Foreign Residents

.Foreign Residents

Driving in Great Britain as a new resident or visitor?

For information required to drive on GB roads check the Driving Licence Checker on the Gov UK Website.

If you hold a full valid licence in an EC/EEA Country you do not need to immediately change it for a GB licence.

With a valid EC/EEA licence you can drive in GB until you reach the age of 70 years, or 3 years after you become a resident in GB, whichever is the longest?

Countries that belong to the EC/EEA are:

Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Germany, France, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, Lithuania, Malta, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Ireland, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, and Luxembourg.

It is possible to exchange your valid driving licence to a GB driving licence from the following countries:

Canada, British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Australia, Falkland Islands, South Africa, Barbados, Gibraltar, Monaco, and New Zealand.

You can drive in the UK for up to 1 year using a full driving licence from one of the above countries, before you would need to exchange it for a UK driving licence. (Special conditions apply to Japanese, Republic of Korea, and Canadian driving licences.)

Residency

You must be normally resident in GB to be issued with a full GB driving licence.

Meaning the place where you normally live and work or have personal ties. If you are permanently resident in another EC/EEA country but have moved to GB, then you must be normally resident in GB or studying for at least 6 months of the previous 12 months before you are permitted to apply for your driving test in GB.

You can only exchange driving licences from EC/EEA /Countries or designated ones above. However you can drive in GB for up to one year using your non GB driving licence or international driving permit.

Should you wish to take the GB driving test you would need to apply for provisional driving licence.