r0briley

Hi all,
I still have my old paper license valid till 2032!! As I haven't lived in the UK for the past 14 years and will not be going back to the address that is on it (obviously can't update until I get a new permanent address) can I still drive with it?

christmasoompa

If you get stopped and the address isn't correct, that can be a £1000 fine, so although I'm sure you can still use it, you'll want to get it updated asap!

There's no fee to update the address on it, so you could always do it for your temporary address and then again when you find a permanent home.

HTH, good luck.

r0briley

ooooh thank-you, Also it is still in my maiden name!!!

lgabriel73

You can still use it you will just need to make sure the DVLA has your new address in its system as soon as you can.

cyrian

There have been discussions regarding the address on the licence in the France section and probably others.
The consensus is that the address is not enforced as long as you don't give the police a wrong address.
Several expats in France still use the old paper licence with an old UK address.
You should exchange it for a photocard asap. but keep a photocopy in case you are stopped while you are waiting for the new one.
Not sure - but I think that if you are notifying a change of address at the same time then there is no charge - but you need to check.
There is a 10-year limit on the photo licence.
Your licence is valid and you are not banned from driving so it will be ok.
Renting a car that doesn't correspond to your address may be a problem.
Do you have another valid driving licence?
Good luck

NiHao

r0briley,

I think I read somewhere that by/from a certain date UK drivers have to exchange their paper licenses for a photo id one. Like you I have my (unexpired) UK driving license. I got as far as finding the online application form but I wasn't sure how to handle the bit about "provide addresses of where you have lived for the last 3 years".

I've got a feeling it would be an issue to put a US address?

https://www.gov.uk/exchange-paper-driving-licence

Anyone else had to do this recently and what did you do about "previous address"?

Thanks!

lgabriel73

I don't think there is any requirement that you swap your paper license for the photo version. There are plenty of people who have not changed them over and haven't had any notification that they should.

I don't think putting a US one will be an issue it has no bearing on the status of your license. I have had to provide my previous address for many things and they have all accepted the US one without issue.

You won't be able to apply on line until you are in the UK.

BritInParis

You don't need to update your address if you reside outside the UK as only UK addresses can appear on a UK licence. If you move back permanently then you'll need to update it or risk a £1000 fine. In theory if you're just visiting then it won't need to be updated. The paper licences will be phrased out shortly so you'll need at that point to exchange it for a photocard licence anyway.

NiHao

I thought I read on BE (or somewhere) something about the paper ones being automatically replaced with photo ID ones when you need to change the address, but maybe that wasn't till 2015 or knowing me its quite likely I've got it wrong!

The only reason I worried about putting a US address was because for some reason I thought that "officially" you couldn't hold a UK license if you were living in the US. Pleased to hear that putting a US address won't be a problem

I'm not at the stage of applying yet, just keeping an eye on what I will need to do.

NiHao

BritinParis,

I was meaning when I move back to the UK, when I update my license with my new UK address I wasn't sure if it would be an issue to put my US address as the "address for the previous 3 years".

I'd always thought I'd just omit the time in the US and update from my old UK address to my new. I don't think there used to be the very specific "address for the past 3 years" question.

BritInParis

Probably the easiest way to do it. AFAIK the DVLA's systems cannot take non-UK format addresses.

helendha

I am about to return to the UK after almost 10 years away... had a long conversation with DVLA as several of the threads on here were freaking me out about my license being invalid!

Long story short, lady very patiently explained that I must keep my address updated on my license while in the UK. You cannot have a non-UK address on your license, so no need to update it while you are overseas - however this does NOT invalidate your license. Upon your return, simply update it asap with you new and current address and away you go.

As it happens, I can also drive on my US license for up to 12 months so however you look at it, I am covered by one license or the other (actually, both). So if you have a valid driving license wherever you are now, take a look and see whether you can drive on it when you return to the UK for a period of time.

pondhopper2014

How long can my Hunny drive on his Canadian DL before he has to switch it over? Can he use it till we get a permanent address or is there a limit of a few weeks?
Just curious now...

Vadio

When we came back in 2011 after 11 years away, our insurance rates came way down after we updated our address and got a new photo UK license. DH first got a UK license in 1957; I got mine in 1993, so not like we were new drivers. Insurance costs alone were enough to rush the process for us.

Lorac05

The only driving licences being issued in the UK are photo ID ones so if you change your address then yes you will get a photo one. However if you stay at the same address that is on your paper licence you do not need to get a new photo one. There may come a point where the photo ID one becomes the standard but to my knowledge there is - currently - no law that will force people to have the photo one.