Joewalshe

Have been driving on UK licence in Ireland for about 10 years now.
I have just lost my UK licence and am worried about how difficult it will be to replace.
The address on the UK licence is that of a friend of mine so I had thought that I might be able to write from there to DVLA and hope they will simply send me a new one.
Can't get an Irish driver's licence without UK licence or doing Irish test.
Hope someone here can advise.
Thanks

Mitzyboy

Well, I'm sure someone will try to tell you different, but if you are not a UK resident you are unable to apply for a replacement licence or a renewal. If you have a picture licence and you have had it for 10 years then it is likely it has, or is about to expire. The dates are on the front of the licence, and a picture licence expires every 10 years for a new photograph.

When you renew it you have to sign a document which states that you are a habitual resident in the UK. If you don't, you are making a false declaration.

Iirc the UK and Eire have a licence agreement, and that being so you can apply to the DVLA for a certificate of entitlement which you can then present to the Irish authorities to swap it for an Irish licence

Joewalshe

Thanks for that.
I would prefer to keep my UK licence but, as you say, I may need to get an Irish one now.
I presume the DVLA can give me a letter confirming that I have (albeit lost) a UK licence.

Mitzyboy

No, as I said they give you a certificate of entitlement so you can get an irish one

aabarnes1

Correct, DVLA will issue you with a letter of entitlement to drive, if you are resident/working in ROI for over 10 years why would you want to have a uk license. Having a uk license for that length of time is illegal, you should have changed it after 1 year. You could get a license sent to your friends address but it could invalidate your insurance here as it has been obtained falsely. Just get the letter from DVLA and get an Irish license, cover your ar5e.

Joewalshe

Lot's of British people living over here have kept their Uk licences and re-new them using friends or relatives UK addresses (hae been told this over past week).
I bet they don't realise their insurance could be invalidated. The insurance companies on't alert people to his fact and gladly take premiums until you make a claim.
I once had a car stolen from my driveay. Insurance wouldn't pay out as MOT as out of date by a week.
British folk over here told me they keep their UK licences because;
1. irish police cannot put points on a UK licence.
2. It does not need to be renewed as often as an Irish licence - saving money.
3. They may return to UK and don't want to have to change licence twice.

JAJ

You can use a valid EU/EEA license indefinitely as far as Irish law is concerned.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en...ng_permit.html

And as far as I understand (check with DVLA), a GB license does not immediately become invalid just because you move outside Great Britain, as long as you don't swap it for a new license.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...ng/DG_10023103

HOWEVER, you cannot renew a GB license if you no longer live in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). To make a false declaration of a GB address is a. probably an offence, and b. something that can, if HMRC start looking more closely at non-residents, cause tax problems.

Normally, if you leave the United Kingdom you want to establish yourself as non-resident to ensure you do not have to pay U.K. income tax and capital gains tax on non-U.K. income. Similarly - if your departure is permanent, you normally want to establish a domicile in a foreign country so that your non-U.K. estate will not be subject to Inheritance Tax. Holding onto a British driving licence instead of getting an Irish licence, especially by pretending to have a U.K. address, is not a good idea.

And the additional risk noted in the first post - if you lose your licence, you're in a much more difficult situation since you can't legally get a new GB licence and you are not "on the system" as far as the Irish authorities are concerned.

Read the terms of the policy, but not having a valid driving licence is material to the insurance risk and I'd suggest they are entitled not to pay out unless all this was declared to them at the start.

That is probably something you should have challenged, as it does not appear to be material to the insurance risk.

This can all make sense for a short term move (and it is legal if the GB licence is valid) but there are other issues discussed above if the intent is to settle permanently in Ireland.

Joewalshe

Very informative post, thanks.

Mitzyboy

I would just say again, that if you lose your UK licence then you can get a certificate of entitlement from DVLA which will enable you to get an Irish licence in more or less the same way that you would if you had not lost it, so loss would not be the end of the world