Kiwis4Now

Moving back to UK in Feb with New Zealand drivers license (been driving for 20 years already). What is the process for converting to a valid British drivers license?

brioche

For Great Britain:

Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
Exchange a foreign driving licence

For Northern Ireland:

Driving on licences from Great Britain, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle Of Man, Gibraltar or Designated Countries
Exchanging your foreign driving licence

The exact process may differ if you originally obtained your licence in the UK, but it's the same form you need to fill in.

ldollard

You can drive in the UK for 12 months on your NZ license, before the 12 months is up you'll need to get a provisional license, you dont need to put the "L" plate on your car during this time then you need to take the UK driving test before the 12 months is up.

If you dont do that before the 12 months you'll essentially be treated as any provisional licensee.

holly_1948

If you still have your old British paper licence you may simply be able to renew it with your new address (you will need to submit a photo and you will get a photo licence). This does not apply if at any time you had a change residential address in the UK and failed to notify DVLC of change of address.
You might even have been moving back into the old family homestead without change of UK address, it is not unknown.

The DVLC does not even want to know about foreign addresses. It is renewing of licences that is prohibited by EU law to non-residents, not the holding of them.

brioche

New Zealand is a designated country, which means that it can be exchanged for a UK licence without passing a new driving test, even if no UK licence was previously held.

ldollard

good to know.

I think its pretty ridiculous that Zimbabwe is on there, you know you just slip the tester a $100 note and your passed. So strange.

WEBlue

I think it may have more to do with countries with driving on the left than how hard or easy that particular country's test is...? I know Japan & HK are countries with left-side driving.

ldollard

Yeah probably, they should be more selective though, that's for sure.

holly_1948

Reminds me of the driving test in Kuwait shortly after independence.
You had to demonstrates that you could reverse out of a designated parking space, stop, and go forward back into it. That was all.

When I asked about it they just said they wanted to be sure that you could handle an automatic. Many drivers from Europe had only ever driven manual transmission and did not know how to get an automatic out of "park" and brake with the right foot, not the left.

WEBlue

Incredible!

Panhandle

I hear that the new British license has to be renewed every 10 years, yet another government scam. When I got my British license, Its expiry date is approx my 70 birthday, and I got that because I held a full Australian license and its also allows me to drive heavier vehicles, something I think now you have to be tested on.

Anyway driving is easy, its the rules people have trouble with

rebs

The Licence remains valid - the photo part has to be renewed every 10 years.

mikelincs

Panhandle

Panhandle

Im still using the old type, dont think I will be handing it in for the new type just yet.