uk driving licence

[billyyoung]

Hi , I am going to orlando in june to a villa booked through this site ( very good site and full of useful information ). I have one question though i have the new style uk licence the card and paper counterpart which needs to be renewed in august this year ie new photo to be done. I have hired a car for my trip will i get the rental ok or should I renew my licence before i go. I know its not the same but just because you need to have a certain lenght of time on your passport it has made me wonder

thanks for any help billy

[roger]

Hi Billy. Your paper style license will be fine. See http://www.uscarhire.co.uk/faq-licenses.aspx

[billyyoung]

hi roger it is a new style licence with both paper and card. every 10 years i think it needs to be renewed. but its up for renewal in august will this be ok

[roger]

Sorry, I was reading too fast. Yes, this is fine. The only stipulation is that the license is valid for the entire duration of your rental.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by billyyoung
Hi , I am going to orlando in june to a villa booked through this site ( very good site and full of useful information ). I have one question though i have the new style uk licence the card and paper counterpart which needs to be renewed in august this year ie new photo to be done. I have hired a car for my trip will i get the rental ok or should I renew my licence before i go. I know its not the same but just because you need to have a certain lenght of time on your passport it has made me wonder

thanks for any help billy
[/quote]
You have to renew your UK driving licence every 10 years? Mine is valid until one day prior to my 70th birthday, which is in 2030 [:O]

Also there's no requirement for "a certain length of time on your passport" any more. It used to be 6 months, but now as long as your passport is valid for the length of your stay in USA it's OK (despite what some airlines and travel agents might tell you).

[billyyoung]

the new photo card licence have to be renewed. the one i have just now was vaild for 7 year. i think it is something to do with the picture on it maybe getting updated. either way i have the form someplace and it costs £17.50 if i remember correct . this must be done as it is an offence to drive if its invalid so if you have one check lol. i only know because i work in a hgv garage and my licence is check regulary by the work and if iam stopped on a roadside check by the police or vosa

[billyyoung]

oh forgot to mention thank you roger :D

[sunseeker]

Only the photo part of your licence needs to be replaced every 10 years. the paper part expires a day before your 70th birthday.

Dave

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by billyyoung
the new photo card licence have to be renewed. the one i have just now was vaild for 7 year. i think it is something to do with the picture on it maybe getting updated. either way i have the form someplace and it costs £17.50 if i remember correct . this must be done as it is an offence to drive if its invalid so if you have one check lol. i only know because i work in a hgv garage and my licence is check regulary by the work and if iam stopped on a roadside check by the police or vosa
[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sunseeker

Only the photo part of your licence needs to be replaced every 10 years. the paper part expires a day before your 70th birthday.
[/quote]

That's odd...I do have one of the new photo licences, and I just checked it more closely after reading these posts from billyyoung and sunseeker.

The field 4a "Licence valid from" is 03-11-01 and the field 4b "Licence valid to" is 02-11-11, so mine appears to be valid for 10 years, not 7. The categories on the reverse are valid until 09-09-30.

So thanks for the heads-up...I honestly hadn't realised that before! That's going to be an interesting conversation with the DVLA, seeing as I no longer have a UK address. In fact I had already left the UK by the time my current licence became valid - what's that about [msnoo][?]

Incidentally, did anyone see Watchdog last night, and the report on how often the DVLA cocks it up when you need info on your driving licence updated? [msnscared][:O]

[billyyoung]

yeah seen watchdog hope my hgv licence doesnt disapear or fingers crossed a add the motor bike one that the fiancee keeps saying im not getting lol

think mines was only valid the 7 because of changing address a few year back. obviouly to this into account

[billyyoung]

think mines was only valid the 7 because of changing address a few year back. obviouly to this into account

[sarahnmitch]

Sniff, I am in a similar situation. My old style paper license is literally falling apart - despite lots of sellotape. When I contacted DVLA about a replacement, they said that as I was living in Germany, I needed to get a German license. Off I went to the German license office and they told me that they wouldn't issue me one as I already possess a European license.

I am going to have to apply for a new license using my parents address (still the same after 15 years). Do you have any relatives in the UK that would allow you to use their address?

Sarah

[steph_goodrum]

The DVLA very craftily sneaked in the 10 year renewal when they bought in the photo license, alot of people got caught out as they hadn't realised as the first ones to expire ran out in July last year and lots of people were driving without realising it which technically could have invalidated their insurance if they had a claim. The insurance companies said they would look at cases individually so if it looked like a genuine oversight they would not penalise drivers. How hard would it have been though for DVLA to issue reminders based on the assumption if they hadnt changed their license address they could still be where they were registered to give people the heads up. Thats why they had a tv campaign.

My hubby refuses to change his until he is forced to because of this even though the plastic one would be handy to carry as id instead of passport.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sarahnmitch
Sniff, I am in a similar situation. My old style paper license is literally falling apart - despite lots of sellotape. When I contacted DVLA about a replacement, they said that as I was living in Germany, I needed to get a German license. Off I went to the German license office and they told me that they wouldn't issue me one as I already possess a European license.

I am going to have to apply for a new license using my parents address (still the same after 15 years). Do you have any relatives in the UK that would allow you to use their address?

Sarah
[/quote]
Hi Sarah. Yes, exactly the same as you, I use my parents address, and i'll continue to use that. My concern is being without my licence for the time it takes for the DVLA to process my renewal. I also hope they don't require proof of address :-)

It is a mess...like you say, as I already have a UK-issued European licence I am not entitled to apply for a German one. But of course I can't have a German address on my UK licence, so I have to put an invalid address.

I always used to try and explain when I rented a car in UK and they look at your licence and ask "Is this your current address?"...quite a few times they almost refused to rent me a car because they claimed what I was doing was illegal. Now I just lie and say "yes, that's my correct address".

However if I want to take my motorbike test, which i have considered doing, I cannot do that in the UK because I am not resident there. I must do it in Germany. So then I will have two licences, one for a bike and one for a car. Crazy.

[sarahnmitch]

Kieth, I think that if you photocopy your license and also the application for renewal, you should be okay. Just tell the authorities that your license is up for renewal. Not a problem for me as I also carry a US Forces drivers license which is honored by the Germans.