ROI License in UK

Beano111

Hi
I'm an Englishman who worked and lived in the ROI for a number of years, but have lived back in the UK for 16 months. I have had a ROI drivers license since 1993 and as I shall be returning to live in Ireland, want to keep it. My question is, is a ROI License only valid in the UK for 12 months, as I was informed that you do not need to change a ROI license to a UK one however long you remain in the UK. John

kincaid

My friend moved to the north 16 months ago and said he had to give in his irish licence to get the UK one and was told it was illegal to hold 2.
I know off a few People who mislaid their Licence and would apply for a duplicate and later find the old one
maybe laterthen apply for the uk one thus still having 2 but its got alot stricter now

SeanW

Thread is 3 years old - could a mod please split the last few posts into a new one and lock this?

Any driving license issued by any EU member state is valid throughout the EU for the entirity of its duration, so your ROI license should be good while your in the U.K. End of story.

You could get a drivers license in Ireland, go to Slovenia for 8 years using it, come back to Ireland and renew in year 10, it doesn't matter.

Alanstrainor

Post moved to a new thread.

si_guru

You can keep your ROI license in the UK while it is valid - the insurance companies won't even punish you like they do here is you have a UK license!

If you need to renew - hop on RyanAir for the day and visit Dublin!

Marcusm

i thought the rule was you needed to swap over at the earlier of the expiry date or 10 years.

si_guru

si_guru wrote: »

You can keep your ROI license in the UK while it is valid - the insurance companies won't even punish you like they do here if you have a UK license!

I have a UK license and it makes no difference to my insurance here.

si_guru

Gabrielle Jealous Variation wrote: »

I have a UK license and it makes no difference to my insurance here.

You insurance *could* be cheaper if you have an Irish licnese - if you have zero points of course.

kincaid

Ok the guy has a UK licence now and found that the insurance companies he rang would not insure him at all as most stated he had to hold UK licence for at least a year, he then had to give in his irish licence, forms in at tax office to get the UK one and the categories were transferred over to this new one then,

if he was moving back to Ireland could he hold on to his UK licence(if still valid) i wonder while applying for irish one.

Beano111

There seems to be a problem of scaremongering among Police forces in the UK. I have never had a problem getting reasonable insurance both in the UK or Ireland, but I have heard stories of the police in the UK, taking a vehicle off someone who has remained in the Country over the one year deadline without changing their license to a UK one and also, to not carrying their license with them. On the DVLA website there seems to be difficulty getting any answer to the problem. Thanks to everyone who has tried to give a reasonable answer, I will just keep my ROI license and hopefully be back in Ireland within six months without any problems.

BigEejit

si_guru wrote: »

You can keep your ROI license in the UK while it is valid - the insurance companies won't even punish you like they do here is you have a UK license!

If you need to renew - hop on RyanAir for the day and visit Dublin!

UK Gov website says different:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

Residents
A valid community licence issued on the strength of a driving test within the EC/EEA, will allow you to drive in GB for a set period. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British licence.
Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in GB:
Car, motorcycle driving licence holders (ordinary driving licence):
until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period

It looks like the only license that you can use until it runs out is the Norn Ireland one:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022559

Northern Ireland (NI)
You can exchange a full NI driving licence for a full GB licence or you can use your licence here until it runs out. When your licence expires you may apply for a GB licence. A NI ordinary licence may be exchanged provided it was issued on or after 1 January 1976.

si_guru

si_guru wrote: »

You insurance *could* be cheaper if you have an Irish licnese - if you have zero points of course.

If I get an online quote, picking Irish or UK license doesn't change the price.

kincaid wrote: »

Ok the guy has a UK licence now and found that the insurance companies he rang would not insure him at all as most stated he had to hold UK licence for at least a year, he then had to give in his irish licence, forms in at tax office to get the UK one and the categories were transferred over to this new one then,

if he was moving back to Ireland could he hold on to his UK licence(if still valid) i wonder while applying for irish one.

When asked how long he held his license for he would be perfectly within his rights to say what ever number of years it was since he passed his test, thats what matters not when he changed from one European licence to another.

For example I passed my test in Ireland in 2003, in 2008 I exchanged my Irish license for a UK one, if asked tomorrow how long I have held my license my answer would be 8 years. Its even stated on the license that it is valid from 2003, even though I only got it in 2008.

Also why would he apply for an Irish license if moving back he is perfectly entitled to drive on his UK license, I moved back to Ireland a few weeks after exchanging my Irish license for a UK one.

BigEejit

hmm ... this solicitor website disagees with direct.gov.uk:

http://www.motorlawyers.co.uk/offences/driving_licence.htm

I passed my driving test in Europe, am I allowed to drive in the UK?
Yes. If you hold a full licence issued by another EU country, you are entitled to drive in the UK, provided you are not disqualified. Your licence will run until it expires or to the equivalent British licence would have to be renewed.

Do I have to exchange my EU licence?
You do not have to exchange it if you hold a EU licence or until you are a resident in the UK for a year or more. However, it is advisable to exchange it as in the event of any issues resulting in conviction, a UK Court is more likely to impose a disqualification if the licence held is not one that can be endorsed.

actually the second paragraph looks like it disagrees with the first one??!!?

BigEejit

BigEejit wrote: »

hmm ... this solicitor website disagees with direct.gov.uk:

http://www.motorlawyers.co.uk/offences/driving_licence.htm

actually the second paragraph looks like it disagrees with the first one??!!?

Doesn't matter what they say, resident or not they cannot force you to exchange your licence until it expires. Its part and parcel of being in the EU.

mathepac

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Post moved to a new thread.

Any chance some kind person could change the thread title? Ther is no country that I know of called "ROI" nor do we have a driving document called a "license" in Ireland or the UK.

Thanks

BigEejit

Gabrielle Jealous Variation wrote: »

Doesn't matter what they say, resident or not they cannot force you to exchange your license until it expires. Its part and parcel of being in the EU.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/behavior/driving_licence_en.htm

Prerogatives of the Member State of residence
As driver licensing matters have not been the subject of exhaustive harmonisation, Member States have residual competence on various points.
Therefore, when the holder of a driving licence resides in the territory of a Member State which is not the state that issued the licence, that host country can require his compliance with certain rules, for example:
National provisions on the period of validity of driving licences.

BigEejit

****e wrong thread sorry

keithclancy

BigEejit wrote: »

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/behavior/driving_licence_en.htm

Honestly, if you read between the lines here .. you'll read all sorts of crap about requiring exchange within X period within becoming normally resident.

There are all sorts of national information pages in various countries that 'encourage' you to switch your license over.

In reality you can drive on your EU License for as long as its valid.

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

If you move to another country, you can drive there with your current licence as long as it remains valid.

However, you will need to check that you meet any requirements regarding licences in your new country, such as shorter validity periods or medical checks.

Categories A1, A, B1, B, C1, C, D1, D and E in your original licence are recognised throughout the EU.

Went in to swap mine the other day ... system had some problem so will have to do it within the next 5 years or so

The term of Validity thing is to do with licenses such as UK/German/French/Norwegian licenses that are valid for life/65.

The maximum validity of a license applies in the country your normally resident then applies.

In short.. if you have Car license and people where you move to can drive 10 years on a car license then you can too (From the date of issue)

If its older than ten years then you should exchange it after 6 months of becoming resident.

Our man in Havana

Marcusm wrote: »

i thought the rule was you needed to swap over at the earlier of the expiry date or 10 years.

No such rule.

Our man in Havana

Gabrielle Jealous Variation wrote: »

Doesn't matter what they say, resident or not they cannot force you to exchange your licence until it expires. Its part and parcel of being in the EU.

This needs to be communicated to many Gardaí who are threatening people with summonses for keeping their EU licences.

Marcusm

Our man in Havana wrote: »

No such rule.

It may not be lawful, but the DVLA believes it to be a rule (albeit much longer - potentally - than the 10 years I suggested).....

Residents
A valid community licence issued on the strength of a driving test within the EC/EEA, will allow you to drive in GB for a set period. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British licence.
Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in GB:
Car, motorcycle driving licence holders (ordinary driving licence):
until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period
Lorry, minibus, bus driving licence holders (vocational driving licence):
until aged 45 or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period
if you are aged over 45 (but under 65) until your 66th birthday or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the shorter period
if you are aged 65 or over for 12 months after becoming resident
In order to continue driving after these periods, you must get a British driving licence.


As the Irish licence woud expire in 10 years, it might end to be exchanged. That might depend on whether, like the UK, the card/piece of paper expires rather than the licensing of the driver!