durham_lad

Thanks for that, I just did a check for mine and my wife's licences, paper ones from when we left in 1987. Both are still valid so we will only need to do a simple renewal and upgrade to photo id once we get back.

Mike Gas

So if your paper counterpart driving licence is still valid can you drive on that while waiting for a new photocard?

durham_lad

The website says that mine is still valid and lists the type of vehicles I can drive. However, the address on my licence is now incorrect, so I would need to get it corrected, which I had done several times before I left the UK.

Giantaxe

Plugged in my details from my carefully-preserved paper license and sure enough I'm in there... complete with the last UK address I had before leaving 30 years ago. I'm impressed.

theoldgit

It's worth noting that from 8th June the paper counterparts are being abolished and from that date will no longer be valid.

Giantaxe

But not paper licenses that date from before the introduction of photocard licenses:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/d...icence-changes

theoldgit

Indeed, that's why I said paper counterparts.

holly_1948

It's a very minor offence not to have updated the photocard. I would not let it stop me driving but I would get a photocard ASAP.
A car hire firm will want to see your foreign licence if you don't yet have the photocard.
You must not drive in Europe (eg France) if you have only a paper licence.

spouse of scouse

Thanks for this very handy link. Scouse's licence is listed as current until 2019, even though he left the UK 25 years ago. He's pleased as punch that he'll just need to update his details and do the photo thing

durham_lad

I believe that if he has a recent UK Passport he won't even need to do the photo thing since they can find his photo from his passport details and use that.

I think I read that on here somewhere.

Tr1boy

Definitely true, that's what I did.

Also, if you've never had a photo licence you can still drive on your old paper licence. However if you've had a UK photo licence before and let the photo part expire, it's an offence to drive without that bit. Strange but true!

I believe the photo part will become compulsory in 2017.

durham_lad

Excellent, thanks for the confirmation. We'll be going through this process next year.

BenBuzz

Sorry to bump this thread back up but it seems pretty close to my own situation and I didn't want to create yet another driving licence thread!

Been in Canada 2 years on a TWP. I exchanged my full UK licence for a Manitoba one, which has an expiry date of 25 September 2015 (in line with when the TWP expires). I am returning to live in the UK at the start of September. The DVLA tells me that I need to fill out Form D1 and send it in with my Canadian photo card licence. I then asked the DVLA if I am still OK to drive during this application time, and the only reply I got was that 'Yes you can drive on your valid Canadian licence'. Well....surely I've just gone and sent it off with my application for a UK one!

Any help would be appreciated, as soon as I get back to the UK I'm going to be needing to drive around sorting lots of things out, waiting up to 3 weeks for my new UK one to come could be a bit challenging.

Any ideas?

Jerseygirl

Your UK licence...even though you do not physically have it in your possession...is still valid. You are not required to have your DL with you when you are driving...as is the case in North America. If you are involved in a RTA or stopped by the police...you have 7 days to produce it. If that happened you may be able to get it or some sort of evidence that you have applied for it from the DVLA.

holly_1948

You need to know your UK "Driver Number', it was printed on your licence. If you don't know it you need to research and find out. Car insurance will be difficult/expensive without a driver number.

Then, as soon as you have your Driver Number and a UK address (temporary or permanent) you can complete the application form, have your photo taken and pay the fee at a main post office. It is treated the same as a change of address within the UK for someone who never went overseas.
Technically you should not drive on your English DL until you complete that process because it is a (minor) offense to have not updated DVLA with your latest address. You can drive on your foreign licence until you complete this process.