licence. Surely, ultimately it can only lead to trouble?

christmasoompa

It's not serious thread swerve at all, imo, it's very pertinent to the original question. And frankly, if we tried to keep all threads on track on the forum, I'd not have time to eat!

And your 'valid license in [your] country of residence' is great, as long as that's what you use when you drive in the UK. That way, you're not using an invalid licence, not risking a £1000 fine, and you're complying with the conditions of your insurance by having a valid licence. Nobody has ever said you can't use a valid foreign licence, it's only the UK licence that you can't use unless you're actually resident there.

HTH.

dbd33

Perhaps but I retain and use a UK license for use in third countries, specifically the US. The reason for renting a car using the UK license in the US is that points accrued for speeding find their way from the US to one's Canadian license if that's been used. If the UK license is used they're lost in Vermont, or wherever.

Dashie

Or you could just stick to the speed limit

Shirtback

Re thread swerve: the OP asked about *illegal* means of acquiring/renewing a GB license.

I think what Blossom & I have been trying to point out is that one *can* LEGALLY be in possession of a GB license, when non-resident.

The OP does not appear to be in this position.

SB

AlliF

So in extreme circumstances where somebody has actually had their licence suspended for whatever reason could they just whip out another one in that case? (I mean when driving in a third country, so e.g. got banned from driving in Canada, but still hold a UK licence so when visiting US just use UK one)
Would the driving authority even know in the US. Or would it be a bit of a pick a licence, any licence scenario?

christmasoompa

Surely the OP asked about what you've done i.e. renewing your licence when you're not actually a UK resident and using an address that you don't live at? Seemed the same thing to me, hence why I didn't see the 'thread swerve' connection.

dbd33

I've done that but I think it's a bit different from the scenario I described above. In the usual case I've rented the car using the UK license but am, in fact, driving legally on the Canadian license. Fines still reach me (Dashie's option not having crossed my mind before now), points don't, because the ticket is typically initiated electonically based on the vehicle license tag. The rental company cares to recover the fine money and does so based on the credit card used to rent the vehicle, not the license used. If there's no Canadian license then one is driving without a license which some might consider to be a bigger deal than point redirection.

Shirtback

Which is why I mentioned that my contributions are serious thread swerve I am not in the same situation as the OP, & did not/would not attempt to acquire a DL by deceit.

For the record:

A very long time ago I moved to France. While there, I was - erroneously, apparently - required to obtain a French DL. I was not required to give up my GB one. I still have the French one.

A long time ago I moved to Canada, & back then, I was not required to exchange my GB licence for a QC one, only to show it. So I still have French & GB licences, + QC.

In 2012, I returned to live in UK. Checked validity of UK licence. Although at the time, my return was intended to be permanent, unfortunately life had other plans, & I'm back in Canada. At that time, DVLA advised me that my licence was still valid, recommended that I upgrade to "new" (to me) photo licence. For various reasons, which included commuting UK-CA over 9 months, I never got a round tuit.

To conclude, I still hold a valid UK DL. And a French one. Without being resident in either. Of course, I agree that to renew either, I would need to be legally resident.

Hope that explains my "thread swerve" comment.

SB

AlliF

Problem I see with that though is it seems then you are making the decision that speeding shouldn't count as a bad thing?
Accruing enough points could eventually result in you in theory losing your licence couldn't it?
At which point do you draw the line and say ok well fair cop if I'd just had one licence and had all those points I would have to stop driving so i'll go and surrender them both now...

dbd33

It's not a bad thing I'm concerned about.

It does from time to time, that's how I came to try using the UK one to rent a car in the US; the Canadian one was suspended.

I don't think there is any such point.

AlliF

Which is why IMO I think there shouldn't be a way for people to hold more than one licence at a time -or at least they should be linked cos in theory some lunatic could go and mow someone down in one country, get one licence revoked but continue on as if nothing had happened driving with another. (I'm not suggesting you would do that (I hope) but the possibility is there in that case)