Renting a car on US license

Hello!

Long time reader, first time caller.

Quick question to which I seem to have not been able to find a clear answer. I have been in the UK on Tier 4 visa since Sept 2012 (I've renewed twice). I'm a final year phD student and recently married a UK resident.

We were thinking of renting a car to drive down to Cambridge for Christmas (and the football on boxing day) but I have yet to pass my UK driving test (although my instructor thinks I am ready, I just continually take lessons and never book). I know that my NY State license was valid for the first year that I lived here, but does that include renting a car and purchasing insurance through the company? When my parents came over in 2014, my father rented a car and I was added on by the rental company as the second driver (with my NY State license and proof I was a student) and was able to share the driving with him for two weeks.

Am I remiss in thinking that I can rent a car with my US license even though my original entry date was in 2012? I had been here for over 2 years when I drove a rental with my dad. Or to be the lead driver would I have to show my flight information home?

Anyone have any experience with this?

You only had 12 months to legally drive in the UK on your US licence after you arrived in the UK in 2012.

Once those 12 months were up, if you had not passed the UK tests and did not gain a UK licence, it has been illegal for you to drive in the UK on your US licence. If you wish to drive now, you will need to apply for a UK provisional licence and will be treated like a learner driver until you have passed your tests and have a full UK licence

Therefore, if you have driven on your US licence AT ALL since 2013, you have been driving illegally, without a valid licence and and without valid insurance.

So, if you wish to hire a car in the UK, it will have to be in your UK spouse's name only and you will not be legally allowed to drive it.

Thanks. This is what I thought.

Was I driving illegally when I drove a rental car in 2014? The rental company allowed me to be put down as a driver and I did drive.

Also, my spouse does not drive, hence this even being an issue.

Thanks. This is what I thought.

Was I driving illegally when I drove a rental car in 2014? The rental company allowed me to be put down as a driver and I did drive.

Unfortunately you were driving illegally... and because it wasn't legal to drive on your US licence anymore, the hire car insurance would not have been valid while you were driving either.

If you had been stopped by the police while driving, you could have been charged with driving without a valid licence or valid insurance.

For all the car hire company knew, you could have been just a visitor to the UK like your parents, so it was your responsibility to know you could only drive for the first 12 months and to make sure you weren't added to the car rental paperwork.

I did know I could only drive for 1 year and the rental company definitely knew I was not a visitor and had been living in the UK for over 2 years.

This is what I thought though. Guess I'll book my test someday.

I did know I could only drive for 1 year and the rental company definitely knew I was not a visitor and had been living in the UK for over 2 years.

It’s not their responsibility to determine if you are driving legally or not, though, it’s yours.

You have to provide a valid driving licence in order to hire a car... under UK law, yours wasn’t valid. You knew you could only drive for those first 12 months, but you allowed the hire company to add your details to the policy anyway.

Edited to add: deleted the last part as I missed you had already taken driving lessons.


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If your instructor thinks you are ready, you are ready.   . Give it a go!  Good luck!