Converting a foreign drivers license to a UK one

livalicious

Hi there,

Ive been residing in the UK for the last 8 years and have a South African drivers license for the last 9 years. I havent been driving over here in that time so of course it didnt occur to me to find out about driving license restrictions. Silly me, i know. :rolleyes:

I found out by a fellow South African that you had to convert foreign licenses to UK ones before you have been resident here for 5 years. And this was a few months before i was a resident here for the full 5 years. At the time it wasnt possible for me to convert it as I had lost my license card by then (left in Domino's.. doh!) and it also expired in 2005. So i would have had to go home within that time to renew my license which i wasnt able to do.

So skip a few years later, here I am, wondering if anyone knows if I really have to do the whole driving test again from scratch over here, or if there is anyway around that. Nothing illegal of course, just wondering if anyone knows anything more about it? Could I perhaps convert it to an International Driving Permit?? Ive already done my theory, got a provisional, just started doing lessons, and believe me the second time round is worse, i just dont have the enthusiasm for it. So please if anyone has any advice or anything it would be hugely appreciated!!!

Chippy_Minton_2

Provisional and pass your test is the only way.

International licences are just a translation of the resident country licence and yours has expired.

livalicious

Thanks Chippy!

Forgot to mention, I have since renewed my SA license.

Millionaire

You will have to pass the UK test, Theory and Practical by the looks of it.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/MotoringDecisionTrees/HowToImportorExportaVehicle/exchange_driving_licence.dsb?DPF0=0-0-&DPF1=3&vgsubmit=%C2%A0+Next%C2%A0+

hartcjhart

try here may be of help

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022561

avantra

Chippy_Minton wrote: »

Provisional and pass your test is the only way.

International licences are just a translation of the resident country license and yours has expired.

Millionaire wrote: »

You will have to pass the UK test, Theory and Practical by the looks of it.

Absolute rubbish, check before you send the OP to trow money on a GB license!! for an SA license you CAN convert it to a GB, the SA authorities will ask you to surrender your GB license if you go back for good to SA and need to use your SA license, however nothing is stopping you from asking the GB authorities to produce you a new one.

GB has reciprocal exchange agreements with Gibraltar and 15 designated countries.
The designated countries are:
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands*, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea*, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.
If you are a visitor in GB, and hold full ordinary entitlement, you can drive any category of vehicle, up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the date you last entered GB, whether or not you brought the vehicle into GB. If you also hold full entitlement to drive large lorries or buses you are only allowed to drive large vehicles registered outside the GB that you have driven into the country.
If you are a resident in GB and provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement, you must exchange your licence for a GB one before the 12 months end.
If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident.
*Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands is not exchangeable.

cajef

avantra wrote: »

If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident.

The OP states that they have been resident in this country for 8 years, therefore they have passed the five year cut off so presumably they will have to take a UK test.

KeithP

avantra wrote: »

Absolute rubbish...
<snip the detail>

avantra, did you notice that the OP said they had been resident in UK for over five years?
I just wondered if this little fact might lead you to change your verdict... since your quote did say "If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident".

Millionaire

avantra wrote: »

Absolute rubbish, check before you send the OP to trow money on a GB license!!

If you say so:rotfl:. Maybe you want to reread the original post properly:rolleyes:

avantra

KeithP wrote: »

avantra, did you notice that the OP said they had been resident in UK for over five years?
I just wondered if this little fact might lead you to change your verdict... since your quote did say "If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident".

Apparently it's 5 years from the moment an ILTR was guaranteed (which OP indeed don't mention) .

socrates

Incidentally I used to deal with a number of South Africans - this was one of the first things we advised them of when they came here to work.

They should change it within the first year.

After that technically they are driving without a valid licence.

I have never heard of anyone being prosecuted - I wonder if their insurance is valid - as one of the questions is about your driving licence?