Exchange UK licence for Irish licence

Pyongyang

Hi,

I'm relocating from the Cayman Islands to live in Ireland in a couple of weeks from now. I'm a UK ex-pat and have a full UK license.

However, I'm seeing out the rest of my days in Ireland so am wondering if I should exchange my UK license for an Irish license as the address on my UK one is no longer valid.

Can I do this? If so, how do I exchange it? Are there any advantages to keeping my UK one instead of getting an Irish one? Costs? etc...

Thanks!

R.O.R

Pyongyang wrote: »

Hi,

I'm relocating from the Cayman Islands to live in Ireland in a couple of weeks from now. I'm a UK ex-pat and have a full UK license.

However, I'm seeing out the rest of my days in Ireland so am wondering if I should exchange my UK license for an Irish license as the address on my UK one is no longer valid.

Can I do this? If so, how do I exchange it? Are there any advantages to keeping my UK one instead of getting an Irish one? Costs? etc...

Thanks!

An Irish licence has to be renewed every 10 years. Not quite sure of the cost, but think it's around €25. If you have a UK picture licence it might be a pain getting the photo updated, but if you have the old paper licence it's valid until your 70th Birthday with no need to fork out for a renewal.

Any EU full licence is valid in Ireland, but as the address will be out of date I'm not sure whether that is technically illegal or not (suspect it is).

Biggest advantage at the moment is that penalty points are not transferable from IRL licences to UK licences, but that is probably going to change. Fairly moot point if you are a sensible driver anyway.

Details on how to swap nicked from another website:

Fees for exchanging a full driving permit issued by a recognised country for a full Irish driving permit are:

* Permit for 1 year: 5 euro
* Permit for 3 years: 15 euro
* Permit for 10 years: 25 euro

How to apply

Complete an application form for a full driving licence (called form A.D401), which is available from your local Motor Taxation Office, post office or Garda station and is used for the application or renewal of a driving licence. You can download form A.D401 here (pdf) (check with your Motor Tax Office in advance that they accept downloaded application forms) or, request form A.D401 by post here.

You will also need to undergo a medical examination by a registered practitioner who will complete a medical report form (called form D501) on your behalf. Download form D501 here (pdf) or request form D501 here.

You will also be required to complete an Exchange of Drivers Licence form, (download form D900 here (pdf)) also available from your local Motor Taxation Office.

An application for a driving licence is made to your local Motor Taxation Office and should be accompanied by the following:

* Two identical passport-type photographs, with the reverse of both signed by you
* Your current or most recently issued driving licence (if you hold or held one in the previous 10 years) or your current or most recently issued provisional licence (if you hold or held one in the previous five years).
* A medical report. You will need a completed medical report form D.501 if you are applying for a driving licence for categories C, C1, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED. You do not need this if you have previously provided a medical report that is still applicable.
* A medical report is compulsory for any category if you will be 70 years of age or more on the first day of the period for which the licence is being issued, suffer from any of the disabilities or diseases listed on the D.401 form, suffer from epilepsy or alcoholism or regularly take drugs or medication that are likely to impair your ability to drive safely. A registered practitioner should carry out your medical examination and then complete the form.
* You must sign the Declaration on the medical report form in the presence of the registered medical practitioner.
* A Certificate of Competency (if you have recently passed a driving test).
* The appropriate fee.

Alun

You can exchange it, but you don't have to, and can continue to use your existing licence until it expires.

The out-of-date address isn't important (I have an email from someone in the Dept of Transport confirming this).

Pyongyang

Thanks a lot both of you, makes things a lot clearer. Thanks!

keithclancy

Alun wrote: »

You can exchange it, but you don't have to, and can continue to use your existing licence until it expires.

The out-of-date address isn't important (I have an email from someone in the Dept of Transport confirming this).

Correct, the Address is not an issue, but the license is only valid to the maximum validity of a license in that country once the holder becomes resident.

http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/driving/validity/resident_en.htm

Example:
Jürgen is 35 and got his German driving licence when he was 20. He has recently moved to Spain. In Germany, licences have an unlimited validity period but in Spain, licences for people under 45 are valid for 10 years only. So Jürgen's 15 year-old licence will not be valid in Spain.

Solution:
Jürgen will be allowed to drive in Spain for 6 months after registering there as a resident. Before the end of that period, he will need to exchange his German licence for a Spanish one (valid for 10 years, as for Spanish nationals).

So a UK license will be valid for a maximum of 10 years from the date of issue once the holder becomes resident.

However if its older than 10 years then it will have to be exchanged on or before 6 months.

Monietooth

Alun wrote: »

The out-of-date address isn't important (I have an email from someone in the Dept of Transport confirming this).

Excellent! This just saved me a lot of aggro

Alun

keithclancy wrote: »

So a UK license will be valid for a maximum of 10 years from the date of issue once the holder becomes resident.

For UK licences it isn't that clear cut. The UK photo licences are only valid for 10 years, but the confusion arises with the separate paper part that is issued with UK licences where things like points and endorsements are recorded. That part, which could in some way be considered to be the real licence never 'expires', except when the owner reaches 70 when different rules for renewals start to kick in. On the other hand, it is an offence in the UK to drive with an out-of-date photo licence, so take your pick as to which licence is the real one.

keithclancy

Alun wrote: »

For UK licences it isn't that clear cut. The UK photo licences are only valid for 10 years, but the confusion arises with the separate paper part that is issued with UK licences where things like points and endorsements are recorded. That part, which could in some way be considered to be the real licence never 'expires', except when the owner reaches 70 when different rules for renewals start to kick in. On the other hand, it is an offence in the UK to drive with an out-of-date photo licence, so take your pick as to which licence is the real one.

It is clear cut i'm afraid,

It doesn't matter if the license is valid for 20, 30 or 70 years, any non Irish EU license is only valid for a maximum of 10 years in Ireland as 10 years is the maximum validity of the license issued in that country.

Most English folk I know don't even carry the paper bit with them, its not recognised anyway.

The older UK paper version (with no ID Card) was a different story alltogether.

Would be the same if you had a lifetime Norwegian license and went to Ireland.

Alun

keithclancy wrote: »

It doesn't matter if the license is valid for 20, 30 or 70 years, any non Irish EU license is only valid for a maximum of 10 years in Ireland as 10 years is the maximum validity of the license issued in that country.

I wasn't trying to claim otherwise, just pointing out that if the authorities in an EU country were to consider the paper part (the so-called Counterpart Driving Licence) of a UK licence as being the definitive licence rather than the photo-id then you might fall foul of the same thing as poor old Juergen, i.e. if you had held a UK licence for 15 years, even though you'd renewed the photo-id after the first 10, that you'd still have to exchange your licence within 6 months rather than being able to wait for another 5 years until your photo-id had expired.

Whether people in the UK carry the paper part around with them or not is irrelevant. As I understand it, although I may be wrong, if you're required to present your licence at a police station for whatever reason you have to produce that as well as the photo-id.

keithclancy

Alun wrote: »

I wasn't trying to claim otherwise, just pointing out that if the authorities in an EU country were to consider the paper part (the so-called Counterpart Driving Licence) of a UK licence as being the definitive licence rather than the photo-id then you might fall foul of the same thing as poor old Juergen, i.e. if you had held a UK licence for 15 years, even though you'd renewed the photo-id after the first 10, that you'd still have to exchange your licence within 6 months rather than being able to wait for another 5 years until your photo-id had expired.

Whether people in the UK carry the paper part around with them or not is irrelevant. As I understand it, although I may be wrong, if you're required to present your licence at a police station for whatever reason you have to produce that as well as the photo-id.

The old paper license had no ID card, it was the license.

The newer one has an ID card + paper attachment for entitlements etc, the paper part on the new one is not a license.

Theres an exchange program:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_4022084

Rashers72

Sorry to dig up an old post, but looking for clarification on the above situation, with the new rules coming in Jan 2013.
So I have an old style paper UK driving licence issued about 15 years ago to my old UK address. The licence is valid till I am 70 years old.
When I checked with the gardai a few years ago they said I was ok. Touch wood I have had no penalty point, so I only ever produce my licence when I hire cars abroad.
So is there any legal requirement for me to change my UK licence to a 10 year Irish licence? Thanks in advance.

ThreeLineWhip

None whatsover but some members of the Gardaí and certain insurance companies think otherwise but they are wrong.

Markcheese

Was just talking to my dad about this today , his uk license was reissued in 1978, and expires in 2 years time... The address is still valid ( his sisters house) ... He's been back in Ireland since the late sixties ... So had plenty of chance to renew ... But he's stubborn (and tight)

AsylumUtopia

keithclancy wrote: »

It is clear cut i'm afraid,

It doesn't matter if the license is valid for 20, 30 or 70 years, any non Irish EU license is only valid for a maximum of 10 years in Ireland as 10 years is the maximum validity of the license issued in that country.

Most English folk I know don't even carry the paper bit with them, its not recognised anyway.

The older UK paper version (with no ID Card) was a different story alltogether.

Would be the same if you had a lifetime Norwegian license and went to Ireland.

That is not correct, and the link you provided in your previous post doesn't state that. The rule you are referring to applies only to the validity period of a newly issued licence - so when your driving licence expires, you must renew it in the country where you have your usual residence, and it is the validity period of that country that applies to your new licence.

What the site you linked to actually states is:
"...if you move to another EU country, you won't usually have to exchange your licence. You can drive in your new country on your current licence as long as:

- it is valid "

and, the important bit here for anyone with a UK licence:

"If you have a driving licence which is valid for life, check with the national authorities when you have to exchange it for the new standard model."

So, the national authority in the Republic of Ireland is the NDLS, and the NDLS website states quite clearly:

If you have a driving licence issued by an EU/EEA member state you can drive in Ireland as long as your existing licence is valid.

Here is the relevant link: h t t p s : / / w w w .ndls.ie/holders-of-foreign-licences.html#holders-of-an-eu-eea-licence
(you'll need to remove the spaces to get the link to work, apparently as a 'new' user (only been here since 2013, but not enough posts I guess) I am not allowed to post URLs.)

Therefore if you have a UK licence which is valid until say 2035 and you are resident in Ireland, then your UK licence is also valid in Ireland until 2035.

The citizens information website also clearly states:
EU licence holders do not need to exchange their licences, they can drive on their EU licence for as long as it is valid.
Relevant link: h t t p : / / w w w.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html
(as above, remove the spaces to get the link to work)

In addition I have checked this previously with the Gardai, I also contacted the citizen's information board who confirmed this to be the case.

It is a pity keithclancy that you didn't read and understand the information you linked to. You have caused unnecessary confusion for others who have read this thread seeking clarification of the rules.

aujopimur

I'd say 5 years on he's sorted.