A few questions on the UK driver's license test

Hi All, a couple questions:

1. If I were to take the test in a left-hand drive car, would that limit the qualifications of my license somehow, similar to how if you pass the test driving a car with automatic transmission, your license would only qualify you to drive that type of car?

2. For the practical test, do you have the option of using one of their cars, and if so, roughly how much would that cost?

3. My mother, a U.S. citizen, lives in France but doesn't have a prayer of passing the French driver's test seeing as it took her more than 3 years to learn how to say "Hi, how are you?" in French. She can't exchange her U.S. license directly for a French one, thus she'd like to get a UK license and then exchange it for a French one. How hard would it be for her to tell a bit of a white lie and say she currently lives at my address, in order to take the UK test? How thorough is the DVLA in trying to verify that you are indeed a UK resident? The other thing is, she'd have to ensure that getting a UK license that's for an automatic car could be exchanged for a French one...need to verify that.

Many Thanks,

Hi All, a couple questions:

1. If I were to take the test in a left-hand drive car, would that limit the qualifications of my license somehow, similar to how if you pass the test driving a car with automatic transmission, your license would only qualify you to drive that type of car?

Nope, no limitation!   

2. For the practical test, do you have the option of using one of their cars, and if so, roughly how much would that cost?

I know that you can use the instructor's car if you go through AA.  The charge is the same as the lesson hourly rate (£10 per hour up here).

1. If I were to take the test in a left-hand drive car, would that limit the qualifications of my license somehow, similar to how if you pass the test driving a car with automatic transmission, your license would only qualify you to drive that type of car?

Nope, not at all. However the car would make the examiner much more nervous and probably leave you less likely to pass the test - and the pass rate right now is less than 50%

2. For the practical test, do you have the option of using one of their cars, and if so, roughly how much would that cost?
As was said before you can use your instructors car. It's always best to take a few lessons, no matter how long you have been driving. The charge is usually the same as for 2 hours of driving lessons

3. My mother, a U.S. citizen, lives in France but doesn't have a prayer of passing the French driver's test seeing as it took her more than 3 years to learn how to say "Hi, how are you?" in French. She can't exchange her U.S. license directly for a French one, thus she'd like to get a UK license and then exchange it for a French one. How hard would it be for her to tell a bit of a white lie and say she currently lives at my address, in order to take the UK test? How thorough is the DVLA in trying to verify that you are indeed a UK resident? The other thing is, she'd have to ensure that getting a UK license that's for an automatic car could be exchanged for a French one...need to verify that.

No idea. What the  DVLA says is If you want to take a GB driving test you must be normally resident in Great Britain.  However, if you have moved to GB having recently been permanently resident in another state of the EC/EEA, you must have been normally resident in GB for 185 days in the 12 months prior to your application for a driving test and a full licence I have no idea how well they verify that.

Rosie

3. My mother, a U.S. citizen, lives in France but doesn't have a prayer of passing the French driver's test seeing as it took her more than 3 years to learn how to say "Hi, how are you?" in French. She can't exchange her U.S. license directly for a French one, thus she'd like to get a UK license and then exchange it for a French one. How hard would it be for her to tell a bit of a white lie and say she currently lives at my address, in order to take the UK test? How thorough is the DVLA in trying to verify that you are indeed a UK resident? The other thing is, she'd have to ensure that getting a UK license that's for an automatic car could be exchanged for a French one...need to verify that.

In order to get a UK Provisional license, I think your mother would need to prove who she was with her US passport.  Unless she had an appropriate Visa giving her the right to be in the UK for an appropriate period, I suspect that she wouldn't get the UK license issued and might end up with the immigration people a bit interested in how long she intended to stay.

Our experience has been that to follow the rules and the spirit of the rules too, however silly they seem, is usually a much easier course of action.  Lies (even "white" ones) tend to get caught, lie on your record, and make it hard for people to believe you in future contacts.

Just another FYI.  I only wanted a Automatic Licence.  Since my instructor only had a manual car, she gave me lessons in my own car.  I wanted to make sure that I could take the test in my own car, and I searched through the DVLA website and it seemed like my car passed (automatic new beetle).  But... when i got to the test center, low and behold it did not meet regulations.  My car needed to be equiped with (2) L stickers and (1) extra mirror for the examiner.  The exaimer was really nice and went inside to borrow the necessary bits.  After the test (which I passed!), I tried to ask if these L plates and extra mirror were compulsary or just convienent for the exaimer.  Couldn't get a straight answer.  So.... you can take the test in your own car (as long as you're insured in it, etc), but i would be safe and attach two L plates and an extra mirror (borrow the mirror from your instructor?)...

The "L" plates are a legal requirement on any car being driven by somebody who has not yet passed a test and is driving on a provisional license (= U.S. learner's permit).    That includes while practicing in an instructor's car, in a family car, and during the test.

If you already have a valid U.S. license though, you're perfectly entitled to drive a car without the "L" plates anyway, so I wouldn't have thought they would be a requirement for the test either.   Did the examiner realize that you already have a full American license?    Maybe the law is badly worded, or maybe the examiners are just used to regular British learners and assume that everybody needs the plates.

I've never heard of having to equip your car with a second mirror for the examiner.  The only requirements I've ever been aware of are that:

1.  The vehicle is of the correct category for the test in question.

2.  The legal papers for the vehicle and candidate are in order, i.e. current tax disc, MoT certificate (if required), valid learner's license or overseas license, insurance which covers use of the vehicle.

3.  Everything required by law on that specific vehicle is present and operational, i.e. tires not below minimum tread depth, turn signals and brake lights work, etc.

4.  The vehicle must be reasonably clean and tidy.

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=103

Here is what they have listed:

Test vehicle for a car test and car and trailer test
Category B (See Notes 1 + 2)
Cars or vans presented for test must be


a four wheeled vehicle
capable of a speed of at least 100 km/h (62.5mph) and be fitted with:
a passenger seatbelt
passenger head restraint
an interior mirror for the examiner's use

I know that you can use the instructor's car if you go through AA.  The charge is the same as the lesson hourly rate (£10 per hour up here).

You can take the test in the instructor's car regardless of whether you go through AA. Any instructor will allow you to use his/her car at the lesson rate. If you really want an automatic only license (which is what I did), your best bet is to find an instructor who teaches automatic and has an automatic car. While not as common as manual instructors, they're not hard to find.

You can take the test in the instructor's car regardless of whether you go through AA. Any instructor will allow you to use his/her car at the lesson rate. If you really want an automatic only license (which is what I did), your best bet is to find an instructor who teaches automatic and has an automatic car. While not as common as manual instructors, they're not hard to find.

I didn't mean one could only use AA -- I just meant that I am familiar with AA's policies and know that their instructors will let one use their car.   

I didn't mean one could only use AA -- I just meant that I am familiar with AA's policies and know that their instructors will let one use their car.   

Sorry, Lola! I misunderstood! 

Onetiger... you must have better eyes than me.  I reread that DVLA page and I never saw the interior mirror bit.  OH well.

As for the L plates... I explained to the examiner that as I was legally driving on a full US licence I didn't need them.  However, his reasoning was that as we were going to be doing maneuvers (sp?) (emergency stop, etc) best to put the L plates on.  I totally agree with his reasoning but since I'd been driving for 11 months w/o L plates... Better to be safe, rather than sorry and put the plates and the mirror on.

You can take the test in the instructor's car regardless of whether you go through AA. Any instructor will allow you to use his/her car at the lesson rate. If you really want an automatic only license (which is what I did), your best bet is to find an instructor who teaches automatic and has an automatic car. While not as common as manual instructors, they're not hard to find.

Not neceserairy at lesson rates though, the first instrctor I used charged 65 pounds for using the car for the test, appranetly because of the insurance. Lessons were 18 pound an hour. My current instructor charges lesson rates, and counts it as a 2 hour lesson as he does an hours driving lesson right before the test.

However, his reasoning was that as we were going to be doing maneuvers (sp?) (emergency stop, etc) best to put the L plates on. 

Sounds like a typical bureaucrat.  Next time I have to slam the brakes on quickly or back around a corner, maybe I should get out of the car and stick "L" plates on first?!     

He may have decided it best to use the "L" plates, but he cannot insist on something which is not required by law.  So presumably if there were no spare plates handy, he couldn't have refused to continue with the test just for this reason.

Cars or vans presented for test must be

a four wheeled vehicle
capable of a speed of at least 100 km/h (62.5mph) and be fitted with:
a passenger seatbelt
passenger head restraint
an interior mirror for the examiner's use

Hmm.... They seem to have added things there which were never part of the requirements before, the extra mirror being one of them.   

As for head restraints and seatbelts, what if somebody wanted to take a test in a vintage/classic car which has neither?     That sounds as though they're saying you can't use a car which is perfectly legal to take the test.

I detect an e-mail to DVLA is due on this (I've had good exchanges with them before!).   

My current instructor charges lesson rates, and counts it as a 2 hour lesson as he does an hours driving lesson right before the test.

That's what mine did. One last "brush up" lesson before my test. So the charge for that day was double. But it was still only at the regular lesson rate. I guess all instructors are different.

My instructor has set me up for a mock driving test tomorrow. I am kinda freaking out.  Really freaking out even,,,,LOL