UK Driving Licence Query

S

sse

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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
 
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.
 
Its up to yourself, as you can drive on a UK Licence even if you are living in Ireland.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Uk license is better currently. You cannot get penalty points with one.
 
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.
 
You can get two if you have both a UK and an Irish address

I have a full Irish, and a provisional UK one.
 
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
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).
 
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?
 
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.
 
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.
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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.
 
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).
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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)
 
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
 
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
Click to expand...

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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