Australian driving license

[jeevescat]

Hi all

My mother in law has arrived from Australia to visit the UK for a couple of months, but unfortunately her wallet ontaining her driving license was stolen on her way here in Italy.

The process for getting a replacement license from Australia has begun, but I'm pretty sure the arrival of the new one will coincide with her departure from these fair shores. The problem is how to get her driving here in the UK, we cannot hire a car for her to use which was the original intention, and our insurance company wanted to see her license to put her on the insurance for one of our cars.

Does anyone know if this is the norm, having to show a license to get insurance, and if not and we do get her insured is it legal for her to drive over here without physically being in possession of her license (which is clean by the way)

Thanks for your help.

[Dwight VanDriver]

(1) Can the Australian Embassy help in writing to confirm details of DL held to satisfy Hire Co?

(2) Speak to local Driving Test Centre to see if they have a cancellation for Theory/Practical test - doubtful as they will want proof of UK provisional?????

(3) Buy a banger and Insure through Broker in your name and put her down as a named driver. They may balk at a non UK Licence holder.

Not easy.

dvd

[Flintstone]

jeevescat said:

Hi all

My mother in law has arrived from Australia to visit the UK for a couple of months............

Alright, alright. You've played the sympathy card so knock it off.

Surely the ockers at Colonial House can help? It may mean a trip to London to see someone but it'd be worth it.

Failing that she can borrow my (Aussie) one. She'll need a haircut to look the part though. Then again it was issued in the Northern Territory and they never check anything there.

[jeevescat]

Thanks for the help and sympathy, my therapist thinks I'm coping really well, my concentration lapses occasionally, but apparently that is to be expected on this dose.

Anyway, think I've got the insurance sorted, but need to clarify the legality of her driving in the UK with no license, and no chance really of on arriving within ther next month. What happens if she is stopped and asked to produce one in 7 days, will they lock her up?

I think we may be able to get hold of a photocopy of the license, would this help?

Thanks

[arfur]

Tell her to pretend to be Albanian / Iranian / Asylum Seeker and just not bother with one .... they dont

[Dwight VanDriver]

The Insurance will contain a clause permitting a driver ...who holds or has held a Driving Licence.....

Many years ago I queried this with an Insurance Company to be told that this did not only relate to a UK licence but any Driving licence.

If stopped and asked to produce a driving licence then the position should be explained and obviously as a visitor will be covered by their substantive domestic Licence. Again in this respect a photocopy would help as if Plod takes it into his head because she cannot produce evidence (even in 7 days) that she has a Licence it gives him grounds to seize the vehicle.

Best all round to get asap that bit of paper - will save a lot of hassle?

dvd