UK driving licence after moving out
 

Hello Everybody,

I'm just moving to Saudi Arabia and I don't know what I am supposed to do with my UK driving licence. I mean, I don't really need it in Saudi Arabia being a woman but I will need to have a valid driving licence on numerous occasions when I travel abroad.
So, what should I do to keep a valid driving licence when moving out of the UK? I won't have a residential address here anymore.
I would appreciate any help and suggestions.

Joanne

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Strictly speaking your UK licence is invalid if you become non-resident in the UK and you are supposed to use the licence for the country of residence. Therein lies the problem as of course you cannot get a licence in Saudi.

My only suggestion is if you can persuade a friend or family member in the UK to let you use their address for your licence, change the address on your licence to this address, then simply use it as a when required in other countries, letting them think you're a UK resident?

Unless anyone else has any other suggestions.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

once you become non resident your driving licence is not valid anymore but do you have the new photocard? is that going to run out whilst you are out of the country? even if you have an address in uk, your licence is not valid anymore once you leave the uk. once you become resident again you can renew your licence without penalty. if its not going to run out anytime soon then there is no problem, if its coming to the end of its validity then renew it whilst you are still "resident" but technically you are :zzz::blink: as you wont get another licence in order to use abroad when on hols etc.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

busybee is still spreading lies re UK licenses. We thought you'd learned your lesson from the last thread you spouted this on.

Your UK license is perfectly valid if you are non-resident in the UK. I know this because I spoke to the DVLA about it after busybee had told me the total opposite. A woman with a lovely Welsh accent told me categorically that the information busybee was spreading was in fact misinformation. In fact, she even mentioned busybee by name...

The one and ONLY issue you have being non-resident is that if you lose your license or it expires there is no legal way to renew it. Legally, you have to return to the UK, take up residence there and apply again. Many people simply get someone in the UK to post the paperwork and use a UK address to get around this. The directive that makes doing this illegal is a European one and is designed to prevent people from EC countries driving on licenses from their home country in EC countries they are taking up residence in. I'll leave you to decide if flouting this law is an ethical issue for you while you live in the Middle East.

One thing's for certain. Busybee is not to be trusted on this issue.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Busbybee might be more correct than you think. Here is the official info and it shows your UK DL is valid abroad.. BUT.. only in the EU and EEA, for all other countries you must get an International drivers PERMIT, not licence, they are two different things. Read this link.

https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Thats a different issue. whats being discussed is whether your UK licence becomes invalid (anywhere including the UK) once you become non resident.

In fact the link you provided tends to support the argument that it does not become invalid because the DVLC would surely have said as as much under the section "Moving Abroad" but they dont mention anything.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

thank you hong_konger for clarifying that. Trust me mikelincs, busybee and I have gone over this at length in another thread (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=801833)

As the OP was referring to Saudi, let me give the details:
If you are on a visitor or business visa you can drive in Saudi on your UK license provided you have an IDP.

As soon as your company applies for your iqama (residency permit) you are no longer allowed to drive on an IDP and must drive on a Saudi license.

Once you have your iqama, Brits need only an eye test and a translation of your UK license into Arabic. Processing this takes anywhere from 5-10 working days.

Your company should do this for you. If they won't, you signed the wrong contract.

I wonder if the OP is planning to get out on the road on the 26th?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/saudi-cleri...115516429.html

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Thank you Everybody for your advice!
Sicklyman-I hope you're right. I think I'm going to use my licence until it expires, which won't happen for a few years.
In Saudi women are not allowed to drive so obviously I can't get a licence there. Maybe I could get an international driving licence but I will only drive when I'm back in Europe anyway.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

what a lot of rubbish you are sprouting... if you leave the uk and exchange for a uae licence for eg the rta should send it back to dvla this does not happen because they cant be bothered or just dont know, you cannot use that licence if you are not a uk resident to drive in the uk as you are not insured then, you should not put down a fictious address etc. if it expires and you are not resident you cannot legally renew it. if you check the online procedure it clearly says that you must be resident (which you wont be) and you must be in the uk (which you wont be). thats the point i have always made that you are not resident so cant do it. yes if you become resident you can renew, so that would mean you would need to go back to the uk to become a resident again, i dont believe it says how long you need to be resident before you can do it......

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Just a reminder- we're talking about Saudi Arabia, where I'm not allowed to drive or get a local licence.
It seems like UK licence should be valid in other EU countries until it expires, not sure about the UK.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

Christ, you're all making a hoo-ha out if this! Do what I do. Change the address to your mothers/best friends/whoever. Go to Saudi. If/when it expires, apply for another when you visit the UK. Or, if your passport is less than 5 years old, do it online and collect from accomplices address next time you visit the UK.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

yes you cant drive, so you are not exchanging your licence. i would not drive on your uk licence in the uk, as you are not resident so if you were to have an accident and they found out you were not a resident then they would not pay up etc. its a grey area really. but as a non resident your uk licence is not valid.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

yes people do that, but i have known people to be caught out, and they do check.... luckily they were not thrown in jail hehehehe.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

I'm comfortable with driving with any licence, valid or not, but I'm concerned about insurance in the case of a collision. As Busybee mentioned, I could be potentially not covered by the policy then. Having already had a collision and a bigger car crash (both caused by another driver) I'd rather make sure I'm covered. From my personal experience -if there is any way that insurer can avoid paying, he will certainly do it.
I guess I will have to call DVLA to clarify that.

Re: UK driving licence after moving out
 

?? I still don't get the drama... I have a car in the uk, which is insured etc so if I drive I am covered. If I hire a car abroad using my uk license usually you are insured via the hire company. Seriously, what is so difficult?