Driving licence exchange again.
#19
Re: Driving licence exchange again.
If you are living in France then you will have to use your French licence in the UK.
For short visits, I don't anticipate any problem.
For longer stays or a return to the UK then if you had a UK licence then you would still be entitled to a current version.
#20
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Re: Driving licence exchange again.
I don't know where you got that number, but for questions about driving licences their website shows 0044 790 6801. I'm pretty sure that's the number I used.
#21
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Re: Driving licence exchange again.
Not yet, When I emailed them about six weeks ago pointing out my attestation was going to run out on 3rd September I was sent a link to the EU directive saying that everyone with a recently expired licence automatically had a 6 month grace period. I would guess that your application won't be processed for quite some time. Good luck with it.
#26
Re: Driving licence exchange again.
You can't hold a UK licence if you don't have a UK address.
If you are living in France then you will have to use your French licence in the UK.
For short visits, I don't anticipate any problem.
For longer stays or a return to the UK then if you had a UK licence then you would still be entitled to a current version.
If you are living in France then you will have to use your French licence in the UK.
For short visits, I don't anticipate any problem.
For longer stays or a return to the UK then if you had a UK licence then you would still be entitled to a current version.
As an aside, it's my understanding that the UK license being European (even though the country is no longer in the EU) will remain valid in France until its expiration. Personally I would like to change mine, but ANTS seem so overwhelmed, that they're focusing on those who's licenses are expiring, or they have points and have been asked to exchange it by law, so I'm not sure I could exchange it even if I wanted to? I tried explaining this to a gendarme once during a random check (nothing amiss), as he wasn't at all happy I had a UK license, he was adamant that I change it, even though I was certain he was in the wrong.
#27
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Re: Driving licence exchange again.
Hi Cyrian. Unless I read the message out of context, you can actually have a UK license while living in France; the address does not need to be (actually it can't be) updated with the DVLA.
As an aside, it's my understanding that the UK license being European (even though the country is no longer in the EU) will remain valid in France until its expiration. Personally I would like to change mine, but ANTS seem so overwhelmed, that they're focusing on those who's licenses are expiring, or they have points and have been asked to exchange it by law, so I'm not sure I could exchange it even if I wanted to? I tried explaining this to a gendarme once during a random check (nothing amiss), as he wasn't at all happy I had a UK license, he was adamant that I change it, even though I was certain he was in the wrong.
As an aside, it's my understanding that the UK license being European (even though the country is no longer in the EU) will remain valid in France until its expiration. Personally I would like to change mine, but ANTS seem so overwhelmed, that they're focusing on those who's licenses are expiring, or they have points and have been asked to exchange it by law, so I'm not sure I could exchange it even if I wanted to? I tried explaining this to a gendarme once during a random check (nothing amiss), as he wasn't at all happy I had a UK license, he was adamant that I change it, even though I was certain he was in the wrong.
I wouldn't suggest it as a ploy, but I have accrued 3 points on my licence since moving to France and wondered if it would move me up the queue for a French licence. I am now in the position that my UK licence ran out in July and my attestation ran out in Septemeber. I can legally drive on either with the EU wide exemption for unrenewable licences, but I can't hire a car in UK because they demand the actual plastic licence, which I sent to the French licencing authorities.
#28
Re: Driving licence exchange again.
Hi Cyrian. Unless I read the message out of context, you can actually have a UK license while living in France; the address does not need to be (actually it can't be) updated with the DVLA.
As an aside, it's my understanding that the UK license being European (even though the country is no longer in the EU) will remain valid in France until its expiration. Personally I would like to change mine, but ANTS seem so overwhelmed, that they're focusing on those who's licenses are expiring, or they have points and have been asked to exchange it by law, so I'm not sure I could exchange it even if I wanted to? I tried explaining this to a gendarme once during a random check (nothing amiss), as he wasn't at all happy I had a UK license, he was adamant that I change it, even though I was certain he was in the wrong.
As an aside, it's my understanding that the UK license being European (even though the country is no longer in the EU) will remain valid in France until its expiration. Personally I would like to change mine, but ANTS seem so overwhelmed, that they're focusing on those who's licenses are expiring, or they have points and have been asked to exchange it by law, so I'm not sure I could exchange it even if I wanted to? I tried explaining this to a gendarme once during a random check (nothing amiss), as he wasn't at all happy I had a UK license, he was adamant that I change it, even though I was certain he was in the wrong.
However, the OP's licence has already expired and is therefore not valid in the UK.
#29
Re: Driving licence exchange again.
The whole UK address question is interesting. As far as I can work out you can use your UK driving licence, with an old UK address, in the EU, but you can't renew it without a UK address. This means you're driving legally in the EU with the wrong address on the licence until it expires, but it's an offence in the UK.
I wouldn't suggest it as a ploy, but I have accrued 3 points on my licence since moving to France and wondered if it would move me up the queue for a French licence. I am now in the position that my UK licence ran out in July and my attestation ran out in Septemeber. I can legally drive on either with the EU wide exemption for unrenewable licences, but I can't hire a car in UK because they demand the actual plastic licence, which I sent to the French licencing authorities.
I wouldn't suggest it as a ploy, but I have accrued 3 points on my licence since moving to France and wondered if it would move me up the queue for a French licence. I am now in the position that my UK licence ran out in July and my attestation ran out in Septemeber. I can legally drive on either with the EU wide exemption for unrenewable licences, but I can't hire a car in UK because they demand the actual plastic licence, which I sent to the French licencing authorities.
Yes, you can use your UK license with an old address, but you cannot renew it, however if you're a French resident it is not an offense to use it in the UK as far as I understand it.
It's funny you mentioned the points, because in my mind that was a good way to fast track to a French driver's license. Do the points disappear after a certain period of time? Sounds like it's a bit of nightmare when you're in the UK.
#30
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Re: Driving licence exchange again.
Hmmm. Driving in the UK with an expired, clean UK licence and an expired attestation with 3 points not recorded on it. What could possibly go wrong? In fact, I had to drive the car home and fly back because my 90 day allowance was going to expire and we are still stuck un UK and will be for another month or more. Since I won't be able to hire a car at least that's one problem I don't have to deal with.