questions about car insurance and provisional licenses

Well this time I've got two stupid questions that I'm sure can be easily answered. I'm 19. I've had my driving license (Florida) since the day after my 16th, back in June 2002. So I've had my license for three years and three months. Would offices in the UK take this into account, or would they start the counter at 18? I'm more concerned about this as it relates to car insurance. Let's say I pass the test in the UK next year sometime around my 20th. Would I be considered newly-licensed or could I include my American license that I had two years before I turned 18? I'm sure there's quite a difference between having a brand new license and having had a license for four years by the time I apply for insurance.

My one other question is how I would obtain a provisional licence. I know that you can get it when you're 17 and you take a theory test to pass it. Does my American license equal a provisional license? Or do I have to start over from scratch? Any help would be truly appreciated! Thanks

You'll need to get a provisonal license, before you you can take any driving tests here. You'll have to do the theory first then the practical.

the first link is the general info on how to apply for a provional licence (the first step towards a UK licence)

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/faq/faq_new_drivers.htm#1

this link is specifically for new residents driving in the UK...
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drvingb.htm

You have to start from scratch.  First step, get a provisional license.  Second step, take theory test.  Once you pass the theory test, you can apply to take the practical test.

You can only drive for one year on your US license.  After that, you must drive on your provisional license WITH a qualified supervisor - a driving instructor or someone who is over hte age of 21 and has held a UK license for at least 3 years. 

I just found one paragraph on a page that I hadn't seen before because it's so small, but it states that if I apply for my provisional licence within the 12 month window of my American licence still being valid, I'm not subject to all of the provisional conditions such as displaying L plates, being with a qualified driver, and not being allowed on motorways. Now I've got another question: are certain full licences (in the B category) for automatic transmissions only? I read that Canadian licences can only be exchanged for automatic licences. If I take the practical test with an automatic/tiptronic car, would my full licence restrict me to automatic only or could I drive all class B cars? That's a bit concerning.

My one other question is this - is there any specific length of time that I'd have to hold my provisional before testing for full? Pretending that I pass the theory test immediately, could I technically apply for the practical test as soon as I can schedule an appointment? I want to get a head start on having it for insurance purposes. I just hope I find an insurance provider that will honour my American insurance records and not insure me as having just recieved a licence in the UK. Thanks everyone

I have been driving for over 20 years and I still had to take my driving test with "L" plates!

Even though you consider yourself an experienced driver you are still new to the rules of the road here.

When you take your theory test you will be given a certificate with a number on it. You call a telephone number and schedule your practial test. They will ask you to quote the number on your theory certificate. Most places have a long waiting list for the practical test. Here in Coventry there was at least a 16 week wait! What I did was every single day I would call to see if there were any cancellations. My practical was scheduled for the beginning of July and it was only March. So everyday I called and called and one day I got lucky and they said they just had a cancellation for 15 April so I jumped on it! Some things you just cant rush here!

As for insurance...
When I first moved here and drove on my American license we had our car insured for "any driver over 25". Im not sure what you would do if you were under 25.

Best of luck!

My knowledge of the requirements may be a little out of date, as I took my test long before the theory test came into the picture and before all the license categories were changed.

However, so far as I'm aware, there is no official time limit between obtaining the "provisional" and taking the test, other than the practicalities of getting the appointment.  I obtained my "provisional" (learner's permit) on my 17th birthday and took the test 4 weeks later (I think the waiting lists might be rather longer these days).

Re automatic transmission, if you take the test in an automatic here you get a license which covers you only for automatic cars.    It might be worth inquiring if an existing U.S. license would let you drive stick, but I think you would have to take the test in a car with manual transmission.

As far as I'm aware, if you are within the 12 month period where your American license is valid, you don't have to display L plates except when you take the practical test (you could argue during the test itself you have a fully valid license and don't require L plates but that might be a bit of an uphill battle!).  I certainly didn't have any L plates on my car except when I took the test.  I had a number of lessons which were obviously in the instructor's car so that had L plates on it.

In regards to provisional licenses, I believe you now need to send in certain identification to Swansea to get your provisional and then you can apply for a theory test.  Once you pass that test you should be able to book a practical and so if you found a cancellation for the following week, let's say, you could take it.  If I had to guess, most Americans who have moved to the UK take the test somewhere between 6-12 months of arriving if not later than that purely because of the move itself, and the time spent getting the provisional and taking the theory and practical tests and any ensuing failures that can often occur.

If I were you, I'd learn on a stick shift car.  A vast majority of cars here are manual, you'll have a hard time renting an automatic if you ever needed to and if you ever had to drive a friend's car for whatever reason, it's more than likely to be a manual.  Besides, they're much better than automatics! 

You'll probably pick it up within a month's time, no problem, I bet.

Matt

Thanks everyone. The good news is that I already know how to drive manual. I drive one here in Florida every single day. I'm one of the few. The only thing I'm not used to doing is shifting with my left hand. I'm fine with being on the right side of the car. I drove around the UK and Japan several times. My only problem is that I'm going to be purchasing a Smart car which is semi-automatic, so I need a manual to test on. Someone mentioned that you can use testing cars if you don't want to test on your own which I'd definitely be willing to do. I'm really stressing about the whole moving thing so I might just wait to stress about cars until after I know where I'll be living

Most people here take their test with a driving instructors car.  THere are lots of reputable companies, and they can give you a few lessons full of tips on how to pass the UK test (which is a tough one, by the way!  most don't pass their first try...even experienced drivers...like me!)   Here are  a few links for driving schools:

http://www.bsm.co.uk
http://www.theaa.com/drivingschool/index.html

As far as I'm aware, if you are within the 12 month period where your American license is valid, you don't have to display L plates except when you take the practical test

That's right.

My apologies if this has been covered already, I've just read several threads and my head is spinning from all the good info!

We will be getting a car soon and it needs to be insured.  My husband is from the UK and has a full license.  Can I be on the insurance as well with my US license and/or provisional license?  I'll be applying for my provisional license ASAP.

Many thanks.  *excited and nervous*

Can I be on the insurance as well with my US license and/or provisional license? 

It just depends on the insurance company. I had to call a few before I found one who would cover me with my US license.

We will be getting a car soon and it needs to be insured.  My husband is from the UK and has a full license.  Can I be on the insurance as well with my US license and/or provisional license? 

Policies can generally have one or more "named drivers" added, so if the insurance company is happy to accept your U.S. license, then yes.