Are GB and NI penalty points shared?
Discussion
Hi,
I grew up and got my driving license in Northen Ireland, but exchanged it for a GB one when I moved over here 10 years ago. My GB license has 3 points on it for speeding.
Last month I was visiting NI and got done again for speeding - another 3 points. So I surrended by GB license to the police there and paid the 60 quid. I got my license back yesterday.
Thing is they have sent me my GB photocard (untouched) and my GB counterpart (also untouched so it still only has the 3 original points on it). They have also sent me a new NI counterpart (under my old NI driver's number) with the 3 points on it for the recent speeding offence.
Looking at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
it appear only disqualifications are shared between GB and NI so if you lose your license in one, you lose it in both. However, penalty points are not shared. So theoretically I could have 11 points for offences committed in the UK and 11 points for offences committed in NI at the same time without losing my license due to totting up.
Is this correct - does anyone else know the score or have any experience of this?
Also, would I have to inform my insurance company of my new NI points - the vehicle is registered and insured in GB under my GB license?
Thanks,
Neal
I grew up and got my driving license in Northen Ireland, but exchanged it for a GB one when I moved over here 10 years ago. My GB license has 3 points on it for speeding.
Last month I was visiting NI and got done again for speeding - another 3 points. So I surrended by GB license to the police there and paid the 60 quid. I got my license back yesterday.
Thing is they have sent me my GB photocard (untouched) and my GB counterpart (also untouched so it still only has the 3 original points on it). They have also sent me a new NI counterpart (under my old NI driver's number) with the 3 points on it for the recent speeding offence.
Looking at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
it appear only disqualifications are shared between GB and NI so if you lose your license in one, you lose it in both. However, penalty points are not shared. So theoretically I could have 11 points for offences committed in the UK and 11 points for offences committed in NI at the same time without losing my license due to totting up.
Is this correct - does anyone else know the score or have any experience of this?
Also, would I have to inform my insurance company of my new NI points - the vehicle is registered and insured in GB under my GB license?
Thanks,
Neal
Why cannot they make legislation simple?
Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Sections 54 -58 deal with the exchange of disqualification information. UK notify NI if one of their drivers involved and vice versa. Which means a disqualification in one part is effective in the other another.
On the question of ordinary endorsements it is not so clear. Sections 68 -69 only mentions that either can endorse Licence with fact that disqualifaction under 54-58 applied.
It has been muted that 3 points in NI or EEC to be notified to the parent country issuing the Licence so that all points can be built up towards a disqualification but as I understand it this is not yet in apparently because EEC elsewhere have different points system for disqualification.
dvd
Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Sections 54 -58 deal with the exchange of disqualification information. UK notify NI if one of their drivers involved and vice versa. Which means a disqualification in one part is effective in the other another.
On the question of ordinary endorsements it is not so clear. Sections 68 -69 only mentions that either can endorse Licence with fact that disqualifaction under 54-58 applied.
It has been muted that 3 points in NI or EEC to be notified to the parent country issuing the Licence so that all points can be built up towards a disqualification but as I understand it this is not yet in apparently because EEC elsewhere have different points system for disqualification.
dvd
Dwight VanDriver said:
Why cannot they make legislation simple?
Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Sections 54 -58 deal with the exchange of disqualification information. UK notify NI if one of their drivers involved and vice versa. Which means a disqualification in one part is effective in the other another.
On the question of ordinary endorsements it is not so clear. Sections 68 -69 only mentions that either can endorse Licence with fact that disqualifaction under 54-58 applied.
It has been muted that 3 points in NI or EEC to be notified to the parent country issuing the Licence so that all points can be built up towards a disqualification but as I understand it this is not yet in apparently because EEC elsewhere have different points system for disqualification.
dvd
So here's a thought - I buy a property in NI (might not be a bad investment) and using this as my address to apply for a NI licence. If I get snapped by a camera in the UK I send the NI licence. Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Sections 54 -58 deal with the exchange of disqualification information. UK notify NI if one of their drivers involved and vice versa. Which means a disqualification in one part is effective in the other another.
On the question of ordinary endorsements it is not so clear. Sections 68 -69 only mentions that either can endorse Licence with fact that disqualifaction under 54-58 applied.
It has been muted that 3 points in NI or EEC to be notified to the parent country issuing the Licence so that all points can be built up towards a disqualification but as I understand it this is not yet in apparently because EEC elsewhere have different points system for disqualification.
dvd
there was a thread about this a while ago, using a foreign license in the UK and a UK license in Europe or something along those line. I think the conclusion of it was that the DVLA are not that thick to be fooled into thinking you only have a "foreign" license and they would realise you have a UK one too when applying points....
Yes, because I had a previous NI license, they 'resurrected' it to add the new points to.
But I believe you can apply for a NI counterpart even if you only have a GB license. That way you can take 'advantage' of the fixed penalty system - i.e. be given a sixty quid fine and three points on the spot, rather than be summonsed, pay a 300 quid fine and still get three points.
However, you can't choose the license onto which the points go simply by handing in the appropriate counterpart. If the offence occured under GB jusidication it goes on your GB license, if under NI jurisdiction it goes on your NI license. Even if you give them the other other counterpart the DVLA will still link the two licenses and put the points on the appropriate one.
But I believe you can apply for a NI counterpart even if you only have a GB license. That way you can take 'advantage' of the fixed penalty system - i.e. be given a sixty quid fine and three points on the spot, rather than be summonsed, pay a 300 quid fine and still get three points.
However, you can't choose the license onto which the points go simply by handing in the appropriate counterpart. If the offence occured under GB jusidication it goes on your GB license, if under NI jurisdiction it goes on your NI license. Even if you give them the other other counterpart the DVLA will still link the two licenses and put the points on the appropriate one.
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