Renewing Irish Drivers License from Oz

Caked Karen

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone has done this recently. I left my Irish license and filled in the forms and everything when I was at home in July but couldn't send it in until my license was within 3 months of renewal.
Now because it's within that time, my sister was about to send it off but they have changed everything now and you have to go to a center and get one in person (like here I guess!)

Just wondering off hand if anyone knows of how to do it cause obviously I won't be there in person by the time it expires. I am going home in August maybe if I contact them they might be nice lol

catbear

I was home recently, my Irish license had expired so I went to one of these centres to renew it but when I told them I had an Aussie one they wouldn't renew my Irish unless I was surrendering my Aussie one.
He said technically I was alright to drive Ireland on my Aussie one for a year (unless it hadn't expired before that) before I'd have to get it switched to an Irish license, new rules that were brought in after Jan 2013.

ballooba

Why not get an Aussie licence? How long have you been in Aus?

Caked Karen

I have an Australian license but I thought I read somewhere that if you let it expire, you might have to start all over again with doing lessons/theory etc which no doubt I would fail lol.

If I don't tell them that I have an Australian one they might renew it when I get home in August then?

AngryHippie

Had a similar though about a year ago when my Irish License went through the wash. If they don't issue me with an Irish one in return for my QLD when I go back there will be hell to pay

catbear

AngryHippie wrote: »

Had a similar though about a year ago when my Irish License went through the wash. If they don't issue me with an Irish one in return for my QLD when I go back there will be hell to pay

If you've lost your license then they'll get you to have a form signed by the guards that states you are who you are, obviously you'll need another form of ID (passport) to help the guards verify.
The only way they'll renew your license then is if you don't mention holding an Aussie one.

catbear

Caked Karen wrote: »

I have an Australian license but I thought I read somewhere that if you let it expire, you might have to start all over again with doing lessons/theory etc which no doubt I would fail lol.

If I don't tell them that I have an Australian one they might renew it when I get home in August then?

You are correct Karen, if I hadn't mentioned my Aussie license they would have renewed my Irish license.
If your license expires you have ten years to renew I believe. But lets say you drove an Aussie license for 20 years returned to Ireland then you'd simply trade your aussie license for an Irish one without redoing the whole test.

ArseBurger

Here's a little thing most people don't know or get.

To renew your Irish driving licence, or to obtain one you must be normally resident in Ireland.

What does this mean?

Normal Residence means;

1) The place where you usually lived, for at least 185 days in the year ending on the date of renewal, because of occupational and personal ties

2) If you had no occupational ties, the place where you usually lived for at least 185 days in the year ending on the date of transfer, because of personal ties

3) If your occupational ties were in a different country from your personal ties then the country of your personal ties is taken as your normal residence if you returned there regularly (i.e. for most of your non-working days).

So, if you are out of the country for 181 or more days (technically midnights) in one year then you are not normally resident.

If you obtain a licence by stating that you are normally resident when you are not, the licence is invalid.

It doesn't sound like a big deal. However, I know someone that lived in Germany, did his test in Ireland (because it was easier and cheaper), obtained an Irish licence while living in Germany. Then got done for driving without a valid licence because he was technically normally resident in Germany when his licence was applied for and issued. Therefore he was only entitled to one from Germany which would have had to be obtained through the German system and would involve doing the relevant tests.

So what? I wouldn't fancy the conversation with your insurance company or the cops if you got into a serious accident is what.

AngryHippie

Fair enough.

I can't see myself spending more than 185 midnights over there again.:( so a QLD license it is for me:D

Butterbear

I'm in same situation- licence expires next year and, although I've lived here in Australia for almost three years on a 457 visa, in NSW I can't get a licence unless I've been here for more than 6 months at a time (I keep leaving for hols/visits home). I'm home in Ireland in April but, as i understand it, the only way I can get an irish licence is if I declare mine lost. I won't be home in 2015 or for awhile.

ArseBurger

Butterbear wrote: »

I'm in same situation- licence expires next year and, although I've lived here in Australia for almost three years on a 457 visa, in NSW I can't get a licence unless I've been here for more than 6 months at a time (I keep leaving for hols/visits home). I'm home in Ireland in April but, as i understand it, the only way I can get an irish licence is if I declare mine lost. I won't be home in 2015 or for awhile.

Even if you declare it lost you have to be normally resident in Ireland to have it replaced.

Butterbear

ArseBurger wrote: »

Even if you declare it lost you have to be normally resident in Ireland to have it replaced.

So, I'm not entitled to a drivers licence in either country. Oh joy. Another reason to get PR asap.

ArseBurger

Butterbear wrote: »

So, I'm not entitled to a drivers licence in either country. Oh joy. Another reason to get PR asap.

You can get a temporary one in Oz that lasts for a year as far as I know.

Also, if you have PR and your Irish licence has expired you can get a letter from whichever department does licensing in Ireland stating that you had passed your test and held a valid licence and this can be used in Oz to get one here. Not sure on the period of time that you can do this after the licence has expired though. It's up on the RTA site.

AngryHippie

I'm pretty sure you are entitled to a NSW license, you are obliged to change over if you are resident for over 6 months, but they don't check your visa conditions when you are applying, as long as you get your address updated whenever you move, it's fine.

I got my QLD license when on a WHV

ArseBurger

AngryHippie wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you are entitled to a NSW license, you are obliged to change over if you are resident for over 6 months, but they don't check your visa conditions when you are applying, as long as you get your address updated whenever you move, it's fine.

I got my QLD license when on a WHV

They do check your visa status** when you go for a NSW licence.

On a 457 it's a weird pseudo state of affairs. As you're technically a temporary resident you don't have to convert your licence to drive in Australia while you're here and on the 457 - with other visas you have to convert. However, if you do you get the one year temporary licence - which they won't stop you getting but isn't mandatory. This can then be converted to a full licence if you get PR.

** I recently got my full and plowed through the docs and forms.

catbear

I converted my license when I arrived in WA without having to show any proof of 457. What they did insist on was another Australia form of ID. I said I had none and then they said a "proof of age card" would do. It's a ID for those who don't have a driving license so they can get into bars. I'm in my 40s and I need to get a proof of age card!!!!!

Anyway I ask the clerk dealing with my driving license where could I get a proof of age card, "we can give you one".

So they won't give me my Aussie license because they need another Australia form of ID to prove I am who I say I am yet they'll give me that required extra ID which totally invalidates the necessity for another form of ID!!!!!!!!!

Anyway this was an early warning of the some of the insane illogical procedures that Aussies are soooo fond of.

The reason I went for the license conversion so quickly was so that I could get broadband connected. No broadband in Perth would sign me up when they learned I was on a 457. In fact a week after I was turned down I returned with my new Aussie driving license as ID and suddenly there was zero problem getting a broadband contract.

Anyway, sorry for the rant but sometimes they mistake bureaucracy for efficiency.

ArseBurger

Finding a way around the system is all well and good until something happens where the police or insurance company realise that your licence is technically invalid. Brave.

Mellor

ArseBurger wrote: »

You can get a temporary one in Oz that lasts for a year as far as I know.

ArseBurger wrote: »

On a 457 it's a weird pseudo state of affairs. As you're technically a temporary resident you don't have to convert your licence to drive in Australia while you're here and on the 457 - with other visas you have to convert. However, if you do you get the one year temporary licence - which they won't stop you getting but isn't mandatory. This can then be converted to a full licence if you get PR.

You are right that non-PR applicants (457, WHV, etc) can get temporary licenses. But only when they've been in the country continously for 6 months. ButterBear has said that don't meet that requirement so they aren't entitle to a license here.

An irish passport plus one of the following is enough;
Medicare card, credit card or bank card, telephone, gas or electricity bill,

catbear wrote: »

I converted my license when I arrived in WA without having to show any proof of 457. What they did insist on was another Australia form of ID.

Anyway this was an early warning of the some of the insane illogical procedures that Aussies are soooo fond of.

TBH, it just sounds like you got an idiot at the counter. You need two forms of ID, but the second one is covered by lot more than Australian photo cards.

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/licensing/proofidentity/proof_list12.html

catbear

You're probably right mellor, he insisted we should have two credit cards! Wtf. No wonder they need emigrants.

ArseBurger

Mellor wrote: »

You are right that non-PR applicants (457, WHV, etc) can get temporary licenses. But only when they've been in the country continously for 6 months. ButterBear has said that don't meet that requirement so they aren't entitle to a license here.

An irish passport plus one of the following is enough;
Medicare card, credit card or bank card, telephone, gas or electricity bill,

For a NSW licence they still check your residency status.

Mellor

I never said they didn't? Obviously they have to check residency to determine if its a 5 year, 3 year or 1 year.
I don't see how that's relevant to what I said.

Perm-Resident can get the 5 year license.
Non-resident can get a temp license, but only after they've been in the country 6 months.

ArseBurger

You didn't. However you left ambiguity.