andrean.ferns

We are moving from the UK to Cape Town for 2 years. Does anyone know if we need an international driving license to buy a car or can we use our UK licenses?

ededed

Legally you can use your UK ones but the finance houses will have a brain freeze. Go to the post office and get an IDP. It costs about a fiver and will save you some hassle.

andrean.ferns

what do you mean "the finance houses will have a brain freeze"?

ededed

They won't know what to do with it. So they won't give you finance.

andrean.ferns

We don't want finance we want to buy 2 cars with cash just need to know if we need an international driving licence ??

ededed

Then you should be a little clearer in your question.

No, if you're paying cash the seller won't give a damn if you are from the UK, Mars or Jupiter. They won't care if you have or don't have a driving licence, from any country. They won't care if you can't even drive. Once you've paid them, you won't see them again.

Unless you are buying from a main dealer, but my telepathic powers can't determine that.

andrean.ferns

Sorry I did say in my original question "BUY" cars.

Pulaski

People often "buy" a car with finance, .... the "buyers" name is on the title, and legally it belongs to the person who bought it, albeit with a lien in favour of the bank/finance company.

If ownership was in the name of the bank/finance company it would be a lease.

If you meant buying without finance, saying "buy outright" would have made it clear.

moneypenny20

Even if you use a finance house to fund your purchase, you are still 'buying' a car.

MartynK

The OP asked about buying a car. No-one mentioned finance, and I've never heard anyone use the expression 'buy outright' in this context. It's usually 'I'll be paying cash' or something like that. What on earth does a driving licence have to do with it though?

FWIW, it's an International Driving Permit, not an International Driving License.

teejaydee

In any case, I presume the question should have been "...to legally insure and drive a car...

ededed

In South Africa, 99% of people buy a car on finance. This is probably true in the UK too.

If you're re buying a car in SA (or anywhere) on finance, you'll need your licence. Note I did mention IDP, you know, because I is clever.

Well, you don't need to insure a car in South Africa, but you need a licence to drive one. Getting an IDP will stop you from being more susceptible to bribes as the cops will give you "you're driving illegally and we'll lock you up unless you buy us a Coke" speech, which they give all foreign licence holders.

Personally, I'd get one - you don't need one legally, you can drive on a UK licence for 5 years - but it's not worth the hassle of explaining to a 300kg halfwit who just wants to fleece you that you're legally in the right. That's just not how the police operate there. The OP is going to be pulled over once a month and asked for a bribe, that's just how it works there.

By the way - hello Martyn, hope all is well! Long time....!

MartynK

Is this a new thing? I've bought a few cars over the years and I've never been asked for my license, just SA ID or passport as proof of identity.

I know you is, but the OP said International Driving License.



Maybe. It's getting more blatant/threatening. More cases being reported where the cops just demand money and don't even bother with a pretext...

Hi Ed. All good, I'm in the UK right now, but I'll be back in SA soon. How are things going with you?

ededed

Yeah, If you are buying from a main dealer in order to register the car you need a licence - I assume this is a government thing, probably connected to E-toll? I certainly had to do it every time I bought a car or a bike, and I bought a lot of those.

The cops are getting blatant - as you say. It's not even subtle any more. I saw 2 BBC cricket commentators got done over by them during the test series. And still no-one really cares. It's only a coke...

We're still in the Caribbean - have been for 20 months now, but probably heading back to the UK as the kids need a decent school, and we haven't found one out here!