warrigal

Why can't the United Kingdom and other European union countrys get there act together on the issueing or exchangeing of licence for travellers.

And with the proposal for a EU driving licence, is this situation going to get better NO

Residence 185 days is ridiculous, I person could have traveled there and return home or gone somewhere else in that time.

Im_and_Er

Can you explain what your problem is with driving licences and travelling or where 185 days comes into anything ?

EU issued licences are valid throughout the union for their duration after which, if you are resident, you can exchange them for a local one, pretty straight forward, at least in theory.

Unfortunately so far nobody has been able to legislate against ignorance, stupidity, and downright obstinance, on the part of officials administering the rules but that is an entirely different topic

warrigal

Well you obvoiusly you have worked out that I don't have a EU Driving Licence, I have a Driving licence from another country.

So going on International rules and argreements, a person with a Driving licence (from another Country) is permitted to drive a vehicle that is the same class of vehicle as is listed on their licence,

But in a certain European Country, if you don't hold a EU Driving Licence you can't get Insurance or Road tax on the vehicle you choose to drive.

again, in this European country you can't get Insurance, or road tax on a vehicle you choose to drive unless you have a residence in that country.
So is France the same.

So this tells me that if you are a visitor to a country, you can drive a Hire car, but you can't drive your own car because of Insurance, and Road tax.

so is France the same

Driving a motor vehicle NO sory thats only reserved for our coutrys Residents.

cyrian

Hi Geoff
This seems to have been a running sore with you since 2009 on the forum.
The discussion has ranged from camper vans or trucks to cars and insurance.
We are now in 2012 and you are still having a problem.
Do you need our help and advice or are you just trolling?

Kontiki

You seem to be very confused unless you are talking about countries outside the EU.
You may drive your car a hired car or indeed a car purchased in the said country, without being a permanent resident. Off course in France we don't have road tax other countries I am no longer sure because Italy and Spain used to have a form of tax but I suspect they now put it on the fuel. In my opinion the best way the more you use the more you pay, but to be fair it should be on the mileage, but that means fitting a meter.

Now it's interesting that you have bought another problem because if you live in France and you have a English licence, are you allowed to drive a french reg 7.5 ton truck or a trailer over 500kilos. For example a French reg landrover pulling a 4 meter English trailer seems to be a no no.

warrigal

O I have got the advice now, BUT that dosn't change the stupidity of the UK and the UK DVLA' s attitude towards people travelling from Other countrys to the UK.

EXAMPLE MUST HAVE UK LICENCE, and yet a International Driving Agreements that all countrys have signed including the UK, but the UK dosn't seem to acknowlede these policys of fairnest to all. with there attitude, MUST have UK or EU driving licence, and UK address. for Road Tax and MOT policys.

I have to get the use of someone else address, in the UK, and I have to get someone else to do the Transfer, Road tax and MOT Inspection,
then I have get the insurance thats needed. Why is it so hard, Just because I don't have a UK or EU Driving Licence.

Im_and_Er

You appear to have not read my response in your other thread so allow me to repeat it here:

1. You can drive a car for 12 months on an Australian licence.

2. Car insurance for visiting Australians is available in the UK, it may not be cheap but that is another matter.

3. Anybody can MOT any car at any time.

4. You do not need to be UK resident to register a car with DVLA, you just need a UK address. I recall nothing on a V5C which identifies an applicants country of origin nor how long they have lived in UK - nor even if they are there legally.

Given the above what exactly is the problem ?

Regarding exchanging a licence the clue is in the word 'exchange meaning that you WILL have to surrender your Australian licence and the subject of it being the property of Queensland Transport is addressed by the act of DVLA returning exchanged licences to the issuing authority, that is the procedure.

If that were not then an unscrupulous person might properly obtain a UK licence but then continue to produce their foreign one when circumstances suited them.

Ka Ora!

Honestly everyone on this Forum gets the idea that you are not happy with the reciprocal agreement between Australia and the UK with regards to "Driving Licenses" and exchanging them. With each additional post you don't manage to cover any new ground.

Everything I&E has said in the previous post is a fact.

Basically all you need is an Address when you get to the UK, If you register a car keep your airline ticket with the driving licence so if you are stopped by the UK plod they can see you have not overused the years grace on your licence otherwise they may seize the said motor transportation you have on the grounds of being unlicensed to use it.

Try to attempt it in France will only complicate matters further, The only plus here being that you can deal with a person face to face when doing it as in the UK it is all done by post.

warrigal

The problem is if there is a International Driving agreement in force that accepts my Driving licence, why Do I have to surrender My DL
t
I won't be doing that, I will juat have to Drive with my DL and IDP.

MOT and Road Tax, To get road tax I need to have insurance, But No UK based insurance company will provide insurance to a person without a UK/EU DL and a UK address.

I now find my self with a Vehicle that had Road tax when I purchased it, Now the Road tax has been removed, But I don't think the vehicle has been made SORN yet.

I have been told by some people , O don't worry about it Drive the vehicle in the UK with No Road Tax, No MOT inspection, No insurace , and take it to France where they says there no Road tax anyway. (I find this very hard to beleive)

So a UK Number plated vehicle, with no Insurance, No road tax and no MOT inspection current, being driven by a person with a Australian Passport.
That would soon find the attension of the French Police and transport department.

So the only way to go is to have this (legal) is UK number plate, with UK Road Tax, and MOT inspected, and the required insurances. over 1000 pound for a vehicle that had road tax.

So all this needs to be done by someone else with the loan of a address.

its just something many here should consider if they don't have a UK or EU DL.

If there looking at getting a EU DL and getting a vehicle.

Ka Ora!

warrigal

O you don't understand Ka ora

Why should I have to drive Illegal, When I should be able to get whats needed and be legal with UK Tax. MOT and insurance. etc,

So legal with UK/ EU Licence, Not legal with any other licence or IDP.

Something that should be considered by any one in this situation.

Mitzyboy

If I can pick the nits out of that, I think what you are suggesting is not quite legal.

You cant renew your UK licence if you are no longer a UK resident unless you make a false declaration.

If you are driving a UK plated car in France without an MOT then it is illegal to drive in the country of registration, and therefore normally not legal to drive in the country you are in.

If you drive your car in the UK with no MOT Tax and Insurance then, well .. it would be a stupid thing to do because the first time you got stopped you might no longer have a car.

Why not just plate your UK car to French plates, or is there a difficulty in doing that?

Im_and_Er

And why should they ?

If I phone up an Australian insurance company and say, I don't have an Australian D/L or an Australian address will you insure a car there for me' what will their answer be I wonder ?

FWIW even non resident Brits have great difficulty in finding UK insurance without a UK address so nobody is picking on you.

Thousands of Australians are driving their own cars in UK perfectly legally and I don't know why you expect UK to pander to your obsession with hanging on to your Australian D/L.

Ka Ora!

On a side note if the UK Border Agency became aware the user owns a car within the UK it could reflect on the users intent to depart folk have been denied entry on stranger things.

Kontiki

Yes that may be true but I think you are missing the whole point.

Unless I am mistaken Warrigal has an Uk registered vehicle but is driving it on a Australian DL which he is entitled to do for twelve months. He seems to want to keep the UK car in which case he must exchange and not surrender as has been stated, he still keeps his Australian as we do when we exchange.

Give me one good reason why an assurance company cannot assure a car in another country, we know that not many do for longer than 6 months but why not.