jaysangha

Hello all,
We're planning on moving back home next year and I've been investigating the process for exchanging our Ontario licenses. According to the DVLA, you can drive on foreign licenses for up to one year, after which it is illegal to drive without the UK license. I'm sure there must be an impact on car insurance also for having a non-UK license

However, they also state that after 183 days, you can apply to exchange the foreign license (from designated countries; Canada being one of them) for a UK license; but it is only for automatic vehicles. For a license to drive a manual car, you must sit theory and driving tests or prove you can drive the car to the required level

My question: has anyone, who had a previous UK license, managed to switch their non-UK license back to a full UK license without having to undertake driving tests? I fear I have picked up too many bad habits to pass a driving test!

lgabriel73

did your previous UK license expire? My UK license is valid for 50 years so no need to apply for a new one if it hasnt expired.

jaysangha

No, because we moved here, we had to surrender them and get the Canadian ones. It meant we didn't need to sit Canadian driving tests and go through the year of probationary driving.

The DVLA equivalent sends the license to the UK and advises them they have been swapped with the DVLA then cancelling the UK license. The DVLA does this vice versa for license swaps in England.

polarbearmum

I would suggest phoning the DVLA helpline and asking whether with your old UK driver number they could just reissue you with a UK licence. The question is whether y ou have kept a record of this number.
I was lucky as when I moved to Alberta they did not operate an exchange program with the UK for drivers licence so I had to take the theory and road test in Alberta - I therefore did not exchange my UK licence. UPon my return to the UK I merely updated my address and name.

The DVLA also have an online FAQ and email question section - it is worth a try.

lgabriel73

I would contact the DVLA and tell them your situation. If you can prove you passed a "manual" driving test then you can exchange your license for a full UK one. Given you tested in England and had a previous UK license this shouldnt be a problem to prove. If you can provide proof then no test is needed.

jaysangha

Clever me, I kept photocopies of our licenses so hopefully they'll accept them as proof.

Not so sure I could sit a drivers test and not cross my arms when turning corners!

lgabriel73

I know I definitely couldnt pass the UK test again. The US one was easy lasted about 5 minutes, and I've definitely got in too many bad habits now. Good luck with your move!

not2old

Another thought as I was reading the thread. If it doesn't go in your favour with the DVLA thing mentioned above (likely you'll be OK though) - what about taking the manual driving test before you leave Canada - sort of an endorsement to your current provincial license which would show you passed the test with a manual stick shift?

Scrapcat

Having driven an automatic now for 8 years I have no desire to go back to a manual!

JAJ

If you previously had a U.K. (Great Britain) licence the DVLA should be able to look up your details, pass records, etc. But you never know until you ask them to find your file. Have you got a copy of your old licence?