not2old

on the UK licence renewal

My lifetime licence expires in January 2017, about to be now.

When I was over in the UK on holiday end of November 2016 the licence renewal was waiting for me at my sisters home, this was the family home I lived at when I passed my test that was also on the lifetime licence for decades

On review of the renewal form, I did not fill it in & send it off for the reason I had to provide proof that I lived in the UK together with a phone contact number & my passport details.

Something about a fine & that its illegal to have a UK drivers licence as a non-resident

I have retained the form just in case, if & when some day I take up residence again in the UK. Other than that I could simply exchange my foreign drivers licence.

Jerseygirl

It is not illegal for a non U.K. resident to hold a UK DL. However it is illegal for a non U.K. resident to renew a UK DL. This was an EU law...so it may change!

Editha

Really?

I thought it was S.46 of the Immigration Act 2014, that is UK legislation introduced by one Theresa May, Home Secretary. So, I would have thought repeal was rather unlikely any time soon.

Shirtback

Right.


How does that apply to a (non-resident) UK citizen who obtained his/her DL legally in the U.K.? [Rhetorical question]

We can't change address, update to a photo-card license, USE the license to drive legally in the U.K., unless and until we are once again resident in the U.K., BUT (some of us) have UK licenses which remain valid until our 70th birthdays, even as non-residents.

Jerseygirl

That law may well have superseded the EU law...I admit I haven't kept up to date in the last few years. Are you disagreeing with the last part of my previous post or just being pedantic?

Editha

I do question whether repeal is likely, but I'm also questioning whether the residency requirement was originally introduced as part of EU law.

Jerseygirl

I emailed the DVLA several years ago...they quoted an EU law which stated that it was illegal for non U.K. residents to renew UK DL.

BTW I couldn't find anything about it in the link you posted. Perhaps the link led to the wrong page? OR perhaps I just overlooked it?

jalby1992

I believe this is the case too, a colleague recently renewed his after 10 years, paid £20 and got his licence back. In the last year or so DVLA is a lot faster and online compatible, I bet if you look online you could renew your licence in 2 mins. But you may need your passport and NI number

durham_lad

We kept our old British pink paper licences when we left the UK in 1987 and easily renewed them when we returned in May last year and now have the picture id licenses. We returned many times during this period for visits but always hired a car using our US driving licences as I understood that driving on a UK licence while living abroad was not allowed.

BritCanadaNewbie

found this thread ! phew.
Got a quick question folks, is it worth exchanging your Ontario license to your previous old UK licence if its just for a year? Is it only the Insurance premium which it impacts?

Another question is my Ontario Vehicle plates - I've lost them during my move . Should I worry or simply order replacements and get them sent to myself in uk?

BritInParis

I don't understand your first question and I cannot help you with your second. Maybe rephrase?

BritCanadaNewbie

done

BritInParis

It's both free and very little hassle to swap your licence and having a GB licence will reduce your insurance premiums and give you a handy form of ID/proof of address.