UK licence - does wife have to change?

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daveco23

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Better Prettier Half was stopped at a checkpoint the other day and was told to change her licence to an Irish one asap. I had always thought this was not necessary. Am I right or is there a legal requirement to do so?
Thanks
 
That link doesn't explicitly say that you have to change your licence.

I have a UK licence and have been stopped a few times by the pguards. There's never been a problem with it.

My licence doesn't expire until I'm 70 (if I live that long). I have no intention of exchanging it for an Irish one.
 
My wife stopped for nattering on mobile phone (has uk license also) and was told she was a lucky lady as couldn't get points but would get a fine. Fine never arrived so my advice is to stick with uk and change to irish when needs to be replaced. It is an EU driving license afterall. Change is not compulsory.
 
daveco23 said:
Better Prettier Half was stopped at a checkpoint the other day and was told to change her licence to an Irish one asap. I had always thought this was not necessary. Am I right or is there a legal requirement to do so?
Thanks
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It depends on where the licence was issued - if it was a licence from the EU, Norway, Liechenstein or Iceland then she doesn't need to change it until it expires.

If the licence was issued by a "Recognised State" (Australia, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, South Africa, South Korea and Switzerland) then she can use it for a year but then she must exchange it for an Irish one if she wishes to continue driving in Ireland.

If the licence is issued by a country outside of either of the above then she can drive on the foreign licence for a year but then she has to apply for an Irish licence - ie needs to get a provisional and then take and pass the Irish driving test.

(sources: http://www.transport.ie/roads/licensing/licence/index.asp?lang=ENG&loc=1836 (Dept of Transport) & )
 
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Thanks for the replies.
BPH has uk licence and we intend to move back there at some stage in the future. Guard was quite forceful saying she HAD to change licences, and BPH quite adament to guard she did not have to. Looks like we are right so..
Cheers.
 
You don't have to. I have a UK licence and it expires many many many many years from now so I've no intention of changing over! But mine still has my old UK address on it. If your wife checks her licence, it probably says somewhere that she must inform the DVLA of a change of address. There's a fine if she doesn't, AFAIK. But the UK won't issue the licence with an Irish address. The decision is hers!
 
daveco23 said:
Thanks for the replies.
BPH has uk licence and we intend to move back there at some stage in the future. Guard was quite forceful saying she HAD to change licences, and BPH quite adament to guard she did not have to. Looks like we are right so..
Cheers.
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Jeez...If the gardai don't know the law what chance does Joe Citizen have :(
 
efm said:
Jeez...If the gardai don't know the law what chance does Joe Citizen have :(
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Big time. But it's best not to anger them on the side of the road - yes sir, no sir, I'll do it straight away sir. Then do nothing! ;)

Did anyone hear anything about mutual recognition of penalty points? I think they're bringing it in cos of all the NI cars in Ireland. But does it mean if we get caught in Ireland that the points get endorsed on our UK licences?
 
Joe citizen has no rights unless he knows them. Gardai seem to set laws to suit themselves.

I would say get an irish one for use in the uk and keep the uk one for use in Ireland. No points ever again.

Maybe we should all go to the uk and get uk licence's to save on some fines.
 
Frank said:
Joe citizen has no rights unless he knows them. Gardai seem to set laws to suit themselves.

I would say get an irish one for use in the uk and keep the uk one for use in Ireland. No points ever again.

Maybe we should all go to the uk and get uk licence's to save on some fines.
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cough*maybesomealreadydothat*cough ;)
 
Frank said:
Joe citizen has no rights unless he knows them. Gardai seem to set laws to suit themselves.

I would say get an irish one for use in the uk and keep the uk one for use in Ireland. No points ever again.

Maybe we should all go to the uk and get uk licence's to save on some fines.
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Not as simple as that; if you want to change your licence, you have to surrender your UK one. You will only get it back if you decide to move back to the UK (then you would have to return the Irish licence).

I held my UK licence for 7 years here before it expired and had to change it last year. A Garda who looked at it, even said that I should hold on to it as long as I could.
 
Don't change it.

Would you listen to some ignorant culshie guard telling you what to do?? If you have any sense don't!!! By all means humour the little jumped up oik fresh outta templemore garda training school but just don't bother once he's let you on your way.

Also make sure all your RoI vehicles are registered in UK driving license holders name - if you're done for speeding on a speed camera there's nothing the donut-eating gardaí can do to you if car reg'd to uk license holder. My wife from UK living in the free state for 8 years and the only way she'll have her UK license taken off her by the Garda Sicíní is if it's prised from her cold dead hands by the muppets who we have enforcing the 'laws' of our little island.....there just a shower of amateur, lazy sh*tes who deserve nothing but contempt from all right-thinking hard-working tax payers.
 
fintans

I'm a Irish tax payer and in my opinion the Guards don't deserve to be treated with contempt.

I also don't think breaking the speed limit is big or clever.

In fact its showing contempt to the rest of the people who have to share the road with you and your wife.

All the best
 
fintans said:
Don't change it.

Would you listen to some ignorant culshie guard telling you what to do?? If you have any sense don't!!! By all means humour the little jumped up oik fresh outta templemore garda training school but just don't bother once he's let you on your way.

Also make sure all your RoI vehicles are registered in UK driving license holders name - if you're done for speeding on a speed camera there's nothing the donut-eating gardaí can do to you if car reg'd to uk license holder. My wife from UK living in the free state for 8 years and the only way she'll have her UK license taken off her by the Garda Sicíní is if it's prised from her cold dead hands by the muppets who we have enforcing the 'laws' of our little island.....there just a shower of amateur, lazy sh*tes who deserve nothing but contempt from all right-thinking hard-working tax payers.
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Fintans,
As a "right thinking hard working tax payer" i think its fair to say the only person who deserves contempt here is you.
Completely uncalled for.
 
I don't have any regrets describing the boys in blue as a total waste of space - they are generally totally incompetent, lazy, indolent and might as well be pulling pints or serving burgers in mcdonalds for all the professionalism they show. They are unskilled people earning a good wage for god knows why??!

They are a sloppy bunch of muppets doing what in other countries is an onerous and highly responsible position. I could not get away with their unprofessional attidude and conduct in my job - because I hold a well-paid, private sector position where you can't just bluff your way through the day.

However for most civil servants/ public representatives you could take my comments about coppers and they apply just as well. I work with these people all the time so I know first hand what these shiftless gits get away with.
 
I dont think the comments re the gardai is out of order at all.

in a similar story of getting an arrogant lecture from traffic branch regarding holding a NI licence as opposed to a ROI license at 8am on Friday monring. Stating that i could be arrested for it ....yes exactly....arrested... he obviously got out of the wrong side of his bf bed


Perhaps, if the guards did not act in such a manner as if they are the law instead of law enforcement officers then people would not have such a low opinion of them.
 
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