Need to obtain my UK liscense

Thomask

Hi guys

I have my full New Zealand car drivers liscense. I've heard after a year of being in the UK, a test is required to be sat before I can continue driving legally. Is this correct? If so, what does the test consist of? How long does it take? Where can it be taken and at what cost?

My wallet was stolen so I have lost my physical plastic drivers liscense card. In New Zealand we don't get accompanying bits of paper so I don't have anything physical to show. Will this matter?

My next question relates to the paper part of the UK liscense. I've worked for many companies which have hired me a rental car (and insured me) without any issue. I do come accross the odd company which requires the paper part of my New Zealand liscense before renting and insuring. This is daft as New Zealand do not produce these! Anyone know if I'll be given the paper bit when I obtain the UK liscense? Will I still be legal to drive in New Zealand? A friend told me I may need to nominate one country or the other?!

alanrowell

No it's not correct - it's a case of swapping your licence for a UK licence

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022562

The licence REPLACES your NZ - so when you go back to NZ you'll have to exchange your UK licence for a NZ licence

Inactive

But it needs to be exchanged before the 12 months is up, otherwise a test must be taken, and provisional licence rules apply.

The OP has lost his / her licence, so they will need to get a replacement quickly and apply for an exchange once they have it, no NZ Licence, no exchange.

d123

Inactive wrote: »

But it needs to be exchanged before the 12 months is up, otherwise a test must be taken, and provisional licence rules apply.

The OP has lost his / her licence, so they will need to get a replacement quickly and apply for an exchange once they have it, no NZ Licence, no exchange.

Not quite true, the rules dont say 12 months.

Can you exchange your driving licence for one issued in Great Britain (GB)?

Conclusion

You can only exchange your current driving licence for up to five years from when you become resident, provided your licence remains valid. If your licence is lost or stolen you will need to obtain written confirmation of your driving licence from the issuing licensing authority to send with your application.

What you need to do

• complete the application form D1, available from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) form ordering service or from Post Office® branches
• enclose original identity documentation confirming your identity
• enclose one passport sized colour photograph
• enclose the fee of £50.00, cheque or postal orders made payable to ‘DVLA, Swansea’
• enclose your current driving licence (this will be returned to the issuing licensing authority)
• send your completed application to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BT or you may be able to use the premium checking service

What happens next

• your new driving licence will normally be issued within 15 working days from the day the DVLA receives your application

spiro

When you get a UK licence you get both the plastic and paper parts. The reason hire companies want to see the paper half is that is were any endorsements (speeding etc) are recorded. This is what they are checking for to ensure you status matches the rules for hiring from them.

Inactive

d123 wrote: »

Not quite true, the rules dont say 12 months.

All very confusing, another page states;

you can drive in Great Britain (GB) on your full, valid driving licence for up to 12 months from the time you first became resident

you will need to stop driving once the 12 months are over
you will not be able to exchange your licence for a GB licence

if you wish to continue driving in GB you will need to get a GB provisional driving licence and sit a theory and practical driving test

Scubabe

Well, here's a fact....
I have lived in the UK for 4 years now.
I have only just (as in, about 3 months ago) gotten around to changing my NZ licence for a UK one, as we didn't own a car so I had no need to exchange it.

All you need to do is get your NZ one re-issued (check their website there is a form to fill in if you lose it overseas), then when you have the re-issued one then you just post it off to DVLA Swansea along with a filled in form and some £ and they will post you back a UK licence both plastic and paper parts. And yes, you need to carry the paper part for hiring a car - I too had the "where's your paper part" question whenever we hired a car but I usually hired from the same place so they stopped asking after the 3rd time

Oh, and I too was told the NZ one was only valid for 12 months... I think it is more for insurance than for the police (e.g. if you drove into a rolls royce and needed to claim for that onto your insurance if the insurance co could confirm you had been here 12 months or longer then I reckon they wouldn't pay up on your insurance as your licence would be invalid).

Ness

d123

The foreign licence is only valid for driving in the UK for 12 months, this is a different thing to exchanging your foreign licence. Not all foreign licences can be exchanged, some nationalities are allowed to drive for 12 months on the foreign licence then they would have to sit a UK test to continue.

The countries whose licences are accepted for exchange are

Designated Countries: European Community/European Economic Area countries, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, 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.

Thomask

Thanks for your answers. I must admit there is lot's of conflicting information!

1. Can I provide the UK office issuing liscenses with written confirmation from the LTSA (New Zealand) that I have my liscense? This would work out cheaper as my New Zealand liscense was stolen and I don't wish it to be replaced just so it can be sent onto an office to be swapped anyway.

2. I've been here over 12 months. Do I need to sit any tests before recieving my UK liscense?

3. How much does it all cost?

d123

Thomask wrote: »

Thanks for your answers. I must admit there is lot's of conflicting information!

1. Can I provide the UK office issuing liscenses with written confirmation from the LTSA (New Zealand) that I have my liscense? This would work out cheaper as my New Zealand liscense was stolen and I don't wish it to be replaced just so it can be sent onto an office to be swapped anyway.

2. I've been here over 12 months. Do I need to sit any tests before recieving my UK liscense?

3. How much does it all cost?

My post #4 is a direct quote from the DVLA site and has answers to all your questions.

You will need written confirmation from NZ about your licence, how? not sure, try phoning the department at the DVLA and ask.

It costs £50.

This is the link
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022562

This link is direct to an interactive exchange help site
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/MotoringDecisionTrees/HowToImportorExportaVehicle/exchange_driving_licence.dsb

hessian

I did all this recently.

I also had to go to the local DVLA office (and they are not that local!) and get my ID verified, before I could send it off to Swansea.