The answer depends on:
- If you are visiting, a resident or a student,
- Where your licence was issued and
- How long you have been here.
Foreigners living in this country fall into one of three groups;
If you are the holder of an ordinary driving licence (car) and provided your licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12-month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions. If you don’t pass a test within 12 months. If you are the holder of a vocational licence (minibus, bus, lorry entitlement) and a new resident, you must not drive large vehicles until you have passed the relevant UK driving test. Driving test candidates are required to pass a motor car test first before applying for provisional entitlement for larger vehicles.
Provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid, you may drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, for up to 12 months from the date of coming to the UK. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside Great Britain and which you have driven into the country.
- Student.
-
If you are a student holding a community licence you may drive cars and motorcycles in the UK for as long as your licence remains valid, or until age 70. If you do not hold a licence you must have been studying here for at least six months prior to taking a driving test or applying for a full licence.
If you are a student holding a non-European Community licence or an international driving permit you may drive here for up to 12 months. If you hold a driving licence from a designated country you may apply to exchange this for a British one up to five years after becoming a resident here. If you do not hold a licence, or your licence was not issued in a designated country, you will need to apply for a provisional licence and then pass a driving test. You will be able to take a test and obtain a full licence once you have been in GB for six months.
-
Where was your licence was issued?
If your licence was issued to you from a member state of the European Community (commonly called a ‘community licence’) then happy days, you can drive a car over here providing you are at least 17 years of age, your licence is valid and you have been here for less than 3 years after becoming a resident (or until you are 70 whichever comes first). In order to continue driving after this you must get a British driving licence. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British licence. N.B Higher visual standards apply for vocational drivers in the UK than for other member states.
Exchanging your foreign driving licence:
If you are the holder of a foreign driving licence and want or need to change to a Great Britain driving licence there are certain conditions that need to be considered when applying.
- You must be normally resident in the UK and have a permanent address here.
- If you are a community driving licence holder applying for a British test you must have been normally resident in GB for 185 days in the 12 months prior to your application for a full driving licence.
- Licences from the designated countries must be current at the time the application for exchange is received at DVLA.
- You must surrender your foreign licence which will be returned to the issuing authority.
- International driving permits are not exchangeable.
- Test pass certificates are not exchangeable except for those issued in Northern Ireland or Gibraltar when the test was passed within two years of the date of the licence application.
- Japanese licences must be accompanied by an official translation, available for a fee from the Consulate General of Japan at 101-104 Piccadilly, London W1V 9FN or 2 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7HW.
- Republic of Korea licences must be accompanied by an official translation from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea at 60 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AJ.
- Motorcycle licences from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands are not exchangeable.
South Africa and Canada: As there are two types of South African driving licences; the book of life, requires a letter of authority from the South African licensing authority or the photocard licence.
If you are the holder of a Canadian licence you will receive automatic transmission only when exchanging for a UK licence. This can only be upgraded to manual when you complete the relevant test and present your certificate.