Hey there guys!!!

I have only just noticed that my UK licence says it's only valid until 2012? Although on the back of it it says 2043???

What does this mean, and how could I perhaps renew it from Canada in case I want to return at some stage?

Or does that not even matter if I get a BC licence? Do i have to surrender my UK licence?

Thanks guys

Bx

No, you don't surrender your UK license. They will take it from you when you take your BC road test but will give it back to you once you have passed.

In any case, as long as you have your UK driver number you can always ask for your UK license to be re-issued if you ever go back to the UK.

The GB license photocards are valid for 10yrs I think, but the license itself is valid until you're 70... but as JonboyE says, it doesn't matter anyway

Thanks guys... That makes sense now!!!!

Looking forward to getting one from BC now anyway

Bx

You will be able to get a UK licence re-issued even in Canada, they will send it to a foreign address, if you tell them you are temporarily abroad

While doing my research for my move, I discovered my Channel Isles licence isn't exchangeable for an Alberta one, so I got a D1 form sent to me from the UK, changed my address to my mothers, had to enclose a written letter stating I was living in the Netherlands and requested that it was sent to my Dutch address. They sent my wife's and mine in about 3 weeks, it cost £17.50 each for the replacement licence. We now both have two licences.

When we arrive in Alberta, we can exchange our UK licences for AB ones, and still have CI ones for when (if) we ever return to the UK for a visit. That way we won't have to resit a driving test.

Didn't the DVLA ask for your CI licence before issuing you a GB one?

I will be in a similar situation with my N.I. licence in the near future.

Some provinces allow you to swap licenses (such as Alberta and Ontario) while others don't (like British Columbia.) In BC you have to sit a test to pass, therefore no license swapping.

Either way, most provinces won't actually accept a NI license for swapping, only a GB one. NI doesn't have reciprocal agreements with them.

No. I put on the D1 that the licence had been lost. They re-issued it no problem.

May be a stupid question, but isn't N.I. part of the U.K.? I thought it was.

I know England and Wales have the same criminal laws as each other, but different to Scotland and to N.I., but I thought we got issued a U.K. Drivers Licence.

Of course it's part of the United Kingdom. But it has its own driving licences.

The reason for this is that when these things were introduced, in the 1930s or so, transportation was devolved to the then Northern Ireland government.

So driving licences and vehicle registration have always been different in Northern Ireland compared to GB.

Many countries contain multiple driving licence jurisdictions. Countries such as Canada.