Theory test

Why is there no reciprocal agreement between the US and the UK anyway?

The excuse I've seen before is that with driver licensing in the U.S. being at state level, there would need to be 50+ reciprocal agreements.

I really don't buy that as much of a valid reason for the point at hand though.  The government could easily just make a blanket rule that anyone applying for a test who already has a valid American license from any state/territory does not have to take the hazard test. 

It already happens the other way despite a lack of any specific reciprocal agreements; e.g. in Nebraska the practical driving part of the test can be waived at the DMV's discretion for anyone who already has an out-of-state (including foreign) license.   I know that many other states work the same way.

I think the whole thing is unfair and US licence holders should really be exempt from most of it. Any European can come here and drive--even if they don't speak English--and they drive on the other side of the road too. At least Americans can read the road signs!

What makes it even more silly is that you can drive here with the DVLA's blessing for up to 12 months anyway.  If you're considered adequately qualified to drive here as a tourist and to drive here for the first year as a resident, is the hazard test -- or even the practical driving part -- really that necessary?

Why is there no reciprocal agreement between the US and the UK anyway?

The excuse I've seen before is that with driver licensing in the U.S. being at state level, there would need to be 50+ reciprocal agreements.

Thats exactly the reason I have heard aswell which I can slightly understand, the DVLA are already busy dealing with the 43million vehicles in this country and the 48million driving licences going around - to start digging into agreements with each state (and then other countries who will complain like Aus, NZ and the like) to find out exactly what there test standards are is going to be labour intensive.

What makes it even more silly is that you can drive here with the DVLA's blessing for up to 12 months anyway.  If you're considered adequately qualified to drive here as a tourist and to drive here for the first year as a resident, is the hazard test -- or even the practical driving part -- really that necessary?

In my view yes, at present (IIRC) if you are driving on your US licence you can not hold points for traffic offences on your licence so you just pay the fines - to have everyone on common licences does make sense as you can then hold points and subject to a driving ban the same as anyone else, be qualified for all of the correct entitlements (HGV, Minibus driving for example) and the DVLA are aware of your medical history to name a few things.

I don't particularly agree with all these european driving licences floating about either when some countries that are now in europe have woeful standards of driving but the DVLA's hands are firmly tied and it down to the government who have said that it is OK 

oh i beg to differ about your last point

In my view yes, at present (IIRC) if you are driving on your US licence you can not hold points for traffic offences on your licence so you just pay the fines - to have everyone on common licences does make sense as you can then hold points and subject to a driving ban the same as anyone else, be qualified for all of the correct entitlements (HGV, Minibus driving for example) and the DVLA are aware of your medical history to name a few things.

when i was legally driving on my US licence, i speed and was caught.  unbeknownst me ot me, these 3 points were put onto a UK ghost licence.  when i applied for my full UK licence, the points were applied.

when i was legally driving on my US licence, i speed and was caught.  unbeknownst me ot me, these 3 points were put onto a UK ghost licence.  when i applied for my full UK licence, the points were applied.

You're right. Unless you're lucky enough to slip through the cracks, those points will catch up with you sooner or later. 

In my view yes, at present (IIRC) if you are driving on your US licence you can not hold points for traffic offences on your licence so you just pay the fines - to have everyone on common licences does make sense as you can then hold points and subject to a driving ban the same as anyone else, be qualified for all of the correct entitlements (HGV, Minibus driving for example) and the DVLA are aware of your medical history to name a few things.

But how does that affect the simple waiving of some/all of the tests?   In fact, if U.S. drivers didn't have to undergo all the testing and could simply exchange licenses, you could probably reduce the period of grace from 12 months to 6 months and get them on a U.K. license sooner.

oh i beg to differ about your last point

when i was legally driving on my US licence, i speed and was caught.  unbeknownst me ot me, these 3 points were put onto a UK ghost licence.  when i applied for my full UK licence, the points were applied.

And as I understand it, if you clocked up enough points on your U.K. "ghost" license, you could still be banned from driving here on your U.S. license anyway, at least in theory -- I don't know if it's ever happened in practice.   

Your U.S. license effectively allows you to drive here under the same conditions as a U.K. license holder for that first 12 months.  I think I'm right in saying, for example, that a fully licensed 16-year-old American driver is not legally allowed to drive a car here because the minimum age in the U.K. is 17.

But how does that affect the simple waiving of some/all of the tests? 

They wouldn't be able to take so much money from us that way.

They wouldn't be able to take so much money from us that way. 

Would I be so cynical as to agree?      Yep!      

They really are money grabbers here.     I'm due to take my theory test this week and I'm a bit nervous if for any reason I've got to pay for it again if I fail...  Call me cheap, but hey it could get to be expensive. 

To get my provisional I had to go into the DVLA to prove and establish my identity.  I miss the BMV/DMV in the states...  I got my written test & practical tests for free and you only had to wait at least 2 weeks between tests if you failed.      I asked them about why they don't take US licences over here and they said it was because they have no way to prove what kind of vehicle (manual or automatic) that you took your driving test in, like how Canada and other British commonwealths do, as they state it on your test / record.  They do the same over here.  That's why they want you to take your driving test in a manual car over here 'cause if you'd take your test it in an automatic I guess you're not "legally" able to drive a manual car in this country...     Oh well.

I asked them about why they don't take US licences over here and they said it was because they have no way to prove what kind of vehicle (manual or automatic) that you took your driving test in

Logically though, if that were the real reason there would be nothing to stop DVLA being allowed to issue a U.K. "automatics only" license in exchange for a U.S. license.  It would at least alleviate the problem to an extent.

if you'd take your test it in an automatic I guess you're not "legally" able to drive a manual car in this country...    

As far as a regular U.K. driver is concerned, if he passes his test in a vehicle with automatic transmission then the license will indicate that, and he is not allowed to drive stick.   

This throws up another rather silly effect of the rules though.  For the first 12 months you can drive on your U.S. license -- automatic or manual.  If you then took your U.K. test in an automatic though, after the 12 months expires you would then not be allowed to drive a manual transmission.   

Not to insult US drivers, or imply that UK driving standards are fantastic, but I believe the reason you can't simply trade in your US license for a UK one, so to speak, is that some US states have woefully inadequate testing standards.
The UK driving test is pretty tricky to pass compared to most countries, and I guess, since the standard in some US states isn't up to scratch, then everyone from the US suffers.  I suppose they could set up reciprocal agreements with states which cut the mustard (I believe Germany has such agreements with selected states) but I guess that would be too much trouble for the DVLA to bother themselves with.

I asked them about why they don't take US licences over here and they said it was because they have no way to prove what kind of vehicle (manual or automatic) that you took your driving test in, like how Canada and other British commonwealths do, as they state it on your test / record. 

Total bulls**t!!  Canadians are only allowed to exchange their licenses to an automatic licence because Canadian testing agencies DON'T state on the test what vehicle you have been tested on.  If you take a test on a manual in Canada, you can request a letter stating as such, but it is not standard practice.  If only I had known that when I took my test all those years ago!

Not to insult US drivers, or imply that UK driving standards are fantastic, but I believe the reason you can't simply trade in your US license for a UK one, so to speak, is that some US states have woefully inadequate testing standards.

Which begs the question:  If those standards are so poor (and I'm not saying that they are), why do we let people from those states drive here as tourists or for the first year of residency?