NOT getting UK license?

Yeah, i did my lessons in London too, and ut was no big deal. Pretty much prepared me for anything!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

What's this about getting it within a year? 

I got here end of July 2012 and we don't have a car.  We live in central London and DF and I have agreed that I'll do the driving in the States and he'll do driving here.    We don't have plans to get a car, but in the (far) future, we may.

Would it save hassle later to get it before I've been here for a year?  Are the costs/procedures different after I've been here for a year?

Would it save hassle later to get it before I've been here for a year?  Are the costs/procedures different after I've been here for a year?

If you have a US licence, you can only drive legally on it for 12 months after you arrive in the UK. If you wish to drive after the 12 months is up you need to have a UK licence.

You can get a UK licence whenever you like (no change in costs or anything), but if you do not have the UK licence by the time the 12 months is up, you will be treated like a learner driver in the UK.

This means that in order to drive legally until you get the UK licence, you will need a UK provisional licence, plus you must be accompanied at all times by someone who is over 21 and had held a UK licence for 3 years or more, you must also display red 'L' plates on the car and you will not be allowed to drive on motorways.

Because of this, it's a good idea to try to get your UK licence before the 12 months is up (before July 2013 for you) so you don't have to worry about being a 'learner driver'.

Thanks, ksand! 

If I do it before the 12 months are up, do I need to take a driving test here or just show them my US license and my passport with my FLR(M) visa and arrival stamp to prove I'm a resident and the date I entered?

For the record, there is no legal requirement in the UK to carry ID.

Although, I'm sure having one could come in handy in several situations, especially if someone looks young and goes out drinking. I am not young, and even I have been asked for proof of age at a few bars and clubs, and I did not have anything to present to them. I got in anyway, every time, but, still... It might be good for me to get something.

I do not carry my passport because if it is lost, replacing it, with the visa, is so expensive, and such a pain!

I drove here for the seven months, before we moved into London, but after moving, I stopped. No need now - and if we do need the car, hubby likes to drive. So, I never got a UK DL.

After reading this thread, I have decided I will consider getting the provisional, as an ID, in the near future, as it seems like a good thing to have...

If I do it before the 12 months are up, do I need to take a driving test here or just show them my US license and my passport with my FLR(M) visa and arrival stamp to prove I'm a resident and the date I entered?

No, unfortunately, you will have to take all the UK tests - EU citizens and people from other countries are allowed to just exchange their licences for UK ones because their home countries have reciprocal agreements for UK citizens.

However, the US does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK (something that I believe the US won't agree to due to the different laws in each state), so US citizens are not allowed to just exchange their licences for UK ones, they must take and pass all the regular UK driving tests (theory and practical).

It can potentially take a few months to pass the tests, so it's a good idea to get started on the process as soon as you can.

First, you need to apply for a provisional licence, then you can study for and take the theory test and then finally the practical test.

It's a good idea to take a few driving lessons first, even if you have been driving in the US. This is because you need to learn how to 'pass the test' - there are specific things you need to do in order to pass (such as how you turn the steering wheel, how you carry out the required manoeuvres, etc.) and the first-time pass rate for most test centres is only about 50%, so you'll want to be as prepared as you can be so you can try to pass on the first try.

Also, there can be long waiting times for test appointments, although I think they are generally better than they used to be (back when I learned to drive, there was a 2-month wait for booking a test appointment and I failed twice, so it took 6 months from booking the first test to actually getting the licence!).

I've been living in the UK for 3 years now and never felt the need to get a UK drivers license...until I had to send my passport off for what has now been more than 3 months - 1 month while it was renewed by US Embassy in London and now 10 weeks that I've been waiting for UKBA to make a decision on the spouse visa I've applied for. As I'm anticipating another 2-4 months of waiting, it would be VERY useful to have another form of legal ID to use since I can't do something as simple as getting a new bank account or mobile phone contract, let alone a credit card or anything like that. I even had trouble buying wine at Waitrose because their official policy is not to accept US drivers licenses for controlled substance purchases!

So for driving, I could care less. For legal ID when I don't have my passport and am in a form of legal ID limbo and limited in carrying on some aspects of daily life as a result...I REALLY wish I had taken the trouble to get alternative identification that is legally recognised in this country.

it would be VERY useful to have another form of legal ID to use since I can't do something as simple as getting a new bank account or mobile phone contract, let alone a credit card or anything like that. I even had trouble buying wine at Waitrose because their official policy is not to accept US drivers licenses for controlled substance purchases!

That's strange! They don't require you to carry your licence/ID with you in the UK, even when you drive. So I would imagine many folks wouldn't have anything with them, even if they are from the UK! I've never ever been asked for ID to buy alcohol in the UK (I always forget when I get back to the US!)

I don't plan on getting a license when I get to Guernsey because the island is small and I can either walk or take a short bus ride to get where I need to go.Plus, there are almost no places to park cars. I'm okay with all this.

DW spent a year and 4 failed tests getting her full UK licence and has now not driven in 2 years here because she's afraid to and doesn't like it, she loves driving in the US! At least I guess she has her licence, just wish she could get over this fear she has.

What a difference a couple of weeks makes! DW had been to the docs about some other anxiety issues and he referred her to a specialist and they said the driving one she needed to confront as the confidence from that could help with others. So we had a chat and she said if she could just do short runs, with me in the car, to supermarket etc. Well, she was working on Saturday and I usually drive her in (20 miles) and she takes train back. So I decided that I'd get her to drive, didn't tell her until Sat morning as I didn't want it praying on her mind so that she wouldn't sleep. She was ok about doing it cause the roads are quiet at that time and she did great. She felt so different because of that.
On Sunday it was our anniversary and we were going for breakfast at Frankie and Bennys (great pancakes by the way!) before going to Scarborough for the day. So she said she'd drive down to F&B, about 5 mins away. I drove to Scarborough but when we were setting off to come home she said she'd drive and she did the whole way back with quite a few traffic jams and did great again..........I was so relaxed I was falling asleep or playing on my phone rather than acting like a driving instructor!
So pleased and proud of her for confronting this finally!

Just passed my test but not just so I could drive. There are many things here in the UK that a "provisional" license are not counted as a valid ID. I think this is partly due to the fact you just send off for it with no real checks done. It's issued as a part of your driving test not as an ID. I know Tesco ect.. will not accept it.... as well as banks.

Thanks, everyone!  I'm sorry for not replying sooner; we started the school term and things have been hectic.  I think I will go ahead and send out for the provisional license soon.  I wish I could go to one of the offices to apply instead of having to send in the passport, but I'll make sure I include a trackable pre-paid envelope and watch it like a hawk online until it arrives