Driving Licence question

LadyMayBelle

Getting a bit confused with the info on the RSA site maybe someone has experience?

My Irish licence is due to expire at Christmas, so I want to renew it, just to have it as a form of ID but I dont drive in the UK; I drive occasionally when I get home for a few days. The RSA site says :

To be eligible to apply for an Irish driving licence you must be what’s termed ‘normally resident’ in Ireland, ie living here for at least 185 days in each calendar year.

Just thought it'd be easy..
Any advice anyone?

enda1

While you're not allowed renew your Irish one, there'll be no issue.

83ste

You can do a straight swap of your Irish license for a UK one - but the snag is you have to send it off to the DVLA with your original passport (not a photocopy), so don't do it if you're planning to go abroad in the next couple of weeks!

LadyMayBelle

Posted rashly as I got a swift answer from the RSA. Funny but Im quite attached to my Irish Licence Right, off to the DVLA. Thanks!

Seriously, my actual passport?! That's ludicrous; I may have to go home short notice before xmas so guess Ill hold off

LadyMayBelle

Actually, while Im here; do you know if not renewing your licence for a few years affects insurance? Say I dont renew and move back to Ireland in 5 years... will that affect it?

£50 for the exchange, only costs 15 euros to renew back home, grrr!

83ste

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Posted rashly as I got a swift answer from the RSA. Funny but Im quite attached to my Irish Licence Right, off to the DVLA. Thanks!

Seriously, my actual passport?! That's ludicrous; I may have to go home short notice before xmas so guess Ill hold off

You'll be less attached to your Irish license when you realise you can merrily drive around Ireland with your UK one without fear of penalty points.

83ste

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

I may have to go home short notice before xmas so guess Ill hold off

The problem is, I don't think you can straight swap an expired Irish license for a UK one - check with them.

LadyMayBelle

Cheers for the advice, much appreciated.

enda1

Yeah absolutely don't let the license expire.

LadyMayBelle

Just FYI, I rang DVLA, and yes, you do need to post your passport (eek!) BUT they have an office in Wimbeldon that you can walk into and show your passport, and they'll stamp on your form they've seen it. So that might help someone in my situation in the future.

ballsymchugh

i really, really, really don't think the person in the council offices at home are going to be too worried about where you're normally resident if you don't raise the subject with them.

just as UK licenses are handy in ireland, irish ones are handier here. just hand it over to the civilian working in a police station and bite your tongue to prevent outbursts of laughter.

LadyMayBelle

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i really, really, really don't think the person in the council offices at home are going to be too worried about where you're normally resident if you don't raise the subject with them.

just as UK licenses are handy in ireland, irish ones are handier here. just hand it over to the civilian working in a police station and bite your tongue to prevent outbursts of laughter.

This did cross my mind. Cheaper too. My old one is registered to my home address where my parents still live. And it's not like I use it a lot and whats the worst that could really happen? Whose to say I'm not moving home next month?

83ste

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

just as UK licenses are handy in ireland, irish ones are handier here.

This is why the thing to do is 'lose' your Irish license, apply for a new Irish one, then swap the 'lost' Irish license for a UK one.

ballsymchugh

serrity wrote: »

This is why the thing to do is 'lose' your Irish license, apply for a new Irish one, then swap the 'lost' Irish license for a UK one.

that means going into a garda station and getting them to sign a form saying that you declare it to be lost. that's where i'd crack under pressure!

Brianderunner

Yeah you gotta send the passport alright, to Swansea of all places. They say a month to cover themselves but mine was back in a week

Remember they give you a counterpart licence here in the UK, like an a4 sheet of green paper. This is essentially half your licence and it needs to be produced for anything official. Keep it safe.

LadyMayBelle

Brianderunner wrote: »

Yeah you gotta send the passport alright, to Swansea of all places. They say a month to cover themselves but mine was back in a week

Remember they give you a counterpart licence here in the UK, like an a4 sheet of green paper. This is essentially half your licence and it needs to be produced for anything official. Keep it safe.

Grand so. I think I might apply for an irish one and say nowt sure I dont actually use it over here (its just in case)

As I mentioned tho Brianderunner, there are four offices that you can walk into and just show your passport, so you dont have to send it if you are lucky enough to be near one of those offices; my nearest is Wimbeldon... just handy for those of us who might need to go back at short notice.

Ye are a fierce useful lot, cheers!

aujopimur

My Australian res daughter recently renewed her lost 8 year out of date DL using her old Irish add and her Oz passport as ID.
Download the form and renew it using an Irish address.