Adding motorcycle entitlement to UK License
Discussion
I have done some research but can’t find an explicit answer.
I am a full UK driving license holder but moved abroad (outside of the EU) for 8 years.
Whilst abroad I got a full motorbike license in Japan.
Coming back to the UK I obtained a new plastic Uk driving license, but of course no record of my Motorcycle entitlement.
So can you ‘add entitlement’ but submitting my foreign license? Or do I just have to ‘exchange’ my Foreign license in whole?
In Japan the license needs to be renewed every two years for expats, and that date has now passed. Don’t want to open up a can of worms, but do wish to continue riding.
Cheers
I am a full UK driving license holder but moved abroad (outside of the EU) for 8 years.
Whilst abroad I got a full motorbike license in Japan.
Coming back to the UK I obtained a new plastic Uk driving license, but of course no record of my Motorcycle entitlement.
So can you ‘add entitlement’ but submitting my foreign license? Or do I just have to ‘exchange’ my Foreign license in whole?
In Japan the license needs to be renewed every two years for expats, and that date has now passed. Don’t want to open up a can of worms, but do wish to continue riding.
Cheers
Contact the DVLA and advise them of the same. If you can prove you passed a motorcycle test while over there, they shouldn't have any issue adding it on. Did you get any form of certificate when you passed? That'll help the cause, too. Even if it is largely incomprehensible to the DVLA.
My daughter has a UK driving licence, but obtained her "A" licence in Australia.
We made the application on form "D1" and had to send her Australian licence off. In return she obtained the "A" entitlement on her UK licence and it had came back with the Code "70AUS" at the back of her licence in Column numbered "12". Her Australian licence was not returned by DVLA.
We made the application on form "D1" and had to send her Australian licence off. In return she obtained the "A" entitlement on her UK licence and it had came back with the Code "70AUS" at the back of her licence in Column numbered "12". Her Australian licence was not returned by DVLA.
Semmelweiss said:
My daughter has a UK driving licence, but obtained her "A" licence in Australia.
We made the application on form "D1" and had to send her Australian licence off. In return she obtained the "A" entitlement on her UK licence and it had came back with the Code "70AUS" at the back of her licence in Column numbered "12". Her Australian licence was not returned by DVLA.
Yeah, this is what i think will happen, I heard that the UK and countries that they have an agreed equivalence with, don't let you have more than one license. Japan let me keep my UK one, I have a feeling that the UK wont be so kind. We made the application on form "D1" and had to send her Australian licence off. In return she obtained the "A" entitlement on her UK licence and it had came back with the Code "70AUS" at the back of her licence in Column numbered "12". Her Australian licence was not returned by DVLA.
I think step 1 is to get it translated, the Japanese embassy offer this a service. I can ask for it and see what they say about dates and chat to the DVLA before I send off the translated copy.
RazerSauber said:
Contact the DVLA and advise them of the same. If you can prove you passed a motorcycle test while over there, they shouldn't have any issue adding it on. Did you get any form of certificate when you passed? That'll help the cause, too. Even if it is largely incomprehensible to the DVLA.
Its just the same as the UK, the plastic license is printed with the entitlement, there might have been a certificate in Japanese, but not sure where! I would think the DVLA would want to see the license. Blimey good luck, all sounds a bit of a nightmare, DVLA managed to lose my motorcycle entitlement completely resulting after loads of wrangling with them in me having to "re-do" my test.
I hasten to add this was a good few years ago. I needed to update my licence through a change of address, sent old one back, got new licence back all good or so I thought. About a year later noticed that the new licence had no full motorcycle entitlement, rang them up, told them where I'd passed and the year, didn't keep or could find the certificate. Sorry sir "no record" ?? after loads of back and forth I actually re did my licence.
I hasten to add this was a good few years ago. I needed to update my licence through a change of address, sent old one back, got new licence back all good or so I thought. About a year later noticed that the new licence had no full motorcycle entitlement, rang them up, told them where I'd passed and the year, didn't keep or could find the certificate. Sorry sir "no record" ?? after loads of back and forth I actually re did my licence.
stu67 said:
Blimey good luck, all sounds a bit of a nightmare, DVLA managed to lose my motorcycle entitlement completely resulting after loads of wrangling with them in me having to "re-do" my test.
I hasten to add this was a good few years ago. I needed to update my licence through a change of address, sent old one back, got new licence back all good or so I thought. About a year later noticed that the new licence had no full motorcycle entitlement, rang them up, told them where I'd passed and the year, didn't keep or could find the certificate. Sorry sir "no record" ?? after loads of back and forth I actually re did my licence.
This is exactly what scares me. “ oh, you had a Japanese license? Then you shouldn’t have had a UK license, or your Japanese license has expired? so we have to cancel your UK one” I hasten to add this was a good few years ago. I needed to update my licence through a change of address, sent old one back, got new licence back all good or so I thought. About a year later noticed that the new licence had no full motorcycle entitlement, rang them up, told them where I'd passed and the year, didn't keep or could find the certificate. Sorry sir "no record" ?? after loads of back and forth I actually re did my licence.
I am having nightmares already….
mersontheperson said:
This is exactly what scares me. “ oh, you had a Japanese license? Then you shouldn’t have had a UK license, or your Japanese license has expired? so we have to cancel your UK one”
I am having nightmares already….
Assume that the civil servants won't actually talk to anyone in the Japanese equivalent of Swansea. Does the paper copy/card have an expiry date on the motorcycle category? If yes, and it's prior to today, you don't have a Japanese motorcycle entitlement, so they won't give you one on your UK licence. If not, get the translation, send it in.I am having nightmares already….
Once you're in the DVLA system, you will "have" a licence for ever, regardless of possession of paper or plastic copies, so don't fret unduly about that.
I am curious to this too, I am English and living in Japan last 7 years and got a motorcycle licence here (and actually thinking to take the *Ogata* \ unlimited licence soon). Did you manage to get the extra category on your UK licence?
And to do that did you have to surrender your Japanese licence?
I may come back to UK in next 1 -2 years, but worried about losing my Japan licence since I have PR in Japan and may move back to Japan after kids schooling finished.
Any update or insight appreciated
And to do that did you have to surrender your Japanese licence?
I may come back to UK in next 1 -2 years, but worried about losing my Japan licence since I have PR in Japan and may move back to Japan after kids schooling finished.
Any update or insight appreciated
c63black said:
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And to do that did you have to surrender your Japanese licence?
Don't know about Japan but I had an Italian licence (Car & Bike) which I exchanged for a UK licence, I had to send the Italian licence to DVLA but they didn't return it. And to do that did you have to surrender your Japanese licence?
Don't know if I could have asked for it back, wasn't that bothered at the time but, surely you could apply for another if you return to Japan, just say you lost it?
Conversely my Sister had a UK licence when we moved to Italy (I did bike/car tests when we lived there) and the Italian authorities gave her an Italian licence and returned the UK one to her.
For the love of god get some certified copies of your Japanese licence so you have some evidence (this won't help initially as the first point shows but can be used if it comes to the second point).
The DVLA has a very long history of totally screwing this up for a lot of people where they lost their MC/HGV entitlement on renewal/replacement/transfer etc. I beleive a fair few have also had random entitlements ADDED as well as deleted. The DVLA didn't want to know and all involved had to retake - even with evidence provided by Senior Police Officers as this has happened to a number of bike cops.
I remember only ONE time where they backed down which was when a local MP threatend to get a Parliamentary Select Committee (?) involved.
The DVLA has a very long history of totally screwing this up for a lot of people where they lost their MC/HGV entitlement on renewal/replacement/transfer etc. I beleive a fair few have also had random entitlements ADDED as well as deleted. The DVLA didn't want to know and all involved had to retake - even with evidence provided by Senior Police Officers as this has happened to a number of bike cops.
I remember only ONE time where they backed down which was when a local MP threatend to get a Parliamentary Select Committee (?) involved.
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