Driving with a Driver number but no license

armabelle · 25-02-2016 10:06am #1

Hi There

I am waiting to have my license exchanged into an Irish license so I can drive. My foreign drivers license expired and this is why i am trying to exchange it else I could drive with my national license here without exchanging it. My other option was to fly back home to get it renewed which could have been fine except I thought this must be an easier way.

So I went to have the exchange and at the end of the application process at the NDSL center the man gave me a form with a drivers number saying that my license exchange is in process. I asked him what this number was for and he said that it is what the traffic official would need from me if I was stopped and the number that will appear on my drivers license here in Ireland. I then asked him if that means that I can drive in the mean while but he said "that is all I am allowed to say". He didn't say no so I am writing this thread to ask if I anybody knows if I am able to drive without a license but having my driver number?

thanks!

Losty Dublin · 25-02-2016 10:28am

What if the NDSL find that your licence has been cancelled or revoked or has a disqualification on it? I'm guessing that what the staff member said is covering such an eventuality in the event that all isn't in order. In the meantime you could do worse than contact your local garda station and ask them what the legality is here.

armabelle · 25-02-2016 10:32am

Losty Dublin wrote: »

What if the NDSL find that your licence has been cancelled or revoked or has a disqualification on it? I'm guessing that what the staff member said is covering such an eventuality in the event that all isn't in order. In the meantime you could do worse than contact your local garda station and ask them what the legality is here.

When you apply for an exchange you need to present an official certificate from your country. This states whether or not there are such disqualifications and the allowances of the license.

Contacting Garda isn't a bad idea. will definitely consider that thank you!

JackHeuston · 25-02-2016 12:14pm

Would you mind posting here what they are going to say? I'd like to exchange my driving licence as well, but at NDSL they're telling me it might take up to three months at worst, and I can't really stop driving for three months straight :-) If what they give you at the NDSL is valid for driving or anyway puts the guards mind at rest in case of being stopped, I'll be more inclined in exchanging it. I don't have any restrictions on my licence and it's also going to be valid for quite a few more years so the exchange's going to happen successfully for sure.

Graces7 · 25-02-2016 1:18pm

JackHeuston wrote: »

Would you mind posting here what they are going to say? I'd like to exchange my driving licence as well, but at NDSL they're telling me it might take up to three months at worst, and I can't really stop driving for three months straight :-) If what they give you at the NDSL is valid for driving or anyway puts the guards mind at rest in case of being stopped, I'll be more inclined in exchanging it. I don't have any restrictions on my licence and it's also going to be valid for quite a few more years so the exchange's going to happen successfully for sure.

Interesting variation on my situation; see separate thread. I need it immediately for insurance ( lost my old licence) and hoping the Letter of Entitlement will be OK for that . Surely the fact of your original licence and the Letter of Entitlement is enough? Mine is a UK licence. By the way in 15 years in ireland and twenty years before that I have never been asked for my driving licence. Not when someone drove into me etc etc etc. You are qualified to drive, period. I will keep a copy of my Letter of Entitlement in case.

CiniO · 25-02-2016 1:56pm

armabelle wrote: »

When you apply for an exchange you need to present an official certificate from your country. This states whether or not there are such disqualifications and the allowances of the license.

What certificate?
Most countries issue just a licence document - nothing else.
OP doesn't need to present any certificates.

CiniO · 25-02-2016 2:01pm

armabelle wrote: »

Hi There

I am waiting to have my license exchanged into an Irish license so I can drive. My foreign drivers license expired and this is why i am trying to exchange it else I could drive with my national license here without exchanging it. My other option was to fly back home to get it renewed which could have been fine except I thought this must be an easier way.

So I went to have the exchange and at the end of the application process at the NDSL center the man gave me a form with a drivers number saying that my license exchange is in process. I asked him what this number was for and he said that it is what the traffic official would need from me if I was stopped and the number that will appear on my drivers license here in Ireland. I then asked him if that means that I can drive in the mean while but he said "that is all I am allowed to say". He didn't say no so I am writing this thread to ask if I anybody knows if I am able to drive without a license but having my driver number?

thanks!

OP by law you can not drive, as you must carry licence with you at all times when driving.
However this applies to everyone who is in process of exchanging or renewing licence, and it's an obvious fault in the law, so garda are aware of that, and they normally don't make any trouble for people who are waiting for a licence, once they carry a receipt/slip from NDLS centre (which you have).

I wouldn't worry and carry on driving.

GM228 · 25-02-2016 2:47pm

CiniO wrote: »

OP doesn't need to present any certificates.

As the OPs licence is expired they are required to furnish a letter of entitlement/driver statement from the issuing authority.

25-02-2016 5:06pm

CiniO wrote: »

OP by law you can not drive, as you must carry licence with you at all times when driving.
However this applies to everyone who is in process of exchanging or renewing licence, and it's an obvious fault in the law, so garda are aware of that, and they normally don't make any trouble for people who are waiting for a licence, once they carry a receipt/slip from NDLS centre (which you have).

I wouldn't worry and carry on driving.

Id say talk to the insurance company too and see what they say. If there was an accident would the op be covered. From what i see his own license is out of date, and he has applied for an irish one, so technically doesnt have a valid driving license

CiniO · 25-02-2016 5:19pm

9935452 wrote: »

Id say talk to the insurance company too and see what they say. If there was an accident would the op be covered. From what i see his own license is out of date, and he has applied for an irish one, so technically doesnt have a valid driving license

All insurance policies stipulate, that driver must hold valid driving licence, or held valid driving licence which expired less than 10 years ago.
So even if it expired, he is still covered.

armabelle · 25-02-2016 5:36pm

CiniO wrote: »

What certificate?
Most countries issue just a licence document - nothing else.
OP doesn't need to present any certificates.

When you apply to have your national license exchanged into an irish and it is expired, you need to present a letter. This letter was sent to me from my country of issue

armabelle · 25-02-2016 5:40pm

JackHeuston wrote: »

Would you mind posting here what they are going to say? I'd like to exchange my driving licence as well, but at NDSL they're telling me it might take up to three months at worst, and I can't really stop driving for three months straight :-) If what they give you at the NDSL is valid for driving or anyway puts the guards mind at rest in case of being stopped, I'll be more inclined in exchanging it. I don't have any restrictions on my licence and it's also going to be valid for quite a few more years so the exchange's going to happen successfully for sure.

but can't you drive while you are waiting for your irish license if you have a valid license?

I can let you know what they say when I ask them, sure

JackHeuston · 25-02-2016 5:44pm

armabelle wrote: »

but can't you drive while you are waiting for your irish license if you have a valid license?

I won't have it with me, since I need to surrender it to the NDSL at application time. I'm just a bit worried in case I won't be able to produce it when stopped, but as CiniO said it's highly probable guards won't ever care too much if you've got the receipt from NDSL. Of course the law is the law so you never know...

armabelle · 25-02-2016 5:52pm

JackHeuston wrote: »

I won't have it with me, since I need to surrender it to the NDSL at application time. I'm just a bit worried in case I won't be able to produce it when stopped, but as CiniO said it's highly probable guards won't ever care too much if you've got the receipt from NDSL. Of course the law is the law so you never know...

Ok I am a bit confused now because when I called NDSL to ask them what my options were they said I could either get the letter (which I did) or I could fly to my country and get the license renewed and apply without the letter. I asked the official if I went for the second option and went back home so I could get a valid license, could I drive in the meantime. He said yes... Did you ask them if you could drive while you are waiting?

GM228 · 25-02-2016 5:54pm

armabelle wrote: »

Ok I am a bit confused now because when I called NDSL to ask them what my options were they said I could either get the letter (which I did) or I could fly to my country and get the license renewed and apply without the letter. I asked the oficial if I went for the second option of exchanging a valid license, could I drive in the meantime. He said yes... Did you ask them if you could drive while you are waiting?

Even if you get a new licence and then do exchance you will have to surrender the new licence.

You must have a valid driving licence on you when driving a vehicle, not to have the licence on you at the time is an offence (there are no exceptions in the law-not even for awaiting licence issue etc).

However as pointed out usually a Guard will accept the NDLS slip.

armabelle · 25-02-2016 5:58pm

GM228 wrote: »

Even if you get a new licence and then do exchance you will have to surrender the new licence.

So then driving with a receipt must be acceptable because he said that I would be able to drive if my national license was valid. The point is, how would the Garda know if your license was or wasnt valid when you handed it in?

armabelle · 25-02-2016 6:01pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Interesting variation on my situation; see separate thread. I need it immediately for insurance ( lost my old licence) and hoping the Letter of Entitlement will be OK for that . Surely the fact of your original licence and the Letter of Entitlement is enough? Mine is a UK licence. By the way in 15 years in ireland and twenty years before that I have never been asked for my driving licence. Not when someone drove into me etc etc etc. You are qualified to drive, period. I will keep a copy of my Letter of Entitlement in case.

From what I understand, the letter of entitlement does not allow you to drive with an invalid license but could be wrong...anyway IK gave both to NDSL now so can only wait...and apparently it is a loooong wait

Also, just because you haven't been stopped doesn't mean I won't and I don't want to do anything "illegal"...yet

armabelle · 25-02-2016 6:06pm

GM228 wrote: »

Even if you get a new licence and then do exchance you will have to surrender the new licence.

You must have a valid driving licence on you when driving a vehicle, not to have the licence on you at the time is an offence (there are no exceptions in the law-not even for awaiting licence issue etc).

However as pointed out usually a Guard will accept the NDLS slip.

Ok, so I guess the question, should I risk it... well maybe I will just get the wife to drive me around while I wait as she has an international license and then I will only drive in emergency situations.

Cordell · 25-02-2016 6:06pm

I don't know the letter of the law so take my advice with a pinch of salt: you have a license to drive since you've got your full non-Irish driving license so you're allowed to drive

The document is expired, but your licence to drive has not expired, it never does. You might get a fine for failing to produce a driving licence (assuming there is such a thing) but you should not be done for driving without a licence.

GM228 · 25-02-2016 6:10pm

armabelle wrote: »

Ok I am a bit confused now because when I called NDSL to ask them what my options were they said I could either get the letter (which I did) or I could fly to my country and get the license renewed and apply without the letter. I asked the official if I went for the second option and went back home so I could get a valid license, could I drive in the meantime. He said yes... Did you ask them if you could drive while you are waiting?

The NDLS are giving you incorrect information, if you flew home to renew your foreign driving licence and then tried to exchange it straight away for an Irish licence your application would be refused, and you could actually see the NDLS withdraw your right to drive-be careful people.

You got the letter so you are OK.

Cordell wrote: »

I don't know the letter of the law so take my advice with a pinch of salt: you have a license to drive since you've got your full non-Irish driving license so you're allowed to drive The document is expired, but your licence to drive has not expired, it never does. You might get a fine for failing to produce a driving licence (assuming there is such a thing) but you should not be done for driving without a licence.

Your licence to drive can and does expire.

When you surrender a valid foreign driving licence to the NDLS it is then no longer a valid driving licence no matter how long was left on the validity. It becomes null and void immediately to allow the Irish licence be processed and issued and is returned to the original issuing authority.

armabelle wrote: »

So then driving with a receipt must be acceptable because he said that I would be able to drive if my national license was valid. The point is, how would the Garda know if your license was or wasnt valid when you handed it in?

No, legally you must have a valid licence on you at the time you are driving, there are no exceptions in the law to make the receipt acceptable, but most (if not all) Guards will accept the receipt.

Driving with a Driver number but no license

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