Travelling to England: can I drive with another country’s driving licence?
If you are coming to England as a tourist or on business, you can use your own country’s driving licence. However, there are a few caveats to be aware of.
If the licence was issued in one of the European Union countries – no problem, you can use it in the UK permanently until it expires.
If the driver’s licence is not from the EU or Northern Ireland, it can be used for 12 months after crossing the UK border. In addition, only small vehicles such as a car or motorbike can be driven.
The question arises: what about left-hand traffic, because it can cause some discomfort at first, especially for experienced drivers who are used to the right-hand system. Negligence in this matter is not appropriate at all, so if you are not confident in your abilities, before getting behind the wheel in Britain, it is better to take a few lessons from an instructor.
Driving licences for international students
If a student comes to England to study from the EU, their driving licence is valid until it expires. If the student does not have a driving licence and plans to obtain one in Britain, they will not be allowed to take the driving test until after 185 days of study in the UK.
If you come to study in the UK from any country other than the European Union (including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries), your driving licence will be valid for exactly 12 months.
At the end of this period, your licence will either be changed to an English licence or you will take a test to obtain a new driving licence. Again, this depends on where you obtained your licence.
You can exchange your licence for a British licence if your driving licence was issued in Andorra, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands.
In all other cases, the international student must apply for a provisional driving licence, which will allow them to drive a vehicle before taking the tests (more on this below). You can only take the tests and get a full licence after six months in the UK.
How do I exchange my old driving licence for a UK resident?
Firstly, let’s understand who can be called a resident of the United Kingdom. According to the current legislation, a resident of the UK is a person who has a permanent address and has lived here for at least 185 days.
The procedure for exchanging a driving licence in England depends on many factors, primarily the country where the old licence was obtained:
1. Your driving licence was issued in the EU – your licence will be valid for three years after you become a UK resident. You will then need to complete a D1 form and send it with the £43 fee and your old licence to the address on the form. You should be able to get your new driving licence within 3 weeks.
2. The driving licence was issued in a country that has signed a treaty with the UK on replacement of driving licences, – such a document can be used in the UK for 5 years after you become a resident. This is followed by the licence replacement procedure described above.
List of signatory countries: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe.
It is worth noting that a driving licence from one of these countries entitles you to drive vehicles with automatic transmission only. To drive a manual transmission vehicle, you must provide proof of passing the manual transmission driving test.
3. The driving licence was issued in another country (this includes CIS countries) – this licence can be used in England for 12 months and cannot be replaced. This means that after a year you will need to take the theory and practical parts of the test in the general way.
In addition, you can only drive small vehicles – a passenger car or a motorbike.
Travelling to England: Can I drive with a licence from another country?
If you are coming to England as a tourist or on business, you can use your own country’s driving licence. However, there are a few caveats to be aware of.
If the licence was issued in one of the European Union countries – no problem, you can use it in the UK at all times until it expires.
If the driving licence is not from the EU or Northern Ireland, it can be used for 12 months from the time you cross the UK border. In addition, only small vehicles – a car or motorbike – can be driven.
The question arises: what to do with left-hand traffic, because it can cause some discomfort at first, especially for drivers with experience, accustomed to the right-hand system. Negligence in this matter is not appropriate at all, so if you are not confident in your abilities, before getting behind the wheel in Britain, it is better to take a few lessons from an instructor.
Driving licence for foreign students
If a student comes to England to study from the EU, their driving licence is valid until it expires. If the student does not have a driving licence and plans to obtain one in Britain, they will not be allowed to take the driving test until after 185 days of study in the UK.
If you come to study in the UK from any country other than the European Union (including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries), your driving licence will be valid for exactly 12 months.
At the end of this period, your licence will either be changed to an English licence or you will take a test to obtain a new driving licence. Again, this depends on where you obtained your licence.
You can exchange your licence for a British licence if your driving licence was issued in Andorra, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands.
In all other cases, the international student must apply for a provisional driving licence, which will allow them to drive a vehicle before taking the tests (more on this below). You can only take the tests and get a full licence after six months in the UK.
How do I exchange my old driving licence for a UK resident?
Firstly, let us understand who can be called a resident of the United Kingdom. According to the current legislation, a UK resident is a person who has a permanent address and has lived here for at least 185 days.
The procedure for exchanging a driving licence in England depends on many factors, most importantly the country where the old licence was obtained:
1. Your driving licence was issued in the EU – your licence will be valid for three years after you become a UK resident. You will then need to complete a D1 form and send it with the £43 fee and your old licence to the address on the form. You should be able to get your new driving licence within 3 weeks.
2. The driving licence was issued in a country that has signed a replacement licence agreement with the UK, – such a document can be used in the UK for 5 years after you become a resident. The procedure for replacing your licence follows as described above.
List of signatory countries: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe.
It is worth noting that a driving licence from one of these countries only entitles you to drive vehicles with automatic transmission. To drive a manually shifted vehicle, you must provide proof of passing the manual gearbox driving test.
3. The driving licence was issued in another country (this includes CIS countries) – this licence can be used in England for 12 months and cannot be replaced. This means that after one year you will need to take the theory and practical parts of the test in the normal way.
In addition, you can only drive small vehicles – a car or motorbike.
How do I get a driving licence in the UK?
Step 1: Provisional driving licence
This document will allow you to drive vehicles until you have passed the theory and practical parts of the test. To do this, you need to complete an application form on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency website and check that you meet all the requirements:
- UK resident;
- The minimum age is 16 years for a moped and 17 years for a passenger car;
- eyesight – you must demonstrate sufficient visual acuity to drive a vehicle. During the practical test, you must be able to read a car licence plate from 1 September 2001 from a distance of 20 metres (wearing glasses or contact lenses, if necessary);
- possession of a passport or other identification document for foreigners;
- National Insurance number.
You must also pay £34 by bank card if completing the form online, or £43 by cheque or postal order if sending documents by post.
You will receive your provisional licence within a week if you have submitted an online application.
Шаг 2: Theory test for cars and motorcycles
The theoretical examination consists of two parts: a multiple-choice test and a hazard perception test – 14 video clips on the screen with different everyday situations. Both stages take place on the same day, and after successful passing you are given a certificate (its number is needed for the practical test).
The cost of enrolling for the theory exam is £25, the amount is the same if you retake the test. The test is conducted in English or Welsh, which can cause difficulties for people with poor language skills.
Step 3: Practical driving test
The practical exam lasts approximately 40 minutes and is considered passed if 15 or fewer mistakes are made. The cost of the test depends on the time of taking it: £62 during working hours, £75 on weekday evenings, weekends and public holidays. At the exam you need to present a certificate of passing the theoretical part. Knowledge of English is also useful here.
After passing the test, the instructor will inform you of the results and, if you pass, will present you with a certificate. A full driving licence will be sent to you later, but you can drive as soon as you pass the test.