Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
Mar 22nd 2014, 2:36 pm
#16
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
You cannot renew it if you are not a UK resident. You cannot give a UK address to renew a UK DL if you are not a UK resident.
Mar 22nd 2014, 4:47 pm
#17
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
.... I am about to, rather belatedly, change my British drivers licence address to my mother's home. I do not envisage any problems or questions. If asked, I will tell them I am preparing to return. ..... Preparations that might never actually come to fruition! 
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:17 pm
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,159
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
I renewed mine when I went home, used my mothers address, which was where I originally obtained it.
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:23 pm
#19
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
But how would they know? .... I am about to, rather belatedly, change my British drivers licence address to my mother's home. I do not envisage any problems or questions. If asked, I will tell them I am preparing to return. ..... Preparations that might never actually come to fruition!
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:25 pm
#20
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
They probably wouldn't know. However there are at least two issues to consider. 1. If they ask you to sign a declaration that you are resident in Great Britain, then it's likely to be committing an offence if you sign it falsely; and 2. If you want to claim you are non-resident in the U.K. (income tax/capital gains tax) or non-domiciled (inheritance tax) then it's probably not a good idea to be declaring yourself resident in the U.K. for another official purpose. It's not clear to what extent the tax issues would actually be enforced by HMRC, although whatever the situation is now could change in the future.
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:26 pm
#21
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
They all use different definitions of residency, so saying yes to one is going to be hard to argue applies to another. And of course it only applies at a point in time for a DL.
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:39 pm
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Beautiful Dorset, UK
Posts: 2,195
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
But how would they know? .... I am about to, rather belatedly, change my British drivers licence address to my mother's home. I do not envisage any problems or questions. If asked, I will tell them I am preparing to return. ..... Preparations that might never actually come to fruition!
.... I am about to, rather belatedly, change my British drivers licence address to my mother's home. I do not envisage any problems or questions. If asked, I will tell them I am preparing to return. ..... Preparations that might never actually come to fruition! If you visit the UK it's easy enough to use a US licence to rent a car... if you do ever relocate back to the UK, it's dead easy to renew at that point, so what is the benefit now
Mar 22nd 2014, 5:43 pm
#24
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
Mar 22nd 2014, 6:16 pm
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,159
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
I did it because my old licence, the paper one, had disintegrated. Just wanted another form of ID.
Mar 22nd 2014, 7:42 pm
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
It would be the insurance company I would be more worried about than the DVLA should you get into a scrape.
Mar 22nd 2014, 7:47 pm
#27
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
Why? Is there any evidence out there that suggests that an unexpired licence is invalid even if the address is not current?
Mar 24th 2014, 2:38 pm
#28
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
Hertz UK , for example, don't allow you to drive on a non EU foreign drivers licence that hasn't been valid for greater than 12 months. I have to use my UK licence when I go back to England due to my US drivers licence being ineligible currently. Pretty ridiculous as any tickets could end up to my previous UK address with no expectation of ever finding their way to me.
Mar 24th 2014, 2:39 pm
#29
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
Mar 24th 2014, 2:40 pm
#30
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Changing UK Drivers Licenece to add a USA address
No chance of tickets being issued? The cops would need to issue a summons for any offence as foreign licences can't be endorsed. You think they're going to send a summons for an SP30 to America? I don't think so.