UK Licence and Speeding

Macy

Must have been caught this morning by the cops on a bridge on the dual carriageway on the way in to work (well don't see how they couldn't have got me).

Fair enough, I was speeding, even if it was fish in a barrell situation - god forbid they'd ever be on the country road I'm on before that, where some of the speed beggars belief. But first time (if it comes through) in 12 years of driving so not going to rant about that.

I've a UK Licence, and have never got around to changing it*. Me mam is still at the address it's registered too, so as far as I've been able to made out in the past when I've looked into that's okay. So what's the situation if/when the letter comes in? As things stand, points can't go so is it just a fine or am I looking at more crap over the licence?

*Before the no penalty points discounts came into operation, my insurance was a good bit cheaper with a UK Licence than if I had an Irish Licence.

seamus

It *should* be linked to your PPSN, so if/when you apply for the Irish licence, the points will be added then, and they will only apply from then. I.e. if you don't switch your licence for three years, your points will be added and you'll have them for three years from then.

Allegedly they're "working on" a UK-Ireland points co-operative to apply points to either licence, but I don't see it being applied within 10 years.

lomb

if the car is irish then u will get a letter, the points wont be applied to your license but will be kept on record should u ever get an irish license. also if u accumulate the points then technically u cant drive in ireland even though u still have an unblemished license. id say that is a technicality and couldnt be enforced tbh. id keep the uk license tbh.

Seth Brundle

lomb wrote:

should u ever get an irish license.

...for reference, you don't need to change your currently valid UK licence to an Irish licence despite what you may hear from certain law enforcers!

Macy

Cheers for the response, just what I was looking for. Well I kinda relax about the licence issue, and just hope that they're too swamped to process it (which they will be if they stayed where they were - on a bridge on the N11 just before it becomes the M11 :rolleyes: ).

Just on that, with regard to insurance. Just can't remember how it is over here - is it penalty points or convictions they ask for? Technically, I won't have penalty points but will have a conviction...

kbannon - I was only going to change because of the discounts for points free. Not really an issue now I suppose, but that would've made it worth changing. Think there's something about having a UK address with regard to the licence, which isn't a problem.

andyg

Another reason for not changing the UK licence, it does not expire until I am 65. None of this having to reapply ever 10 years

Merrion

The insurance company should ask about convictions not points...at least that was the case with my brother who had a UK speeding conviction.

lomb

andyg wrote:

Another reason for not changing the UK licence, it does not expire until I am 65. None of this having to reapply ever 10 years

they changed that i think, new licenses issued indeed expire after 10 years, and on expiry to reappy u have to tick the box that u are still resident there. if u have an address there that u visit for personal or any business ties u could regard urself as resident

Seth Brundle

Hibernian and any or its subsidiaries are allowed access you your points (agreed with Seamus Brennan because they give discounts(!) for having no points)

andyg

lomb wrote:

they changed that i think, new licenses issued indeed expire after 10 years, and on expiry to reappy u have to tick the box that u are still resident there. if u have an address there that u visit for personal or any business ties u could regard urself as resident

thanks for the update. I have one of the old style UK licences which I got in college over there. I don't reckon I can use that address. I can always stay with a mate for a few days If i ever need to get another