scottydog357

Sorry a little confused by this now! What are we supposed to tell them? If the license is out of date by approx 1 year and hasn't been renewed, would it not be setting yourself up for a fine by saying you forgot, and never got around to renewing. I am back in 4 weeks for a holiday and plan to tell them I have returned to live. That way I renew and have a new photocard for when I actually relocate.
Thought it would be straight forward!!!!!!!

Nemodot

Hi actually you need both to legally drive. It is a criminal offense to drive without a valid photo licence (unless you have the old one that is still legal but only if address still current). You can (at least per DVLA) drive after the expiry date of the photo ID part if you can prove you have applied for a replacement and you haven't reached the expiry date of the paper one. However if you have an accident in th UK some insurance companies will default to "unlicensed" and you have to sue them! You will only get third party cover until that is resolved.

BTW as a non-resident you cannot apply for a renewal of a photo ID (again a criminal offense to state resident if not). This is also problematic tax-wise! Mine is running out in May so I will just leave it. I have a Malaysian licence anyway as I live in Malaysia. When overseas the DVLA can only issue an "entitlement to drive" to prove you can reclaim your licence again when resident again in UK. Yu can legally use a foreign licence for one year when returning home so plenty of time to sort that out if I ever return (unlikely).

mrcibubur

I was in Scottys shoes and decided to be honest and explain I was out of the country for more than the 56 days as that is the time period they give you to renew after expiry. Now I have discovered they will not renew and will only issue D737 Certificate as explained above.

As I said, if you intend to renew, do it while in the Uk. Whether you are a resident outside of Uk and do not tell DVLA this detail is a matter for you to address in conscience and in law of course.

Tr1boy

This is 100% incorrect, it's not a crminal offence not to have a photo licence and you should not post that it is.

Nemodot

Driving in the UK without an upto date photo card licence (except for the exceptions I noted) is a criminal offense where you will be prosecuted and fined 1,000 pounds. As such insurance is invalidated except for legal min third party insurance

Tr1boy

That statement does not refute what I am saying at all. An up to date photo card implies you have had one in the past.

Cite me the link on the DVLA that says it is illegal to drive on a paper licence only if you've never had a photo card, and you can have my car, free. I just rang the DVLA to make sure and their answer is 'as long as your paper licence reflects where you live now, there is no requirement at all to have a photo licence and is 100% legal to drive'

So, pretty much what I said then:roll eyes:


The link on the DVLA site gives the advantages of a photo card and how to go about getting one. Absolutely no mention of the myth you are attempting to state as truth.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...nce/DG_4022084

Nemodot

If tr1boy you can read I did add the exception that if you have the old style paper only driving licence and have not moved address then legal in UK. But not accepted in Europe - for that you need a photo licence to avoid difficulties. Considering that the average Brit moves once every 7 years I assume most expats thinking of returning home will have a photo licence or have moved before leaving UK. So what I originally said is 100% correct

It also a criminal offense with a 2000 Gbp fine to lie about residency. So not worth it. And most countries insist you have a local licence pretty soon (Malaysia is 3 months although I know many don't bother as easy to pay off polis).

Tr1boy

Here's what you wrote.

Which is BS.

Here is what I wrote:

Your back pedalling statement of of:

Is a long way from your orginal statement of:

It's not me that needs to to learn to read, it's you that needs to learn the difference of subject and object.

Nowhere did I say that a paper licence is legal if it does not have your current address and I have no idea why you have made that assumption?

Swisstony

Hello

Can anyone clarify exactly what the procedure is for getting reissued with a UK license on return from Expatia?

We loved in CH for 4 years and surrenedered our uk licenses to the canton authority in exchange for Swiss ones.

On moving to USin 2008 we got issued Licenses from the state of NJ.

Will be moving in 3 weeks to guildford ( I have not lived there before)

How do I get DVLA to issue me with my old licence without having to resist test etc.

- I have no details of old licence (eg number etc). I wil
Not be returning to a prebious address.

Many thanks!


Tony

Englishmum

What did the NJ DMV do with your Swiss driving licence? Did they retain it (although they shouldn't have) or give it back to you?

I'm currently in Switzerland (Zug) and fortunately still had my old pink UK driving licence from 1987 (we still have our house in the UK) and had to go to get a Swiss driving licence last week. It was a breeze to hand over the UK one, didn't fancy having to take a driving test in German... I'm still living in NJ part of the time and have a car there, so I need to keep that licence. I got my new Swiss licence in the post just 2 days later

I understand that the DVLC in Swansea should still have you on record for having a British driving licence. You will need to tell them your full name, DOB and the address which was on your old UK licence. My spouse had to phone them recently as he'd lost his British and NJ licences and only had his Singapore driving licence.....and didn't want to take a driving test in Switzerland. We haven't lived in England for 17 years. They were suprisingly helpful at the DVLC and sent him a (hand written!) note confirming his UK driving licence number and dates etc. which the Zug canton accepted. If I were you Swiss Tony, I'd give them a ring and explain the situation if you don't have your Swiss licence.



http://www.englishforum.ch/permits-v...g-license.html

http://uk.angloinfo.com/transport/dr...ence-exchange/

mikelincs

For a UK photocard license renewal you MUST have a UK address as they will not post it to any other country, you do not need to tell them if you are living abroad as long as you can provide that UK address. That may be slightly illegal, but thousands of people do it.

Swisstony

Thanks a lot Englishmum!

JAJ

Not only is it illegal to say you are GB resident if you are not, but using a UK address (especially for a purpose like this) is something that could be taken by the tax authorities as indicative of you having retained UK residence or domicile for tax purposes.

Guinness

yes, your NI number is yours for life, Driving licence easy, just fill in the form send in your old licence to the DVLA, and in 2 weeks you will get a new one.