UK Driving licence

DPablo

Is it legal to drive here using a UK licence, originally held an Irish licence?
I heard something about a six month time period before having to change over
to an Irish licence, but not sure if this is correct.
I know loads of people who worked in the UK, came back here and keep using their uk licence as it's valid to age 65 and not possible to have penalty points attached to it. Are there any insurance implications if involved in an accident?
Any info. appreciated.

Kimbot

Here you go:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/motoring-1/driver-licensing/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit

HOpe this helps you out!!

MrPudding

Op, whilst you can swap your UK license if you want to, you are under no obligation whatsoever to do so.

I have been insured in Dublin for years on a UK license.

MrP

John R

MrPudding wrote:

Op, whilst you can swap your UK license if you want to, you are under no obligation whatsoever to do so.

I have been insured in Dublin for years on a UK license.

MrP

That contradicts the link posted above that states a maximum of 12 months before swapping licences.

Being insured means nothing. Insurance companies are not in the business of law-enforcement, just because they will sell you an insurance policy it doesn't make your licence valid.

I am not saying you are wrong btw, I was under the impression that you could now use any recognised EU licence indefinitely but maybe that is incorrect.

Hotblack Desiato

John R wrote:

That contradicts the link posted above that states a maximum of 12 months before swapping licences.

No, it doesn't, it says you can swap your licence, not that you must

It wouldn't be the first very misleading thing I've seen on Oasis/woteveritscallednow, their info on bike licensing is totally wrong but they're not ar$ed to correct it (yes I've emailed them several times quoting chapter & verse of the law but they don't care.)

I was under the impression that you could now use any recognised EU licence indefinitely but maybe that is incorrect.

Your impression is totally correct

kriderc

I believe you're right with regard to the misleading wording... (imho 'deliberate')

The link [ http://www.transport.ie/roads/licensing/licence/index.asp?lang=ENG&loc=1836#Exchange_Driving_Licence ] is probably the best, but yet again is somewhat sh1t at spelling out the facts.

The first para. should be read on its own to avoid the confusion of the second para.

Exchange of Driving Licence

Mutual Recognition
The holder of a driving licence issued by the competent authority of another member state of the European Union or of the European Economic Area (i.e. EU + Norway, Liechenstein and Iceland) may drive in Ireland on that licence for the duration of its validity. However, if you wish, you may apply for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence. Application for exchange must be made within ten years of expiry of the licence.

now read the second para. (not posted here)

IMHO: the Motor Taxation Office are enticing EU licence holders to exchange theirs for revenue by using bad English in the Second para.

Krid

Tiesto

i have recently moved back from germany and attained a german license just before i left...
But im gonna keep the german license, it looks cool and makes a nice i.d card too.
but i was thinking, is there any reason why I should swap it for an Irish license?

Wishbone Ash

Strictly speaking, your licence should show the holders "permanent address". If someone moves back from the UK, their UK address would cease to be their permanent address.


Edit:I see it's advisable but not legally required.



"While you are not required by law to change your driving licence if you change address, it is advisable nonetheless. Contact your Motor Tax Office for more information (see 'Where to Apply' below). Exchanging your driving licence to amend the address is a free service".

Royale with Cheese

My dad is Welsh and has been living here for 25 years with a British licence with no problems. My mom is Irish but holds a British drivers licence and there are no problems for her either.

mackerski

Tiesto wrote:

but i was thinking, is there any reason why I should swap it for an Irish license?

Yes - in the event of you being issued any fixed penalty, having an Irish licence will allow you to do your civic duty by accepting the points issued to you. Points cannot be applied to a foreign licence. A pretty strong case for swapping, don't you think?

Victor

Which second paragraph? Do you mean the bit in bold?

If you are not from any of the following countries/States but you do hold a national driving licence or an international driving permit from your own country, you can drive in Ireland for the duration of your temporary visit . (A temporary visit is regarded as a period not exceeding 12 months). If you will be resident in Ireland for more than 12 months (and again, are not from any of the following countries/States) , you will need to go through the full driving licencing procedures (see 'How to apply).

Capt'n Midnight

The UK license is an EU license so will be valid. I can't see any reason to change it. Irish points don't apply and IIRC you can get UK ones for life, instead of having to pay for every 10 years here.

corktina

is it not a legal requirement to have your correct address on your driving license? Im not sure that you could put an Irish address on a UK license without raising eyebrows...

Stark

corktina wrote:

is it not a legal requirement to have your correct address on your driving license?

Read the previous posts on the thread.

corktina

Stark wrote:

Read the previous posts on the thread.

yeah I read them....but words such as "strictly speaking" and "should" do not mean "must" in my view.

In the UK it is a specfic offense not to have your current address on your license, i was querying whether or not the same applies here....presumably it does.

Surely this is a loophole that needs firmly closing if for no other reason than to be fair to those of us with an Irish license.

Wishbone Ash

corktina wrote:

yeah I read them....but words such as "strictly speaking" and "should" do not mean "must" in my view.

From Post 8:

"While you are not required by law to change your driving licence if you change address, it is advisable nonetheless. Contact your Motor Tax Office for more information (see 'Where to Apply' below). Exchanging your driving licence to amend the address is a free service".

corktina

yes but that is for an Irish license is it not? I got pulled many years ago by the UK Police and had the wrong address on my (Then UK) license and I was told it was an offense and was let off with a warning.

However, I'm not sure what the UK police could do about it if you live in Ireland and have a UK license

so my origanl question I supoose should have been phrased better to read "is it different here to the UK?...."

sorry for the confusion.

Wishbone Ash

corktina wrote:

yes but that is for an Irish license is it not?

Well it does refer to "changing your driving licence if you change address" so presumably they mean a licence from another jurisdiction. Getting an address altered on an Irish licence would not be changing the licence as such, merely changing a detail on an existing licence.

Hotblack Desiato

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Well it does refer to "changing your driving licence if you change address" so presumably they mean a licence from another jurisdiction.

An Irish licence can't have its address changed without replacing it - address is printed on it under the lamination - so I don't see the basis for presuming they're talking about non-Irish licences there.

Wishbone Ash

ninja900 wrote:

An Irish licence can't have its address changed without replacing it - address is printed on it under the lamination - so I don't see the basis for presuming they're talking about non-Irish licences there.

It might not be the same physical licence but it will have the same number, categories, restrictions, expiry date etc.

Hotblack Desiato

Wishbone Ash wrote:

It might not be the same physical licence but it will have the same number, categories, restrictions, expiry date etc.

Yes but it's still been 'changed' in the sense that it's not the same physical document and the address is different.
We're now into the semantics of oasis (or whateveritscallednow) wording :rolleyes:
Often with motoring topics what they say sounds simple enough, but is actually rather ambiguous.

Alun

I'm still driving on my Dutch licence (expires in 2010) and have done for the last 6 years. It has my Dutch address on it, but there's no possibility of changing it a) because I doubt very much whether the Dutch authorities would accept a non-Dutch address on it and b) in the Netherlands driving licences are printed and issued on the spot by the local Gemeente (town council), so I'd have to physically jump on a plane and go to the town where I'm registered (which I no longer am!) to change it in any way.

Alun

ninja900 wrote:

Often with motoring topics what they say sounds simple enough, but is actually rather ambiguous.

Agreed. I've emailed them also to complain about the wording of that particular section of their site and they haven't done diddly-squat about it. I too, wonder whether it was made deliberately ambiguous / misleading to persuade unwary people to exchange their licences unnecessarily.