British paper old style driving licence

Doltanian

I have a family member who lives in the United States and does not drive there, but has a US licence. This person intends to come to Ireland for 4-5 months of the summer and plans to buy their own car as renting a car for that long a period would be too expensive.

After Emigrating from Ireland they lived in the UK where they passed their British test in the early 80's and they were issued to licence until they turn 70 years of age and they still have this original UK licence, subsuquently they emigrated to the US and have been living there ever since and recently retired and is planning to spend additional time back here as they are both pensioners. I'm trying to help them with this as insurance without a no-claims bonus could be expensive I'm afraid.

Anyway they haven't rented a car in Ireland with around 10 years so what I am wondering is this licence still legible as it is an old paper document with no photo attached and what we need to know is if an Irish insurer (or rental car agency) would accept this British non Photo licence or would they need to go to the North or England to get the new modern upgraded Credit Card style licence when they come back to Ireland in the summer.

The licence looks identical to this

https://blog.passmefast.co.uk/images/old-style-driving-licence-1976.jpg

testicles

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CiniO

Why bother with that UK licence, if they can use US licence if coming here only for 5 months.

Doltanian

CiniO wrote: »

Why bother with that UK licence, if they can use US licence if coming here only for 5 months.

Plan is to buy, tax and insure the car as an Irish resident going forward and keep it in the garage when they are not home.

Mycroft H

Don't insurers ask how long you've been in the country? I get loaded in the UK on my insurance there as I'm there less than 3 years. It's a pretty big loading too.

fritzelly

They can get an Irish licence based off the UK licence no problem
The staff in the place can be a bit uneducated so if any problems contact the RSA or is it the ndls

Anjobe

That old UK paper licence is perfectly valid here in Ireland (I had one much older than that until quite recently), at least it will be until March 2019.

Having said that, exchanging a UK licence for an Irish one is a doddle, just check the NDLS web site for details.

O.A.P

That's an English provisional license, the full one after the test is passed was red

greenflash

O.A.P wrote: »

That's an English provisional license, the full one after the test is passed was red

Nope. That's an old full licence from before they introduced the pink full licences.

It's also the only part of the licence as there was no photo ID introduced in the UK until the 90s.

Also I think that licence pre-dates the EU issue licences and cannot be simply used or exchanged as that newer can be. I think you have to update that licence with DVLC in Swansea before you can transfer it to another EU licence.

fritzelly

If there's a chance they won't take the licence then phone the DVLA and they will send a certificate you can use instead

SCOOP 64

I have still got the old UK licence (pink licence) with no photo,expires 2029, never had a problem with producing it too guards or getting car insurance with it, been in Ireland since 2003.

CiniO

Doltanian wrote: »

Plan is to buy, tax and insure the car as an Irish resident going forward and keep it in the garage when they are not home.

I'm not sure if that's possible as Irish insurers mostly require the insured to be resident in the state, and your family member if spending 5 months in Ireland per annum very likely won't be considered resident here.

iomusicdublin

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