agree_to_disagree

Toward the end of last year I surrendered my UK driving licence for a Spanish driving licence..

Job done i thought...

Just received a notification from DVLA that my UK licence is due to expire.

Seems it has to be renewed every 10 years and it is about to expire, according to their records.

I figure that as I have surrendered my UK licence for one in another EU country it became invalid, but now that the UK has offered to renew my non EU licence, should I take them up on the offer? Previously you could not hold a driving licence in two EU countries but UK is no longer in the EU...

Tempting isn't it...

Anyone share any thoughts on this one...?

Sandm4n

Can't think of any reason why not.

agree_to_disagree

Think I found the answer...

https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-lic...re-information

To renew online, you need:

• a valid UK passport
• to be a resident of Great Britain - there’s a different service in Northern Ireland
• to pay £14 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card (there’s no fee if you’re over 70 or have a medical short period licence)
• addresses of where you’ve lived over the last 3 years
• your current driving licence (if you do not have your licence you must say why in your application)
• your National Insurance number (if you know it)
• to not be disqualified from driving

Seem to be two requirements I cannot satisfy...

I am a UK passport holder but resident in Spain for 3 years and longer.

Not sure if there is any way around this (that is legal)...

I could probably get them to re-issue the driving licence if I told some 'white lies'...

But then the licence would be invalid and I would not be insured...

I would not want to fraudulently obtain a new UK driving licence.

Barriej

Go for it.
Ive just checked mine on the DVLA site and its still saying that its valid as well.

Not sure if it can be sent to a non uk address.

As the Uk licence has your registered address printed on the card (no 8)
The Spanish one has no address on it (well mine don't)

DLC

We were told the DGT had to contact the DVLA to confirm the British licence was valid before exchanging it for a Spanish one, so there could be a record of your licence being exchanged and a chance of getting caught if you decide to try and renew the British licence (unless the DVLA just told one of their staff to fax back 'yes, it's fine' to every request from the DGT).

agree_to_disagree

Note one of the bullet points...

• your current driving licence (if you do not have your licence you must say why in your application)

I would not lie as part of the application.

I would have to declare that I handed over my licence in exchange for a Spanish one.

bobd22

I would be careful as if you correctly sent your UK driving licence off with your application for exchange to spanish licence it may be that the DVLA have simply revoked your licence rather than deleted it. They did that with me many years ago with HGV catagory. I wasnt and didn't need to drive HGV anymore so contacted them when the medical was due for HGV. There answer to me was don't worry we can revoke the HGV categories so you keep them but can't use them until you later obtain the medical and request the categories be un revoked. I don't know but that may be how they deal with our UK licences when exchanging them to spanish in case we go back permanent and want our UK licence back.

agree_to_disagree

The plot thickens...

It is the UK driving licence photocard that I handed over to the Spanish authorities... It was due to expire in 2021 anyway.

However, I still have the original paper 'Counterpart Driving Licence'. It is form 'D740'.

That doesn't expire until the 2030s...

bobd22

With the card type licence with paper counterpart the licence is issued up to age 70 which is the date on your counterpart. The photo card licence is valid for 10 years and has to be renewed after that basically to ensure photo is current and a likeness. After 70 it is renewed every 5 years with a self declaration that you are medically fit to drive unlike Spain where there is a medical check. However the UK abolished the paper counterpart in 2015 so in fact that is now simply a bit of paper.

bobd22

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/d...icence-changes

agree_to_disagree

Like many I had the original 'Counterpart Driving Licence' and subsequently obtained the photo card driving licence.

It does say that the 'Counterpart Driving Licence' is no longer a legal document after 2015.

However, it also says, "Paper driving licences issued before 31 March 2000 are still valid. Do not destroy your licence.

Mine was issued before this date, so I guess is still valid...

However, I have just gone online like you did and all my information is there with the DVLA...

So to renew or not to renew...? UK no longer in the EU so no conflict there about holding licence from two EU states, so no conflict there any longer.

Notdunroamin

Even if you have a quasi valid UK address (children or rented out home for instance) your NI number will give the game away.

​​​​​​Still being shown as 'valid' by DVLA only means that you remain entitled to apply for a UK licence but only if you fulfil the residential requirements.

I first surrendered my UK licence in France some 8 years ago and subsequently exchanged it for a Spanish one in 2020 yet DVLA still show it as valid. As an experiment just a few weeks ago I successfully applied for a code number which you now need to present with a UK licence when hiring a car there.

bobd22

I would agree with Notdunroanin. The photo card licence with paper counterpart and the paper licence are 2 different things. If you had a photo card licence with paper counterpart that is different entirely to retaining an old paper only licence. Once you moved over to photo card then you were on that licence system and the paper counterpart is defunct from 2015. Irrespective of renewal notice I think should you apply you will come unstuck and if you give false information to apply i.e. address there could well be consequences. Do you need it? With a Spanish licence you can drive in the uk and should you move back permanently you can then go back to uk licence.