Ditz33

I have read some other posts on this, but none in my situation.
Can anyone help....

I have a uk license registered to my house in uk, but I now live in the US,where my bank etc are registered to.
I looked on the DVLA website and it seems I can't change my address to a non us address with them.
Trouble is I am supposed to be renting a car in the uk next week.
And.... I have only held my us license for 3 months, so can't rent with that.

Am I screwed?!

BritishGuy36

Yes. But why can't you rent with your short-lived US license?

Your UK licensed ceased to be valid when you ceased to be a UK resident.

Do NOT be tempted to use your UK license when you go back, it's not valid and should you be in an accident it's highly likely that any insurance/damage waiver you purchase for your car rental based on your UK license will not be valid either.

Ditz33

Thanks BritishGuy.

this is where i get confused; if i still have a house in UK, and in USA on a visa (so not a permanent resident here) am i am resident of the UK still?!

It states on the car rental companies' terms and conditions that you need to have held the licence for at least 1 year. I live in MA so i didnt just transfer my UK licence - i had to apply for a whole new one.

It seems that when you leave the UK to live elsewhere, you cant hire a car back in the UK then? (unless youve been away long enough to have got a license they deem to be 'valid').
Crazy if you ask me......

Jerseygirl

You have a US visa and are a resident of the US now...not the UK. BTW I got my NJ license within a few days of arriving in the US.

Ditz33

ah thanks... good to know.

ive not even been here a year so wouldnt be able to use it anyway. My MA licence took forever to get as i had to wait over 2 months just to take the test!

Bob

Try another rental place, they're all different.

You should use your US license, not just for sake of validity and insurance, but you might get a better rate.

Ditz33

thanks Bob, i have had a look and most say a year. So i'm either on public transport (on a bank holiday and on my own with a toddler in tow... oh joy!) or i'm illegal.
So frustrating that there is such a gaping hole in the regulations, and that this scenario isnt considered....

scrubbedexpat099

Driving Licenses are governed by each State, there are different regulations for each State. These regulations also determine when you are resident in that State and how long you have to get a Drivers License.

Seems to vary between a few weeks to 3 months.

gemmabl

What if you explained to them the situation, and how you have been continually licensed for more than a year and show them proof of both licenses?

I typically read that rule as "you must have been licensed for a year" and not "you must have had the same license for a year."

But, I could be totally wrong.

kodokan

Do they really mean that you need to have had 'that' licence for a year, or is it more that they want you to have held 'a' licence for a year, ie, not be a total beginner?

Hubby rents in various European countries with National all the time, using his US licence which he's only had since last October. Before that, he had a Swiss licence for a couple of years; before that, a UK one. They haven't batted an eyelid at all the changes or that his current licence is so new.

Perhaps give the hirer you're planning to use a call, and see if it'd be ok as long as you show them both licences, to prove you've been driving for a good long time?

jopavi73

Although I'm a newcommer to this site I have been a Greenie for a couple of decades and have been back and forth to UK over those years. I got my 1st USA permit in Maryland on the basis of holding a UK license, which they gave back to me. The address on the UK license is an accommodation address with a friend and I have used both my US and UK permits when renting cars in UK and have had no problems. My last trip back was about 7/8 years ago so there may have been some changes to the laws. Producing both of your licenses sounds like it should work.

Jerseygirl

Bad advice.

I presume you haven't had a problem using your UK license because you have not been involved in an accident or stopped by the police. You are not entitled to a UK DL...use your US DL in future when you are visiting the UK. There is a EU law preventing non residents being able to renew their DLs.

scrubbedexpat099

Easier to use your US DL to hire cars in the UK than a UK one.

jopavi73

Mea culpa. I was unaware of the EU law, appologies but just sharing my experiences. You are also quite correct in that using my US DL is easy, legal and less documentation to carry.

jopavi73

I just recalled that about 10 years ago I was stopped by the UK police for speeding and they had no problem with my UK DL.

Somewhat off the subject I had returned from Texas after a 6 month work project where I was required to get a TX license. On my return from TX at the NC DMV they reissued my permit and gave me back the current TX one. When I asked why they did not want to keep it I was told not to worry about it!! I did cut it up and a law enforcement friend told me it is still illegal to hold 2 licenses, one from a different state.