AddyLaddy

Hi, we're heading back to the UK for our hols having been in the US for 10 months or so.
One of our relatives has kindly offered to lend us a car for our trip duration, but we obviously need to be put on their insurance.

Will this be possible or advisable ?

I guess we are meant to use our US licences for this now ?

Jerseygirl

Loads of threads on this subject. The owner needs to contact the insurance company and tell them that a non UK resident will be driving the vehicle. They may or may not insure you. Your UK DL is invalid as you are not a UK resident.

Mummy in the foothills

My mother put me as a named driver on her insurance I have a valid UK license though. It cost just a few pounds a year.

sir_eccles

Not to kick an old hornets nest, once you stop being resident in the UK, your UK license is not valid.

aml1982

I totally didn't know that! I never surrendered my UK DL to swap it for a Canadian one because I had no need for a car over here, so when I've been back visiting I've rented cars on my UK drivers license, and also driven my folks' car (which I was a named driver on).

Jerseygirl

Ouch...that could have been nasty if you'd been involved in a traffic stop or accident...'cos you wouldn't be insured.

My sister put me on her insurance...cost around £100 for a month.

aml1982

I'm surprised the car rental country never mentioned it - I mean, I booked cars from Canada, entering a Canadian address and using a Canadian credit card, and I am pretty sure it will have come up during the small talk when we were picking up the car that I was back visiting relatives. I'd have though they would be quick to tell me I wasn't allowed to drive one of their cars, and that my wife (who did swap her UK license for a Canadian one) would have to do all the driving.

Mummy in the foothills

Me too.

AddyLaddy

Ok thanks Jerseygirl, I'll have to search a bit harder next time! But it looks like this will be a timely reminder for people that their UK licence is no longer valid.

Jerseygirl

Because they are not bothered and probably know no better....it's your neck on the block not theirs.

JAJ

Out of interest, where does it say (in the law) the DL becomes invalid the moment someone no longer lives in the jurisdiction?

And there's no such thing as a "UK" licence, anyway.

aml1982

I guess so. Still seems a little odd though - while the majority of the responsibility would lie with me, I am pretty sure a car rental company could get in trouble to lending a car to a person who wasn't legally allowed to drive.

Jerseygirl

I don't know where it says it in the law...but I wrote to the DVLA some time ago and asked as this questions arises frequently on BE and I wanted clarification...something about an EC Directive if I remember correctly. When you change address you are required to immediately inform the DVLA of this and return your DL for amendment/reissue. They will not do this if you are no longer a UK resident.

sir_eccles

Copied from another thread:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...nce/DG_4022088
I think it's something like £1000 fine for incorrect address information and/or false claims of residency.

JAJ

They will not change address (most jurisdictions will not change to an out of jurisdiction address) but the DL does not necessarily become invalid.

Many people in Australia on temporary status continue to use an overseas DL.