License legal question - USA to UK

[off_again]

Just a quick question as I really do not know.

A US citizen has recently married a neighbour. He obviously has a US driving license, but does the change in marital status make any difference with obtaining a UK driving license? Either way, what is the process for getting a UK one? Do you need to do a driving test and pass the theory before you can get a UK one? Are you allowed to drive on a US license for a limited amount of time?

Sorry if the question is a simple one....

[vonhosen]

www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/fs/en

[Paul Dishman]

off_again said:

Just a quick question as I really do not know.

A US citizen has recently married a neighbour. He obviously has a US driving license, but does the change in marital status make any difference with obtaining a UK driving license? Either way, what is the process for getting a UK one? Do you need to do a driving test and pass the theory before you can get a UK one? Are you allowed to drive on a US license for a limited amount of time?

Sorry if the question is a simple one....

My brother in law's from the USA and he had to take a UK driving test in the normal way to get a UK license. He drove on his US license for a year or so first, from what I remember.

He didn't have any lessons here and promptly failed his first test, but passed the second time.

[off_again]

Bingo - thanks. He's been here for 6 months and therefore has another 6 months before he needs to sort something out. That's Ok.

Anyone got any ideas how much more it is to insure against a non-UK driving license? +10%, +20%????

[Fort Jefferson]

off_again said:

He's been here for 6 months and therefore has another 6 months before he needs to sort something out.

He needs to do something NOW his licence will RUN OUT after 12 months. It will give him time to get lessons and pass his UK test BEFORE his USA licence runs out.

[cazzer]

Paul Dishman said:

My brother in law's from the USA and he had to take a UK driving test in the normal way to get a UK license. He drove on his US license for a year or so first, from what I remember.

He didn't have any lessons here and promptly failed his first test, but passed the second time.

Wow he must have been crap. When my missus took her UK test the instructor asked her how long she'd been driving and after hearing it was 16 years, basically sat and chatted to her while she drove him around for 20 minutes. Pass.

[Paul Dishman]

cazzer said:

Paul Dishman said:

My brother in law's from the USA and he had to take a UK driving test in the normal way to get a UK license. He drove on his US license for a year or so first, from what I remember.

He didn't have any lessons here and promptly failed his first test, but passed the second time.

Wow he must have been crap. When my missus took her UK test the instructor asked her how long she'd been driving and after hearing it was 16 years, basically sat and chatted to her while she drove him around for 20 minutes. Pass.

He thought he'd breeze it too, but had a couple of bad habits that the instructor corrected. He'd only been driving for a few years in the States and had never had any instruction on a car with a manual gearbox.