# UK Driving Licence Query



## sse (26 Nov 2008)

Hi all

Can someone give me a definitive answer on the following, as I have received conflicting advice?

I have a full UK driving licence since 1986. I became a resident of Ireland in 2007. Do I need to get an Irish licence?

I presume the issue is that I cannot be given points on the Uk licence?

Thanks
SSE


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## chrisboy (26 Nov 2008)

You are meant to change over your licence if you become a resident here.


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## gipimann (26 Nov 2008)

Here is the link to the Citizen's information page on foreign driving licences.

It does not say that you _must_ exchange your UK licence for an Irish one, it says you _may _exchange it as it is one of the recognised licences.   This would suggest (to me anyway) that exchanging the licence isn't a legal requirement.


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## Smashbox (26 Nov 2008)

Its up to yourself, as you can drive on a UK Licence even if you are living in Ireland.


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## jhegarty (26 Nov 2008)

chrisboy said:


> You are meant to change over your licence if you become a resident here.



That's wrong.

You can keep any EU license for as long as it's valid.


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## Rois (27 Nov 2008)

You are fully entitled to keep your UK licence here. I have a UK licence since 1989 and would not dream of changing it as it's valid till 2032. There is a change of address section on the back of your licence so just complete and sign that and there should be no problem.  I issued driving licences for 18 months here, and the advice we always gave to UK licence holders was not to change to an Irish licence (except in exceptional circumstances).  If you change you have to renew your irish licence every 10 years.


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## Bubbly Scot (27 Nov 2008)

If you have one of the newer UK licences, the little plastic credit card and larger paper appendix then you have to change to an irish licence when that expires. My licence was originally valid for another 30 years or but when I moved house and changed my adress with DVLA they sent me this new version and that has to be replaced every ten years.


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## RS2K (27 Nov 2008)

Uk license is better currently. You cannot get penalty points with one.


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## Frank (27 Nov 2008)

I don't suppose you can get one of each.

UK one for driving in Ireland 

Ireland one for driving in UK.

Not that it would be any advantage as you would not be incurring points anyway.


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## Smashbox (27 Nov 2008)

You can get two if you have both a UK and an Irish address

I have a full Irish, and a provisional UK one.


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## Bubbly Scot (27 Nov 2008)

Smashbox said:


> You can get two if you have both a UK and an Irish address
> 
> I have a full Irish, and a provisional UK one.


 
Are you sure about that? In order to get an irish licence you have to surrender your UK one. Also, if you passed your test in the UK you're not allowed to sit it here.

You might be in possession of a licence from each, but I would check if you're actually legally entitled to hold both.


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## rob30 (27 Nov 2008)

I had to surrender my irish licence to the DVLA to get a british one


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## carrielou (27 Nov 2008)

Back in 1991 I had an English licence but nobody could give me a straight answer.  Not the motor tax office where licence are issued, not the guards who check it out, not my insurance company.

For a finish I just switched because I decided just in case, God forbid, if I was involved in an accident would I or would I not be covered.


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## Rois (27 Nov 2008)

Never had any problem with insurance companies - i've been with 3 or 4 different ones since I moved back to Ireland, they all have copies of my UK licence and never requested that I change to an irish one.  I was also stopped by the gardai a few weeks ago and as I only had a photocopy of my licence in the car, they asked me to produce my licence at station within 10 days.  I did this, they took a photocopy and that was all, no request to change to irish licence.  The only comment they made was that there was no photo on it (as it's one of the old-style licences).


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## krissovo (27 Nov 2008)

Just going slightly off topic I have lost my UK licence and I need to replace it.  I dont think I can get a new UK as I do not have an address in the UK but how would I get a new Irish one if my old one is lost?


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## Rois (27 Nov 2008)

You need to contact the DVLA in Swansea and they will send you a letter with details of your UK licence.  Then you can use this to exchange for an irish licence.


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## Smashbox (27 Nov 2008)

Bubbly Scot said:


> Are you sure about that? In order to get an irish licence you have to surrender your UK one. Also, if you passed your test in the UK you're not allowed to sit it here.
> 
> You might be in possession of a licence from each, but I would check if you're actually legally entitled to hold both.


 
I'm positive. I told them at the time that I had a provisional UK one and they said that it was no problem. I still have it, its valid and in date.

If you pass your test in the UK, you don't need to sit one here, as you can swap the licences. I didn't sit mine in the UK, I passed in Ireland, and so have a full Irish and a provisional UK one (card and paper part)

Its legal, I declaired it when I was applying here. No problems at all.


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## seantheman (27 Nov 2008)

Rois said:


> Never had any problem with insurance companies - i've been with 3 or 4 different ones since I moved back to Ireland, they all have copies of my UK licence and never requested that I change to an irish one. I was also stopped by the gardai a few weeks ago and as I only had a photocopy of my licence in the car, they asked me to produce my licence at station within 10 days. I did this, they took a photocopy and that was all, no request to change to irish licence. The only comment they made was that there was no photo on it (as it's one of the old-style licences).


 does the valididy of the uk licence not come into question when you have not changed address in the relevant section to your new address. i also changed to irish from uk when my insurance co. started increasing premiums for non irish licence holders(they obviously can't check points on non irish licences and may run the risk of insuring boy racers)


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## Ed054 (28 Nov 2008)

I have a UK Licence and I have in the past been stopped by a guard that my licence was illegal and he was goint to take it off me.
I refused to hand it over and he said that he would arrest me if i did not give it to him.
I refused again and told him to ring his station and ask his superintendant if my licence was illegal.
He was on the phone for a few minutes got out of the car and told me to go.
I have no intention of giving up my licence and it is legal


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## Bubbly Scot (28 Nov 2008)

Ed054 said:


> I have a UK Licence and I have in the past been stopped by a guard that my licence was illegal and he was goint to take it off me.
> I refused to hand it over and he said that he would arrest me if i did not give it to him.
> I refused again and told him to ring his station and ask his superintendant if my licence was illegal.
> He was on the phone for a few minutes got out of the car and told me to go.
> I have no intention of giving up my licence and it is legal


 
I would never have allowed it either, infact it would have been quite something if he had marched you down to the station, only to be told to release you.

my insurance company are fine with us having UK licences, there is a small increase in the premiums and when himself got two points on his licence we advised them of this even though they weren't technically on his licence (but they're on his irish record so when he does change to an Irish licence, they'll be on that).


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## lfcjfc (28 Nov 2008)

Interesting discussion.

What happens if you are given points for breaking the speed limit in Ireland but respond saying that you have a UK license? Are the points still recorded somewhere?

Rois - I'm not sure that you can change your UK license to an Irish address if that's what you are suggesting. I looked into that on the DVLA website when I moved to Ireland and it said you had to have a permanent UK address to have a UK license.

Bubbly Scot - are you sure that the actual UK license expires on the expiry date on the card. I thought that was just the expiry date for the photo (10 yrs) but the license is valid until 70th birthday. Must check my paper part now because photocard is expiring soon.


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## rob30 (28 Nov 2008)

If you look at the bottom of the paper form that acompanies the credit card style UK licence, it states that you do not have to inform them of a change of address, if you are now residing outside of the UK.


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## Bubbly Scot (28 Nov 2008)

lfcjfc said:


> Interesting discussion.
> 
> What happens if you are given points for breaking the speed limit in Ireland but respond saying that you have a UK license? Are the points still recorded somewhere?


 
The points are recorded on an Irish record, if and when you change to an Irish licence, any points still "valid" will be shown on that. We informed our insurance company of the points though incase it was an issue.




> Bubbly Scot - are you sure that the actual UK license expires on the expiry date on the card. I thought that was just the expiry date for the photo (10 yrs) but the license is valid until 70th birthday. Must check my paper part now because photocard is expiring soon.


 
Would you let me know? I can't find my paper part unless it's buried in the bottom of the safe. Wonder if it's would still be valid then? maybe you just can't use the photo part for ID after it expires. I thought I'd have to change in 2010, I don't mind having an Irish licence but it's not as practical to carry as the UK one and the paperwork, doc certs etc are a bit of a pain.


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## Rois (28 Nov 2008)

lfcjfc said:


> Rois - I'm not sure that you can change your UK license to an Irish address if that's what you are suggesting. I looked into that on the DVLA website when I moved to Ireland and it said you had to have a permanent UK address to have a UK license.


 
Yes, I assume if you want to obtain a UK licence you need a UK address.  But, if you then move to Ireland, it's sufficient just to enter your new address on the paper part of the licence (do NOT return this to the DVLA). That was the advice we were given when I issued driving licences 2 years ago (so I assume it's still the same). 

As I said, I had to produce my licence to the gardai a couple of weeks ago, and there was no problem whatsoever.


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## lfcjfc (28 Nov 2008)

Rois - I get what you mean now

Bubbly Scot - will check mine over the weekend and let you know. for the same reasons as you, I would prefer not to have to change mine over when it expires.


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## lfcjfc (28 Nov 2008)

*Just found the info below on a website  - it appears that its just around the 10th anniversary of the UK photocard introduction so a lot of them are starting to expire. *

Appears that a UK licence is valid up to 70yrs old regardless of the photocard but you can be fined up to €1000 for driving in the UK with a photocard with an expired photo!


*Photocard Driving Licence 10 Year Update*

*When does yours run out?*

All UK photocard driving licences need to be updated every 10 years.

The photo on the licence is only valid for 10 years, therefore the driving licence and photo needs to be updated accordingly. Drivers will not need to retake a driving test but will of course need to submit a new photo of how they currently look. 

This will start to happen from *July 2008 *onwards, the DVLA will start to issue reminders from May 2008 onwards. The holder must renew their licence before their current photo expires. Renewal is necessary to avoid a £1000 fine. The licence expiry date can be found in the section marked 4b on the front of the photocard.

The paper part of the licence however does not contain an expiry until the holders 70th Birthday.


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## Rois (28 Nov 2008)

Just to clarify, my UK licence is one of the old style ones with no photo and is valid till I'm 70.


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