European Licence

[BritAbroad]

I have been working outside the UK for over a year now and should really change my licence for a Dutch one, but since I should be finished over here soon I wont bother.

But if I did could it help?

I was thinking, if I swap my UK licence for a Dutch one (no test needed) then I would lose my points, then, when I have been driving in the UK on a Dutch licence (points free! ) for a year I can swap my Dutch licence for a UK one

So will this work? I would be suprised if the UK licence authorities are clever enough to match up my old points after a year

I am assuming that all that would happen to me if stopped for speeding on a Dutch licence would be a fine and slapped wrists, as they cannot give points on a Dutch licence

Anyone got any info or see any flaws in this idea? I can only think of the insurance going up slightly due to itbeing a Dutch licence, although I took my test in the UK......

[scruff400]

Isn't that where the driver number comes in?

I'm sure there's a bit on the form to address this.

Yours point will go away in time anyway...

[charltm]

Sadly, as of next year, continental police will be able to give you points that count on your UK licence and vice versa.

[marki]

i have a Danish and a UK licence ,,,,,,,, just get a duplicate UK license and hand in the old one in exchange for the Dutch one

[LRdriver]

I have a danish one also, but since it says it is an EEC license, I see no need at all to change.. so I don't get points but get fines and a driving record (not tested this yet..)

[marki]

Hi LRDriver , it is good the way you Danes do it , no points just a fine , but i think you have to swap your licence if you are more than 6 months in another EU country .

[LRdriver]

Hmm.. not what it says here:

quote dvla page:

"Residents
If you have a valid Community licence, this will authorise you to drive in this country for the periods set out below. Alternatively, you can apply to exchange your licence for a British one at any time.

Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in GB -

Ordinary licence holders
Until aged 70 or for 3 years after becoming resident whichever is the longer period.
"

from

www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drvingb.htm#2.%20European%20Community

cool huh..

[cazzo]

I passed my driving test in Italy (Bike & Car) when I moved back to the UK my licence was valid for 1 year only (this was a long time ago and I understand an EU licence is fully valid now), funny thing was I had to re-sit test within 1 year but the next year they changed the rules so that you could "swap" licences without a re-test. I did this with the Bike licence to save the hassle/expense of CBT/UK bike test etc but they KEPT my Italian licence (Bastids!).

My Sister on the other hand, took her car test in UK and then went to Italy, they issued her with an Italian licence and returned her UK one to her so that she has both!

Maybe I should have done a re-test, to keep the "Iti" licence so that if (when?) I lose my licence I could have driven on the foreign one (& if stopped use the "I know nothing! I'm from Barcelona??" routine)

[Harrigan]

Ok, my experience...

Landed in th UK and was told that my SA license would be valid for a year only.

During that period, I managed to get stopped (handheld laser) for 40 in a 30 zone. (Stupid actually, in my wife's car and very conscious of the speed I was doing, I really thought that where I was, was a 40 zone...)

Anyway, paid the fine etcetera...

Just before the year was up, applied for the UK license, (also no test, straight transfer), and my new UK license arrives a few weeks later endorsed with 3 points.

It seems that the system has a very efficient historical database!

So, frankly, I don't think that your plan will work that easily.

Harrigan