Two driving licences
Discussion
How legit it is I don't know, but a friend of mine is a UK citizen and holds a UK passport but is resident in France. He has his UK driving licence (that he has held for 30 years) with his mothers UK address on it and a French driving licence with his French address on it.
Don't think there's a problem at all. I've just realised, I also know someone who has a holiday home in the US. He bought a car to use while he is over there and, with his UK driving licence, the US insurance company wanted an arm and both legs. He took his US driving test in Florida so holds a US driving licence too. Dropped the insurance down to peanuts (and he reckoned the test was so easy he can see why the standard of driving in the US is so appallingly low!).
Don't think there's a problem at all. I've just realised, I also know someone who has a holiday home in the US. He bought a car to use while he is over there and, with his UK driving licence, the US insurance company wanted an arm and both legs. He took his US driving test in Florida so holds a US driving licence too. Dropped the insurance down to peanuts (and he reckoned the test was so easy he can see why the standard of driving in the US is so appallingly low!).
sleep envy said:
I've got citizenship in the UK and another european country and was wondering if its possible to hold a driving licence in both countries
do you mean another EU country ? I moved to Malta (an EU member) and last year changed my UK licence to a Maltese one, and had to give up my UK one (Maltese authorities took it off me in exchange, and sent it back to the UK). I guess if I'd taken my licence again in Malta, then I could have had both, but otherwise need to swap - probably different if the Europen country you are talking about is non-EU - hope this helps
You can have as many licences as you want, most countries allow a length of time in which you can use a foreign licence.
Personally I would never allow another country to remove a valid licence, best to anticipate matters and get a spare UK firstif this is likely to happen. If another country has taken your licence write to DVLA for another remembering to quote a UK address through which you can be contacted.
Personally I would never allow another country to remove a valid licence, best to anticipate matters and get a spare UK firstif this is likely to happen. If another country has taken your licence write to DVLA for another remembering to quote a UK address through which you can be contacted.
I lived in Italy through the late '70s/early '80s, when we moved there, my Sister who already had a UK licence, was given an Italian Licence after presenting her UK one to the relevant authorities (no test) and she got to keep her UK licence, now although she still lives in Italy, presumably her UK Licence is still valid?
I got my Licence in Italy, as I was too young to drive before we moved there. When I returned to the UK I had to pass a test within 12 months to get a UK licence and therefore continue driving, which I did for the Car test and then shortly after I did that the UK changed the rules for EU licences in that by presenting your EU licence you could get a UK one without needing to take a further test.
At that point I still had my Italian licence for both cars and Motorcycles but only a UK licence for Cars, to avoid the hassle & expense of re-taking my Motorcycle licence I sent off my Italian licence to the DVLA who added Motorcycle entitlement to my UK licence but kept the Italian one, (not sure if this was legal?) anyway it would have expired by now as they are only valid for 10 yrs and I'm pretty certain I would need to be a resident to renew it.
This was all before 'Scamming' was in vogue and with hindsight maybe I should have devised a way to have kept the foreign Licence.
So I would imagine the only way in the UK to have 2 (or more) licences would be to take the UK test as well as the foreign test that way they wouldn't do a 'swap' not sure about the rules in other countries as to whether they keep your UK licence as a swap or just issue and let you keep your UK one. As mentioned above they did do this in Italy but my Sisters case was in the 1970's they may have changed the rules since then.
I got my Licence in Italy, as I was too young to drive before we moved there. When I returned to the UK I had to pass a test within 12 months to get a UK licence and therefore continue driving, which I did for the Car test and then shortly after I did that the UK changed the rules for EU licences in that by presenting your EU licence you could get a UK one without needing to take a further test.
At that point I still had my Italian licence for both cars and Motorcycles but only a UK licence for Cars, to avoid the hassle & expense of re-taking my Motorcycle licence I sent off my Italian licence to the DVLA who added Motorcycle entitlement to my UK licence but kept the Italian one, (not sure if this was legal?) anyway it would have expired by now as they are only valid for 10 yrs and I'm pretty certain I would need to be a resident to renew it.
This was all before 'Scamming' was in vogue and with hindsight maybe I should have devised a way to have kept the foreign Licence.
So I would imagine the only way in the UK to have 2 (or more) licences would be to take the UK test as well as the foreign test that way they wouldn't do a 'swap' not sure about the rules in other countries as to whether they keep your UK licence as a swap or just issue and let you keep your UK one. As mentioned above they did do this in Italy but my Sisters case was in the 1970's they may have changed the rules since then.
AFAIK you can legally only hold one licence within the EU, but can hold as many non-EU ones as you like.
However, if like many of us, you have at least 2 UK licences in order to still have a licence whilst travelling abroad whilst you send your licence for points adding, this will present no problem as you can surrender the 'newest' UK licence if moving abroad within Europe and still have a technically valid UK one until you're 70 years old.
The more the better really.
However, if like many of us, you have at least 2 UK licences in order to still have a licence whilst travelling abroad whilst you send your licence for points adding, this will present no problem as you can surrender the 'newest' UK licence if moving abroad within Europe and still have a technically valid UK one until you're 70 years old.
The more the better really.
catso said:
This was all before 'Scamming' was in vogue and with hindsight maybe I should have devised a way to have kept the foreign Licence.
So I would imagine the only way in the UK to have 2 (or more) licences would be to take the UK test as well as the foreign test that way they wouldn't do a 'swap' not sure about the rules in other countries as to whether they keep your UK licence as a swap or just issue and let you keep your UK one. As mentioned above they did do this in Italy but my Sisters case was in the 1970's they may have changed the rules since then.
That's pretty much what the woman at the ACI said
looks like I'm going to have to dig out my old paper licencecooperman said:
AFAIK you can legally only hold one licence within the EU, but can hold as many non-EU ones as you like.
Cooperman, not yet thank goodness...but this is what the Politburo in Brussels wants to do as there are people like myself who have their own (home) driving license and, legally it must be said, one from the country of residence. Your country of residence CANNOT make you surrender your home one!!!!! YET!!!!!
JMGS4 said:
AFAIK you can legally only hold one licence within the EU, but can hold as many non-EU ones as you like.
Your country of residence CANNOT make you surrender your home one!!!!! YET!!!!!
I didn't have to get a Maltese licence, but if I wanted one I had to surrender my UK one - this was confirmed by the DVLA, so yes you are right, they cannot make you surrender it (AFAIK), but you can't exchange and keep
looking at it from he other way round - moving to the UK, the DVLA website states (see the very last sentence)
"Rules for exchange
The following conditions must be met before a licence can be granted in exchange for a GB one:
you must be normally resident in Great Britain and have a permanent address here;
if you are a Community licence holder applying for a British test at the same time as exchanging your licence and you have moved to GB having recently been permanently resident in another state of the EC/EEA, 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. Licences from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are acceptable for exchange if issued after 1.4. 91. Those issued in any EC/EEA country may be valid for exchange even if they have expired;
you must surrender your foreign licence which will be returned to the issuing authority;"
"Rules for exchange
The following conditions must be met before a licence can be granted in exchange for a GB one:
you must be normally resident in Great Britain and have a permanent address here;
if you are a Community licence holder applying for a British test at the same time as exchanging your licence and you have moved to GB having recently been permanently resident in another state of the EC/EEA, 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. Licences from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are acceptable for exchange if issued after 1.4. 91. Those issued in any EC/EEA country may be valid for exchange even if they have expired;
you must surrender your foreign licence which will be returned to the issuing authority;"
I know somebody who has dual nationality: 2 passports, 2 residences etc. and he applied for an Italian licence. They took his uk one and gave him a recept he could use if he was stopped. 4 months later he got his new italian licence... which consisted of his old pink paper licence with a small numbered sticker stuck on the back. Unfortunately he put it through a hot wash, so he went back to the ACI and they finally gave him an Italian photocard licence.
6 months later he went to the U.K. and applied for a photocard licence replacement... and got that one too.
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence. First thing he'll check is if you have a UK licence. I suppose if you were driving a foreign car and remained mute you might have a chance.
I'm sure one of the BIB will correct me if I'm wrong.
6 months later he went to the U.K. and applied for a photocard licence replacement... and got that one too.
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence. First thing he'll check is if you have a UK licence. I suppose if you were driving a foreign car and remained mute you might have a chance.
I'm sure one of the BIB will correct me if I'm wrong.
blueyes said:
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence.
Surely that's the point. If you spend sufficient time in Italy to get an Italian licence, you must also have a pretty good grasp of the language. Plod stops you, you speak perfect Italian and produce an Italian licence. If you are lucky Plod gives up if he thinks you don't understand him.
gilbertd said:
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence.
Surely that's the point. If you spend sufficient time in Italy to get an Italian licence, you must also have a pretty good grasp of the language. Plod stops you, you speak perfect Italian and produce an Italian licence. If you are lucky Plod gives up if he thinks you don't understand him.
As I said, it possible, if you're driving an Italian plated car, speak perfect Italian AND have a perfect Italian accent, that it would work, also if you're only just over the limit.
On the other hand if you're doing warp factor 9, he's going to take you to the station, take all your details, and then the DVLA will set up a skeleton U.K. licence for your new points.
So, it's possible but not a guaranteed "get out of jail" card.
Any BIBs like to comment?
blueyes said:
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence. First thing he'll check is if you have a UK licence. I suppose if you were driving a foreign car and remained mute you might have a chance.
The intention is not to do anything dishonest but I'd like to buy a car in Italy and leave it over there. To make life easier for me, just in case I did get a tug from the plod, I'd hand over the Italian licence rather than try and be clever.
From past experience when I got stopped at the border at the San Gottardo with an Italian passport, english driving licence and uk registered car (which was lhd and not having the V5 on me) it caused no end of grief - they though I'd nicked the car and were looking to impound it until I could prove it was mine.
sleep envy said:
I don't really see the point in having two. Plod stops you, you speak perfect english and you hand him an Italian licence. First thing he'll check is if you have a UK licence. I suppose if you were driving a foreign car and remained mute you might have a chance.
The intention is not to do anything dishonest but I'd like to buy a car in Italy and leave it over there. To make life easier for me, just in case I did get a tug from the plod, I'd hand over the Italian licence rather than try and be clever.
From past experience when I got stopped at the border at the San Gottardo with an Italian passport, english driving licence and uk registered car (which was lhd and not having the V5 on me) it caused no end of grief - they though I'd nicked the car and were looking to impound it until I could prove it was mine.
Ah I see. If you have a place over there you have a residency so you can get it registered there no problem. If you don't you could try and get a friendly resident to register it in their name. Driving it on a UK licence (photocard is pref) will be no problem. Transferring the car to your name/friends name will take a whole morning as you have to book an appointment with a solicitor so he can check the sellers and the buyers details and sign a form.. and it'll cost you about 400euro.
Also you'll have to pay the road tax every year, even if you don't use the car: no SORN over there. Every 2 or 3 years (can't remember) you'll need an MOT and they're very strict about mods: it has to be how it came out of the factory. You'll have to disconnect the battery or get a trickle charger if you leave it for more than a month.
It's so much hassle, if you're not going to spend much time over there, it's really better to hire a car.
As for the experience with the lack of V5: standard practice whenver you get stopped in Italy.
No V5- car impounded. You were lucky.
Yep, got the lot incl codice fiscale which is why it makes sense to get the licence.
Will be a new car from the dealers. My folks will be using it most of the time so want to make sure I get them something reliable with a warranty. No intention of modding it so no issues there.
Re V5: I know that now - would have been a long walk home without the car
Will be a new car from the dealers. My folks will be using it most of the time so want to make sure I get them something reliable with a warranty. No intention of modding it so no issues there.
Re V5: I know that now - would have been a long walk home without the car
sleep envy said:
Yep, got the lot incl codice fiscale which is why it makes sense to get the licence.
Will be a new car from the dealers. My folks will be using it most of the time so want to make sure I get them something reliable with a warranty. No intention of modding it so no issues there.
Re V5: I know that now - would have been a long walk home without the car
Away you go then. Grab a spare licence from the DVLA (because you've mislaid your original of course!!)Go the ACI and ask them to write down a list of things you'll need. If I remember correctly you'll have to go to the post office for something, and the Comune for some other things, and get some passport sized photos done so it'll take at least a day as you'll be queueing a lot!
THEN... you'll have to wait about 4-6 weeks for your licence.
If it all seems like to much trouble you could just use your UK one as long as it's a photocard. I do when I drive Italian reg cars and never have any problems.
blueyes said:
If I remember correctly you'll have to go to the post office for something, and the Comune for some other things, and get some passport sized photos done so it'll take at least a day as you'll be queueing a lot!
No surprise there then - to do absolutely anything you've got to go 'in comune'
Queueing?? Never seen an Italian do that before, not part of the vocab
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