tiger mama

Hi, we're moving to NZ on the 6th Oct, and just trying to work out what to do about the driving licences. I keep reading contracticting things. Do we tell the DVLA we're gone / need to do anything else at the UK end?

Do we have to notify a NZ driving authority that we're driving on their roads and if so does anyone have a weblink?

I know you need to get a NZ licence after 12 months - does this mean resitting a test or just applying for a conversion? Again does anyone have the weblink I need for this?

We're hopefully going to get a (second hand) car pretty much the day we get there if we can find an appropriate one. What documents will we need / things do we need to consider?

Murrayafc

as far as ive read on the forum about this, no you do not need to tell the dvla anything in the UK. You can drive on NZ roads with your uk license but need to apply after the 12 month period. no resit required just pay some bucks and get a nz license. I may be wrong so somebody may correct.

cheers

concretepump

you don't need to wait for 12 months, get it done soon as one more thing out of the way then, and it helps you feel as though your part of nz lol

MrsFychan

true you don't need to wait the 12mths but you are only legally allowed to drive on UK for 12 mths from the last day of entry. Friend of mine for some reason didn't want to get a Kiwi licence so she popped over to Oz for a night which started the 12mth clock.
If you are from the UK you just need to do an eye sight test when applying for the licence. they photograph you sign the money and pay your fee. takes about 10mins, if not then you have to sit a test and a drive with an examiner.

as for the UK if you are leaving and not considering returning with a few years you are meant to inform the DVLA (MIL has just informed me of this and apparently is illegal if you don't)
If you return to the UK you can drive on the Kiwi licence for 5 or so years, can't remember the actually time and that does remind me I need to tell the DVLA

Snap Shot

Blimey I never knew that ! I mean re: DVLA. We told every one else though, the list seemed to go on and on.

DVLA will get notification of our UK address should we ever return to Britain. This should mean the arrival of my driving licence with (what one day might be) my current British address on it.

The idea of contacting the DVLA now whilst outside of Britain makes me feel like I've lost the will to live !

Robbie2010

There's nothing on the DVLA website to support this idea.

All it says is .... "If you’re moving abroad, you can’t register your new address on your British driving licence. Contact the driving licence authority in your new country of residence."

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence

j19fmm

You need a utility bill as proof of address for your NZ licence so you might have to wait a bit. You can get it done at the AA shop. Same place for your IRD numbers. We bought a car no problems, just paid the money for it went to the Post Shop and did a change of ownership, think it was $9.

tiger mama

Thanks guys for all the info! I got in touch with a couple of car dealers out there last night who reckoned we'd be ok to get finance from the get go. MrsFychan have you got anything that explains that? I've trawled the DVLA website and cannot find anything to that effect, surely if it was illegal they'd make it clear? Might be worth a phonecall anyway though, thank you!

MrsFychan

no just the MIL emailing me as I was looking at renewing my English one but couldn't online as needed to change the address as well. forget that as I have now also looked and can't see anything on it. just have to let the English one lapse

jmh

I think the issue with the DVLA is that you are required to update the address on your licence when you move house. This is not related to leaving the country and emigrating. I remember being stopped by an officer when I did an illegal U turn and he gave me a verbal warning about not updating my address details on the licence. He could have fined me apparently.

If you are not going to use your UK licence I would probably not bother too much about it. When you swap it for a NZ one you get it back. I have found it useful as ID in the UK when I've gone back on holidays, but you don't need it to drive as your NZ licence is valid.

Jaydi

I haven't notified DVLA either but sometimes wonder what happens when their records show you have hit 70? Do they write to the UK address shown on your licence about getting it renewed?

MrsFychan

we know that we aren't going to be here in retirement so when we go back we will just send in the old expired one and request a new one. until we get the new UK one we can drive on the NZ one

M_and_M

Yes you do have to tell the DVLA.

No you don't need to take another test

It costs $52 and takes ten mins to transfer your UK licence to NZ. You have 12 months to do that. You don't have to tell anyone that you are driving in NZ. Unless you buy a car etc. if so your UK licence will still be ok, on the most part.

It's so simple to transfer over you wouldn't believe it. Just go into your local AA office. You can even find the form online and fill it in before you arrive.

Robbie2010

Why? Source please.

M_and_M

It is law to have the details on your driving licence up to date. You can be fined for an incorrect address on there.

Once you move out of the UK your licence becomes invalid because you must be resident in the UK to hold a valid UK licence