which licence?

breadhead

Hello!

Would appreciate some advice.

I am living in the UK for the past year (not actively driving) and my Irish licence is expiring soon.
Should I renew my Irish one or get a British one?
I dont really know how much longer I will be here in the UK, probably only another few months?

What should I do?

Thanks

Alanstrainor

You have 10 years after it expires to renew your Irish license. So you have time to wait if you don't need it. I'd probably hold off and renew it in Ireland.

Flesh Gorden

If you change over to a British license now you'll be starting off from year 0 in the eyes of an insurer which can make a massive difference

I think it was on the pistonheads forum I read about a man who'd held his licence for 14 years in his home country
but when he changed to a British drivers license his premium went up substantially due to the change over
and the fact his UK license had been held for only a matter of weeks or months at the time of his renewal.



Edit: Here's the thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=957844&d=0&nmt=

breadhead

I will need a licence continually as i do rent every few weekends.
Is there any way to renew Irish licence from UK?

CiniO

breadhead wrote: »

I will need a licence continually as i do rent every few weekends.
Is there any way to renew Irish licence from UK?

You can only renew your Irish licence if you are resident in Ireland.

CiniO

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

If you change over to a British license now you'll be starting off from year 0 in the eyes of an insurer which can make a massive difference

I think it was on the pistonheads forum I read about a man who'd held his licence for 14 years in his home country
but when he changed to a British drivers license his premium went up substantially due to the change over
and the fact his UK license had been held for only a matter of weeks or months at the time of his renewal.



Edit: Here's the thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=957844&d=0&nmt=

That can't be true.
It's a date of first issuing a licence that they look at when checking how long have you held licence.

In 2008 swapped my Polish licence issued in 1999 to Irish licence. And on my Irish licence it's stated that licece is valid from 1999.

Flesh Gorden

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

If you change over to a British license now you'll be starting off from year 0 in the eyes of an insurer which can make a massive difference

I think it was on the pistonheads forum I read about a man who'd held his licence for 14 years in his home country
but when he changed to a British drivers license his premium went up substantially due to the change over
and the fact his UK license had been held for only a matter of weeks or months at the time of his renewal.



Edit: Here's the thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=957844&d=0&nmt=

That's rubbish.

I changed my Irish license over when I was living in the UK and the back of my license clearly states its valid from the date I passed my test 5 years before I got the UK license.

On the question of changing it over or not, I changed mine over even though it wasnt up for renewal and I knew I was moving back soon after getting it to avoid points here and to get the credit card license.

Its worth it alone to have the license that fits in you wallet imo, its more expensive than an Irish license though mine cost £50 to change over.

Del2005

breadhead wrote: »

I will need a licence continually as i do rent every few weekends.
Is there any way to renew Irish licence from UK?

If any of your family still live here. Get them to post over the form. Then post them back over the form, you're licence and PP pics. They can then post/drop it into the tax office and send it back over when they get you're new one.

CiniO wrote: »

You can only renew your Irish licence if you are resident in Ireland.

They never ask;)