Driving in Europe?

Drugness

Hello all
Apologies firstly if i have placed this question in the wrong section of the forum.
I'm just wondering can anyone tell me how long you need to have your full driving license before you are legally allowed to drive on the roads in mainland Europe?
Many thanks in advance
DG

r3nu4l

Don't know to be honest. Not sure there is a requirement. Check with the car hire agencies, some of those may have a time limit on hiring out to newly qualified drivers.

I know that I hired a car from Avis in Clearwater, Florida (USA), one week after I sat my driving test in Ireland (a mate of mine worked in the licensing department, hence me getting my license done so quickly).

pa990

you can drive on any road in europe as soon as your pink licence drops thru the letter box

R.O.R

If it's your own car, I'm pretty sure that you are OK as long as you hold a full, valid driving licence. You'll need to make sure your insurance covers you abroad, and you should have valid motor tax and NCT (if applicable).

I'm listening

As long as you have Pinky you should be grand to the best of my knowledge, drove through Europe a couple months after getting mine and was no issue, even when getting insurance for it and stuff..

Haven't done it myself but if you are planning to hire a car some want a couple years of a full licence

bazzachazza

Immediately. As long as you tell your insurance so they know where you have gone;)

John C

In Germany a full driving licence is mandatory.

Seth Brundle

John C wrote: »

In Germany a full driving licence is mandatory.

Do you mean as opposed to a learner permit as they cannot be used outside the RoI (and that also means no driving in NI)

Cionád

In France, for the first 2-years of your full license you must not exceed 110km/h.
As far as I know this also applies to tourists in their first 2-years of holding a full license.

Berty

Check with the DFA for each country you wish to visit. If the DFA says its ok and you get stopped then have your embassy clear it. Naturally a worst case scenario. I drove 3600kms in France and only saw 2 Gendarmie cars.

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=275

Del2005

John C wrote: »

In Germany a full driving licence is mandatory.

In every country apart from Ireland it's mandatory.

I'd say we're the only country who lets people who haven't passed a test drive on their own.

Why do you need to inform your insurance company? Under EU law all policies provide 3rd party cover in all EU countries.

Alun

Del2005 wrote: »

I'd say we're the only country who lets people who haven't passed a test drive on their own.

No we don't, not legally anyway. That the guards can't be arsed to prosecute them for doing it is another matter altogether.

keithclancy

Drugness wrote: »

Hello all
Apologies firstly if i have placed this question in the wrong section of the forum.
I'm just wondering can anyone tell me how long you need to have your full driving license before you are legally allowed to drive on the roads in mainland Europe?
Many thanks in advance
DG

Irish license is an EU License so:

EU driving licences

If your licence is from an EU country, you can use it throughout the EU.

These categories in your original licence are recognised in every country: A1, A, B1, B, C1, C, D1, D and E.

In general, EU countries do not recognise licences issued to drivers aged under 18. If you are under 18 and have a valid driving licence in your home country, it will only be recognised if you are visiting the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Hungary or Iceland.
EU driving licences (issued in exchange for a non-EU licence)

If you have exchanged your non-EU licence for an EU licence in the country where you now live, you can drive with this throughout the EU.

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

keithclancy

Berty wrote: »

Check with the DFA for each country you wish to visit. If the DFA says its ok and you get stopped then have your embassy clear it. Naturally a worst case scenario. I drove 3600kms in France and only saw 2 Gendarmie cars.

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=275

A rake of information the DFA provide is just plain wrong or outdated:

E.G. The Irish Embassy website says this:
http://www.irishembassy.nl/home/index.aspx?id=40464#driving

Irish full driving licences are valid for use in the Netherlands for one year. After that, you will need to either exchange your Irish licence for a Dutch one, or register your Irish licence with the RDW - the Dutch Road Traffic service. In both cases, you should contact your local municipality for further information. You will only be able to exchange or register your Irish licence if it is still valid, if it is a full driving licence (ie not a provisional license), and if you make your application within one year of your arrival in the Netherlands. For further information, please contact the RDW: www.rdw.nl/eng/index.html Tel: 0900.0739 (within the Netherlands - EUR0.10/minute) or +31.598.393.330 (from outside the Netherlands)

**The page they link to doesn't even exist anymore**

Then you actually check with the RDW:
http://www.rijbewijs.nl/nl/faq/wet.asp

Als u een rijbewijs heeft dat is afgegeven in een van de landen van de Europese Unie of in IJsland, Liechtenstein of Noorwegen of Zwitserland (EU/EVA), dan kunt u hier nog normaliter tot 10 jaar na afgifte van het buitenlandse rijbewijs mee blijven rijden.

Translation:

If you have a license issued in one of the countries of the European Union or in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway and Switzerland (EU / EFTA), you can still drive upto 10 years after the date of issue of the foreign driving license.

This is standard across the EU, i.e. its a maximum of 10 years after the date of issue regardless of how long its valid for.

DFA are a shower of muppets ... after a few years of personal experience they haven't a clue about any of the rules and just make stuff up.

Seth Brundle

Alun wrote: »

No we don't, not legally anyway. That the guards can't be arsed to prosecute them for doing it is another matter altogether.

In fairness, the RUC never cared that I was driving around up there on a 1st provisional!

cloneslad

kbannon wrote: »

In fairness, the RUC never cared that I was driving around up there on a 1st provisional!

Living on the border, I've been in cars stopped by the PSNI and Gardai an numerous occasions, both looked for licenses from the driver. I'd have been more worried about the PSNI tbh.

If you are renting, lots of rental companies require 1 year on your license. Driving your own car? I'd imagine you just let your insurance company know and get sufficiently covered.

Then check on laws for driving in these countries. Yellow / reflective vest in car etc etc.

Seth Brundle

I used to get stopped frequently on trips to Derry, Belfast or Enniskillen and never any bother. This was 95-98ish and they had more things on their mind back then.