Robbie2010

My son is about to exchange his New Zealand drivers licence for a UK one and has just noticed that it says he must prove that he passed his test in a car with a manual gearbox otherwise he will be issued with one only for automatics.

How on earth does he prove it? There's nothing on his licence and has no paperwork re his test.

Any advice anyone?

vikingsail

Well thats an interesting little conundrum. Seems the DVLA is well aware of the NZ Transport Agency's rule allowing people to drive manual even if they took there license on an automatic (Restricted License is different). I suggest contacting the NZ transport agency and hope they have a record of the type of car the license was taken on and can provide some form of accepted validation.

Otherwise its take your UK license time from what I can see. Perhaps that might be easier in the long run?

Looks like a common problem for other countries like Canada, USA etc.

Those Brits love to stick it to em. Or as we say 'thats just the way it is.."

holly_1948

It's weird that they simply assume you can drive an automatic. I can recall back in the 1970s being flummoxed when faced for the first time with a hire car that turned out to be an automatic. I had never come across an automatic before and was not at all sure as to how to drive it. Manual gearbox (with or without synchromesh) no problem, I could handle a double-declutching "crash box" lorry but didn't know how to put an automatic in gear without a clutch!

petitefrancaise

An international driving license from your home country (NZ) usually specifies which categories/classes you can drive and is accepted in the UK. I would contact these people and ask for more information and possibly get one. It would be valid for 12 months in the UK.

International Driving Permits For Driving Overseas | AA New Zealand

BritInParis

An IDP is merely a translation of your existing driving licence. It will mention which classes of vehicle the licence holder is permitted to drive but not the information the OP's son will require. He should contact NZTA for help. It may be that they can produce a letter or that a Certificate of Particulars will contain the relevant information. I can't imagine it's a particular uncommon request given the relatively high number of Kiwis in the UK.

vikingsail

I would agree. I know many people in the UK who feel intimidated by driving an automatic. It is a different process and not as easy to comprehend as some of us think. Hence, likely why the DVLA in the reverse situation (like that!) like to check what process was used to pass a DL. In my experience automatic drivers find manual quite different and often difficult.

holly_1948

Yes I can see that.

The point I'm making is that somehow if there is no evidence of what type of car you used to pass the test then they assume that you used an automatic during your test and shouldn't be driving manuals.
But it would be just as valid to assume that you had used a manual during your test and shouldn't be driving automatics!

vikingsail

Again, I agree, but logic and common sense never really work with bureaucrats imho. And the DLVA operate at PhD level when it comes to bureaucracy - they make organizations like the US DMV and I am sure the NZTA look like childs play.

I am fairly certain the thinking would go like this. Since we cannot be sure whether you took your license in a manual or automatic it is not for us to assume, allow or provide an exception but for you to prove which type of vehicle you used as we determine unlike NZ that there is a difference. As they are fond of saying over here a drivers license is a privilege not a right and if you want one then comply.

chawkins99

Simple.

If he cannot prove he tested in a manual, he either sticks to automatics or takes the UK test in a manual. These are the rules for UK drivers. Why should he be treated differently?

He is allowed to drive for up to 12 months on his NZ license.

It will be a problem if he is already at or near the 12 month window.

petitefrancaise

what a strange answer.
He's not asking to be treated differently.
the OP is asking how they can prove it - hoping that someone here has come across this already, I suppose, which is what forums are all about.

I had a similar situation in France, the DVLA were able to provide all the details that the french authorities needed to give me a license. I suggest the OP contacts the NZ equivalent of DVLA, or even phones the DVLA and ask what they require as proof.

rwheels

Any updates on this? I'm haveing the same problem. Also when I "exchange" my NZDL will I no longer have my kiwi one? Cheers

Robbie2010

No update as yet .. Seems he's putting off exchanging till the last minute as he can drive a manual untill he changes.

Seems stupid to me that hes allowed to drive manual for a year then may have to go auto!

BritInParis

Did he not bother contacting the NZTA then?

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-lice...iwis-overseas/

Robbie2010

Not yet ... Says he's been too "busy"!

I think Ill kick his @rse into gear in the New Year!

CJ.Canada

We have been stumped by the same issue. Our Canadian drivers licenses have no indication about the type of car we are able to drive, and we had no means to prove we could drive manual...other than to take the UK road test, as another poster already suggested. But honestly, we had no appetite for enduring whatever bureaucracy that might entail (time ticking, my husband has been in UK almost a year, gotta get his UK license ASAP).

So we decided to just send in his Canadian license, and see what would happen - knowing that if it was restricted to automatic transmission, then so be it for now, and maybe sometime in the future he would do the road test for a manual vehicle.

The good news is that it was a very quick process: we sent the application documents with his Canadian license in the post 2 weeks ago, and we received his new UK license in the post last week. But as expected, his new UK license is restricted to automatic transmission vehicles. The paperwork that comes with the license doesn't say anything about the restriction, actually, and there are no obvious words on the license itself about a restriction. But we found the govt website that lets you enter your license number...which then explains everything about your license...and THIS is where it is spelled out that the tiny little "78" on the back of the license is the code that means the driver is restricted to automatic transmission vehicles only.

[Also, to answer another question - no, you won't get your NZ license back]