renew the UK driving licence
#16
Re: renew the UK driving licence
I've got a paper license. Never got the photocard and have no intention of doing so. So my license is valid until I'm 70 which is a fair way away. Never had any hassles renting in the UK with it and been non-resident almost every year since 1998. It also has a c/o UK address on it (always has done). Have also been covered by car rental insurance on the one occasion that someone ran into me while I was renting.
Never been done for speeding in the UK as I generally know what the speed limit is. I have though had speeding tickets in four or five countries... very belatedly... which always come with an "admin fee" to make the sting harsher. I believe the rental companies have a legal obligation to pass the fine on to you and bill your credit card. If they do in, say Portugal, it's highly likely they do in the UK too. The only way to therefore ensure you don't pay a fine if you get one is to cancel your credit card after you finish the rental. Bit drastic.
Never been done for speeding in the UK as I generally know what the speed limit is. I have though had speeding tickets in four or five countries... very belatedly... which always come with an "admin fee" to make the sting harsher. I believe the rental companies have a legal obligation to pass the fine on to you and bill your credit card. If they do in, say Portugal, it's highly likely they do in the UK too. The only way to therefore ensure you don't pay a fine if you get one is to cancel your credit card after you finish the rental. Bit drastic.
#17
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: renew the UK driving licence
It's not as cut-and-dried as that. I rented a car in Ireland last year, and had a detailed email conversation with the hire car company who advised that it was ok. An invalid driving licence doesn't necessarily invalidate insurance.
#19
Re: renew the UK driving licence
that's interesting, because every time i have hired a car in the UK, which is at least once or twice a year, they explicitly tell me that i cannot hire using my UK DL since i am not a resident and hence the insurance policy would be void.
#20
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: renew the UK driving licence
I make sure either a) I keep a copy of emails in which they confirm that, or b) if the conversation is oral, I keep contemporaneous records.
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: renew the UK driving licence
I think the whole is it or isn't it discussion is a massive grey area..... if they pay out then fine, however, we all know how good insurance companies are about wriggling out of paying on a technicality..... but thats obviously 'if' they know you are a non resident / know about the technicality.
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: renew the UK driving licence
I've got a paper license. Never got the photocard and have no intention of doing so. So my license is valid until I'm 70 which is a fair way away. Never had any hassles renting in the UK with it and been non-resident almost every year since 1998. It also has a c/o UK address on it (always has done). Have also been covered by car rental insurance on the one occasion that someone ran into me while I was renting.
Never been done for speeding in the UK as I generally know what the speed limit is. I have though had speeding tickets in four or five countries... very belatedly... which always come with an "admin fee" to make the sting harsher. I believe the rental companies have a legal obligation to pass the fine on to you and bill your credit card. If they do in, say Portugal, it's highly likely they do in the UK too. The only way to therefore ensure you don't pay a fine if you get one is to cancel your credit card after you finish the rental. Bit drastic.
Never been done for speeding in the UK as I generally know what the speed limit is. I have though had speeding tickets in four or five countries... very belatedly... which always come with an "admin fee" to make the sting harsher. I believe the rental companies have a legal obligation to pass the fine on to you and bill your credit card. If they do in, say Portugal, it's highly likely they do in the UK too. The only way to therefore ensure you don't pay a fine if you get one is to cancel your credit card after you finish the rental. Bit drastic.
I'm not saying the hire car companies don't give the Police / courts your details, more that they don't see the value in chasing up the fine...... As there would be no way for them to apply points to a foreign licence.
As far as I understand, the hire car companies cannot legally add a fine to your CC automatically as speeding is a criminal charge and carries a penalty (with the allowance / option for you to argue it in a court). This is unlike parking, driving in a bus lane etc which just carries a fine which they can add on as it isn't a criminal charge and carries no penalty.
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: where I currently am
Posts: 454
Re: renew the UK driving licence
#24
Re: renew the UK driving licence
As far as I understand, the hire car companies cannot legally add a fine to your CC automatically as speeding is a criminal charge and carries a penalty (with the allowance / option for you to argue it in a court). This is unlike parking, driving in a bus lane etc which just carries a fine which they can add on as it isn't a criminal charge and carries no penalty.
https://www.intltravelnews.com/2015/...icket-overseas
The bit at the bottom of the page, last letter from one Anton Prole and the bit from the website people themselves are the interesting parts. It suggests that most UK car rental company contracts have in their fine print that you accept any traffic fines and that they can be automatically deducted.
#27
Soupy twist
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,271
Re: renew the UK driving licence
As has been said, though, it's a legal grey area. People have had contradictory responses from the DVLA when they asked directly (when I asked they said flat-out that I should not try and drive on my UK licence while visiting the UK, and they also confirmed that the Dubai traffic police are supposed to take your UK licence off you when you swap to a UAE licence and send the UK one back to Swansea, which of course never actually happens).
Sooner or later there's going to be a legal test case about it. My view was that I didn't want to run the risk of being involved in it, so I only ever drove on my UAE licence when in the UK. It meant I couldn't drive any private cars (it would obviously have been a serious money-saver if I could), but I knew I was unambiguously on the right side of the law.
As for actually renewing while an expat, I did it, giving my parents' house as my residential address. This was about 5 years ago. It was a risk that I probably wouldn't try again. During the online renewal process, a number of clear warnings about misrepresentation were displayed, and apparently people *have* been caught out when the DVLA did their due diligence. You pays your money, etc.
Last edited by Eeyore; Oct 23rd 2017 at 12:44 pm.
#28
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: where I currently am
Posts: 454
Re: renew the UK driving licence
considering the number of renters that could potentially have invalid insurance each year, it's telling that you're suggesting there hasn't been one.
I've written to Avis about this and have yet to hear from them, but when I do I'll report back.
I've written to Avis about this and have yet to hear from them, but when I do I'll report back.
#29
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 9
Re: renew the UK driving licence
I just want to renew the licence in order to keep it validate so I can use it when I return back home. I do not want to go through the all the test if it's expired. I do not intend to rent a car using the uk licence.
#30
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: renew the UK driving licence
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