BritInParis

If she had obtained a US driver's license then she would have needed to have surrendered her UK driving licence so presumably she hasn't and it remains valid.

helendha

I have a US license and was told (by DMV) they didn't care about my UK license. I did not 'exchange' my license, I re-took a driving test here, so maybe that is the difference? They did not require me to surrender my UK license and in fact looked at me as though I were nuts when I proffered it.

Either way, I have checked and my UK license, which is in my purse, is still valid.

Bahtatboy

You don't "surrender" your UK licence. The fact that its expiry date is still in the future doesn't make it valid. If you have a foreign driving licence that, of itself, invalidates your UK licence.

Bahtatboy

Sorry for any confusion, I'd got my facts mixed up (this from another thread):

I've just called the DVLA, and here's the word straight from the (Welsh) horse's mouth: my UK license is valid to hire cars and to go on the insurance of a relative's car when I return to the UK periodically even though I'm non-resident.

That flies in the face of almost all the claims on this thread and proves, as I suspected, that such claims were no more than hearsay.

Why the confusion?

Well, some confusion may caused by the fact that many EU countries require you to surrender your UK license IF you decide to get a local license. Some states require this when you become resident, some let you drive for a certain number of years. At the point you surrender it, they take it off you, destroy it and inform DVLA. In this case, you no longer have a valid UK license. This is certainly not the case in Saudi where you get your license back after applying for the Saudi one. I can't speak for other GCC countries.

Also, if you are in the position of being a non-resident when your license expires (or is stolen/flushed down the loo/etc), you will not be able to renew it as, due to EU rules, the DVLA cannot issue a "further license" (their words) to non-residents. I won't need a "further license" for decades yet as I have never had a photocard license. I have a full paper license which is valid for another 30 years. So, provided I become resident again before the license expires, it will be valid no matter what my residency status is according to the lady I spoke to.

Now, with my leave just a few weeks away, I don't have to worry any more about the validity of my UK license.

BritInParis

Both of you are correct. If you 'exchange' your UK licence for a foreign licence then it is returned to the DVLA. In helendha's case it sounds like she started from scratch in the US and so can hold both licences concurrently. It's a legal requirement to inform the DVLA when you change address so your licence can be updated except when you move overseas in which case you keep your last UK address. Your UK licence remains valid so long as it's in date. Once it expires however you'll need to move back to the UK in order to renew it (or the photo card portion at least). Paper only licences are being phrased out shortly so soon all of us will require a photo card which has a maximum validity of 10 years.

nhgeordie

Slightly off topic, but I was talking with my son in UK, and mentioned I'd come across my paper [Green] UK licence with my old home address on it. As I'm planning to return in a year or so I asked him if I could do a C/O his address as my change of address. He almost floored me when he said if you've failed to report COA to Swansea they can charge/fine you up to 10 grand.
I have NO idea where he got that from, I was under the impression a simple change of address would be required. It doesn't run out for about 10 years yet. I took a US test to get my US licence,
Now Ive been here 16 years, back to UK a couple of times but now I need to know if this is true, or is it just him winding me up, so I cant borrow HIS car. I do have a US licenSe of course.

Im hoping UK licence is still valid...and no test required until I'm 70

Any Thoughts?
Thanks.
Jim

BritInParis

It's a legal requirement to notify the DVLA of any change of address if move within the UK however many people don't and are liable to be fined £1,000.

If you move overseas however then you keep your last UK address so what you've done is fine. Once you return you'll need to update your licence to your new address. This will need to be the address you're living at, not your son's, unless you are living there with him. Be aware that paper licences are being phrased out altogether in 2015 so you'll need be exchanging it for a photocard as well.

hungryhorace

No. They don't.

To correct this myth. Your GB licence is valid until you reach 70, regardless of which country you live in.

nhgeordie

BritInParis,
Thanks for the reply. The one thing that causes a bit of a worry is the "Same Address" Since Ive been here 16 years, my kids have married and moved on, got their own homes now, so they don't have that UK address anymore so Im hoping you just mean the address then.
Thanks again to you and other members who replied,

Jim