International to UK driving licence - 6 point rule

[pills]

Hi

Does anyone know if some one converts a international licence to a UK one, does the 6 point rule for new drivers still apply? Is it for new drivers or new UK licence holders?

Thanks

[Spitfire2]

For drivers who have passed UK driving test within prior 2 years

[pills]

Thanks very useful.

Follow up question please. International licence entitlement runs out in December, I am assuming as soon the provisional licence arrives they musty go onto L plates and supervised driving even if the international licence is still valid? Or am I getting this wrong?

Thanks again.

[QuickQuack]

No, they don't have to go on supervised driving after receiving the provisional licence. They can drive on the international/non-GB licence for the first 12 months including any period when they receive a UK provisional licence to allow them to take the UK theory and practical test. This is to allow the licence holder enough time to take and pass the UK tests so that they don't have to have time out of driving.

Obviously, this all assumes that their entitlement is from a non-EU/EEA or a designated country (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein for the EEA and the designated countries are Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe). If it's from any one of those, those can just be exchanged.

[Ubiquitous2024]

QuickQuack said:

No, they don't have to go on supervised driving after receiving the provisional licence. They can drive on the international/non-GB licence for the first 12 months including any period when they receive a UK provisional licence to allow them to take the UK theory and practical test. This is to allow the licence holder enough time to take and pass the UK tests so that they don't have to have time out of driving.

Obviously, this all assumes that their entitlement is from a non-EU/EEA or a designated country (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein for the EEA and the designated countries are Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe). If it's from any one of those, those can just be exchanged.

Wrong, a provisional overrides the international. Nobody driving with a provisional licence can just carry on as before without conforming to the requirements set out by the UK provisional licence.

[Shaun170]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

QuickQuack said:

No, they don't have to go on supervised driving after receiving the provisional licence. They can drive on the international/non-GB licence for the first 12 months including any period when they receive a UK provisional licence to allow them to take the UK theory and practical test. This is to allow the licence holder enough time to take and pass the UK tests so that they don't have to have time out of driving.

Obviously, this all assumes that their entitlement is from a non-EU/EEA or a designated country (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein for the EEA and the designated countries are Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe). If it's from any one of those, those can just be exchanged.

Wrong, a provisional overrides the international. Nobody driving with a provisional licence can just carry on as before without conforming to the requirements set out by the UK provisional licence.

No it’s not wrong. Poster above is correct. Provisonal does not override foreign licence until its entitlement expires.

[Ubiquitous2024]

If you are stopped driving a car in the UK, with a provisional licence, unsupervised and with no L plates, and then turf out a foreign licence saying oh it's ok I am using this one instead - what do you think happens?

[Shaun170]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

If you are stopped driving a car in the UK, with a provisional licence, unsupervised and with no L plates, and then turf out a foreign licence saying oh it's ok I am using this one instead - what do you think happens?

If the foreign licence is still valid and applies you continue on your journey.

[Yellow Lizud]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

If you are stopped driving a car in the UK, with a provisional licence, unsupervised and with no L plates, and then turf out a foreign licence saying oh it's ok I am using this one instead - what do you think happens?

What do YOU think happens?

Maybe you should do a bit more research before spouting all this rubbish.

[Rotary Potato]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

If you are stopped driving a car in the UK, with a provisional licence, unsupervised and with no L plates, and then turf out a foreign licence saying oh it's ok I am using this one instead - what do you think happens?

I think that reasonable checks are done to ensure that the person with the foreign licence has been residing in the UK for less than 12 months, and assuming that can be shown to the policeman's satisfaction (and there are no other outstanding issues), then the licence holder is thanked, wished good luck for their impending UK driving test, and left to go on their way. But maybe the policeman who stopped my better half a couple of years ago doesn't know the law as well as you do ...

So, what do you think happens?

You are aware that a foreign licence holder can apply for a UK licence after 6 months of residing in the UK, but their foreign licence is valid for the first 12 months of residing in the UK? So that means there is the potential for a six month overlap.

Obviously, if the person has been residing here for more than 12 months, then their foreign licence is no longer valid ... and I would imagine the response from plod following their checks would be markedly different and likely culminate in a long walk home for the provisional licensee! However, you made no stipulation in your hypothetical situation of how long the foreign licence holder had been residing in the UK.

EDIT: And to answer the OP's original question. Once she passed, my other half had the 6-point limit on her UK licence for the first 2 years, the same as any new UK licence holder.

Edited by Rotary Potato on Wednesday 1st October 14:06

[Ubiquitous2024]

Rotary Potato said:

I think that reasonable checks are done to ensure that the person with the foreign licence has been residing in the UK for less than 12 months, and assuming that can be shown to the policeman's satisfaction (and there are no other outstanding issues), then the licence holder is thanked, wished good luck for their impending UK driving test, and left to go on their way. But maybe the policeman who stopped my better half a couple of years ago doesn't know the law as well as you do ...

So, what do you think happens?

You are aware that a foreign licence holder can apply for a UK licence after 6 months of residing in the UK, but their foreign licence is valid for the first 12 months of residing in the UK? So that means there is the potential for a six month overlap.

Obviously, if the person has been residing here for more than 12 months, then their foreign licence is no longer valid ... and I would imagine the response from plod following their checks would be markedly different and likely culminate in a long walk home for the provisional licensee! However, you made no stipulation in your hypothetical situation of how long the foreign licence holder had been residing in the UK.

EDIT: And to answer the OP's original question. Once she passed, my other half had the 6-point limit on her UK licence for the first 2 years, the same as any new UK licence holder.

Edited by Rotary Potato on Wednesday 1st October 14:06

How long someone has been in, living in, or residing in the UK is not information available to police. There is no magic number to the home office. They can only ask the question to tjhe driver, but people lie, so its a pointless exercise. You can drive on a foreign licence for 12 months, at which point it needs to be exchanged. Once the provisional is issued, it needs to be adhered to, regardless of the existence of another licence or duration of time someone has been here.

[Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

QuickQuack said:

No, they don't have to go on supervised driving after receiving the provisional licence. They can drive on the international/non-GB licence for the first 12 months including any period when they receive a UK provisional licence to allow them to take the UK theory and practical test. This is to allow the licence holder enough time to take and pass the UK tests so that they don't have to have time out of driving.

Obviously, this all assumes that their entitlement is from a non-EU/EEA or a designated country (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein for the EEA and the designated countries are Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Republic of North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe). If it's from any one of those, those can just be exchanged.

Wrong, a provisional overrides the international. Nobody driving with a provisional licence can just carry on as before without conforming to the requirements set out by the UK provisional licence.

Here is the email response received just now from the DVLA:

Dear Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary,

Thank you for your enquiry on 30/09/2025

I appreciate you taking the time to contact us in this matter.

I can confirm you can continue to drive for the remainder of the 1 year from becoming resident, even if you have been issued with a GB provisional licence.

I hope this information is of assistance.

And to clarify, I asked them whether a UK provisional overrides an international licence.

There are many who turn up to driving tests, whack on the L plates, fail, rip them off again and drive home. I see it all the time

[Yellow Lizud]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

Once the provisional is issued, it needs to be adhered to, regardless of the existence of another licence or duration of time someone has been here.

Would you like to give us a link to where you are getting all this extremely ill-informed crap from?

[Gareth79]

Yellow Lizud said:

Ubiquitous2024 said:

Once the provisional is issued, it needs to be adhered to, regardless of the existence of another licence or duration of time someone has been here.

Would you like to give us a link to where you are getting all this extremely ill-informed crap from?

Probably the same place as "OutInTheShed" on the MOT thread (ie. just nonsense).

[pills]

Thank you everyone for the replies so far, it is appreciated.

[Spitfire2]

Was about to join the chorus of "you're wrong Mr Unuquitous" but I see DVLA have entered the room 🤣🤣.

Suspect they will be "wrong" too.

[Rotary Potato]

Ubiquitous2024 said:

How long someone has been in, living in, or residing in the UK is not information available to police. There is no magic number to the home office. They can only ask the question to tjhe driver, but people lie, so its a pointless exercise. You can drive on a foreign licence for 12 months, at which point it needs to be exchanged. Once the provisional is issued, it needs to be adhered to, regardless of the existence of another licence or duration of time someone has been here.

OK ... let's try and break things down.

On this thread you already have an anecdote of an encounter with a UK policeman in exactly the scenario you are claiming, and a response from the DVLA. Now it's possible that both a random policeman and the DVLA are wrong, but the more likely outcome is that you are wrong.

So let's start simple - what makes you believe that once a UK provisional licence is issued, it needs to be adhered to, regardless of the existence of another licence or duration of time someone has been here? Please feel free to cite any reputable sources or UK legislation that you think supports your belief.

Please do not say that it's just common sense, as common sense is not ubiquitous.

[MustangGT]

pills said:

Thanks very useful.

Follow up question please. International licence entitlement runs out in December, I am assuming as soon the provisional licence arrives they musty go onto L plates and supervised driving even if the international licence is still valid? Or am I getting this wrong?

Thanks again.

Why would they get a provisional? If they have a full international licence which would have been obtained using a country-specific full licence then you exchange your full foreign licence for a full UK licence.

[pills]

They're from Malaysia, they're not on the list of countries which can be exchanged for a UK licence.

[Dave _]

pills said:

They're from Malaysia, they're not on the list of countries which can be exchanged for a UK licence.

Then they can’t convert their foreign licence.

They will be treated as a new driver when passing their UK test.