apskinner

Actually according to the D1 Form I got from the DVLA there is NO FEE for exchanging a foreign license.

holly_1948

That's probably true.
And exchanging a Canadian licence for an English one is the worst possible thing you could do if you have passed a driving test in England at some time in the past.

Vadio

If you've ever held a UK license, all you need to do is update to your current details (and possibly get a new photo if DVLA can't *read* your passport photo). I can't remember if I paid a fee, but if I did, it was miniscule.

Jerseygirl

Why?

Vadio

Per the DVLA website:

Canadian driving licence
When exchanging your Canadian driving licence you will only be able to drive automatic vehicles. To be able to drive manual vehicles, you will need to provide acceptable proof from the issuing authority or an approved driving school showing that a manual car test was passed.

If you have previously held a UK license, that might be sufficient proof, but DVLA might question why the OP would want to exchange rather than simply provide current details.

Editha

If you've held a British license previously, that is all the proof you need for a manual licence. My husband exchanged his Canadian licence last year on exactly that basis. It really isn't a problem.

I've never known anyone on this forum experiencing any difficulty.

cappuccino

I'm having problems renewing my licence online as my last licence was issued with my title as MRS but my passport which was issued 2 years ago is MS (as I got divorced but kept surname). I'll have to do a postal renewal at a cost of £5 for photo and £17 for renewal fee.

BenBuzz

Thanks for all the help everyone. So the general consensus is that I should just update my details and not go through the whole process of exchanging my Canadian licence.

I know my GB Driver number as I photocopied my old licence before changing it for the Canadian one. I also checked my details using the online DVLA checker and it just tells me that a licence was issued by another authority.

EDIT: Should I update my details online or use the form D1?

apskinner

Note that you cant just update your details if you obtained a Canadian License by exchanging your UK one in Canada. You can check the DVLA site by providing your Uk Drivers number and it will tell you that you exchanged it for a foreign license.

This was the first thing I checked, you have to exchange back.

If you got your Canadian License without exchanging your UK one then its different, but short of taking a test in Canada I don't see how you would have done this.

BenBuzz

Fair enough then that's what I'll do, thank you! I better make sure it gets sent into the DVLA before the Canadian photocard expires. Hopefully the new UK license only takes a week or so to arrive!

mentalist

Despite having left the UK in 1998 and having lost my pink paper license, I followed your advice and retrieved my driving licence number from Gov.UK. However, to change my address (we move to UK in early-January), it appears that I will need to wait until the move. The form also appears to require a UK residential address for the last 3 years. Presumably that can be waived if moving back from overseas. Until then, can I drive on my UAE driving licence?

Vadio

We just updated to our new UK address as soon as we returned to the UK in 2011. You can drive on a foreign license for 12 months, but that usually means higher insurance premiums.

Don't worry about the 3-year UK residential address history.

BritInParis

The paper Form D1 doesn't require your address history, just a current UK address.

feelbritish

This is just for information as our situation is slightly easier as we moved back to our old address. Before we left Canada, BC, we got a letter from ICBC to validate no claims, then within the first week took our old cards with address on although expired and paper copy to a large post office and they did the application for us including taking photos. A few days later we got our new card licences. We still have our BC driving licences and have not surrended them.

mentalist

But when you appkly on-line, they ask for previous UK residency addresses. Can I do it without going on-line then?