USA to UK driver license?????

Hello all,
I was wondering something. As I was licensed in USA to drive (license has since lapsed because I couldnt renew it from the UK), how do I go about getting my UK license?
Do I have to wait until I have my FLR(M)?
Do I go through the test from the begining. ie; driver course and then test.
What is the best and easiest way to go about getting the license thing sorted?
I would really love to be able to drive again. Not that I go anywhere without my hubby, but I would like to be able to do the driving and listen to him bellyache from the passenger seat for change. 
Thanks in advance for all input.

You can apply for a provisional license online:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_10012514

Because your US license has lapsed, you'll need to have provisional plates on your car and you're subject to other driving restrictions, such as only being able to drive with another licensed driver over the age of 23 (I believe?).

After you get your provisional license, you'll be able to take the written and practical exams to get your full UK license.

With a valid US licence you can drive in the UK for the first 12 months after arriving while you prepare for the UK driving tests, but as Cellar Door said, since your US licence has lapsed you will have to start the UK driving process from scratch which means being treated as a learner driver (with learner 'L' plates on the car and you must always be accompanied by a driver over 21 who has held a UK licence for at least 3 years).

You will need to take the theory, hazard perception and practical driving tests to get your licence and it may be worthwhile taking some lessons from a certified instructor because the UK test is very specific and can be very difficult to pass first time.

Thanks ever so much for the info! Its nice to know that I can get right back out there after applying for the provisional online.

Thanks ever so much for the info! Its nice to know that I can get right back out there after applying for the provisional online.

I don't think you can apply for the provisional licence online without a UK passport. I obtained a D-1 form from our local post office and filled it in. I am required to send my original US passport with that application.

I don't think you can apply for the provisional licence online without a UK passport. I obtained a D-1 form from our local post office and filled it in. I am required to send my original US passport with that application.

You can, though, fill it out online and print it out to mail it.  Which, when your handwriting is as bad as mine, is a god-send.  You also have to get a photo taken. WARNING--they will wash the photo out even more than you expect.  Don't be like me and end up looking deranged! Try and get a more-than-good photo.  I went "eeehhh, good enough" and, trust me, it wasn't!
(truly, it's so bad the guy at the theory test site said "Whoa" when he looked at it.)

Have you left the US yet? You might find it a better idea all around to renew your license somewhere in the US, where the tests are familiar and comparatively easy. That buys you a year as an unrestricted driver in the UK to prepare for the UK test.

If you're like most of us, you're gonna need it.

Have you left the US yet? You might find it a better idea all around to renew your license somewhere in the US, where the tests are familiar and comparatively easy. That buys you a year as an unrestricted driver in the UK to prepare for the UK test.

If you're like most of us, you're gonna need it.

I am already settled in the UK and just awaiting my FLR(M).

Jewlz, Jennie and Stoatula, thanks for all the input. I appreciate it.

I was looking around the direct gov website and couldn't find answers to these questions?

When I apply for a provisional license, do I have to do anything to prove I have a valid US license?  I don't think so, but how they know you're entitled to drive without the L-plates,etc...? Do you just have to have your US license with you when you drive?

Also how long is the provisional license valid for?  If I don't get around to taking the driving test for like 13 months, am I ok?  Not that I'm planing on taking that long but getting my license isn't going to be a priority.

I was looking around the direct gov website and couldn't find answers to these questions?

When I apply for a provisional license, do I have to do anything to prove I have a valid US license?  I don't think so, but how they know you're entitled to drive without the L-plates,etc...? Do you just have to have your US license with you when you drive?

Also how long is the provisional license valid for?  If I don't get around to taking the driving test for like 13 months, am I ok?  Not that I'm planing on taking that long but getting my license isn't going to be a priority.

You don't need to prove you have a valid US licence, and you don't need the L plates to drive as long as you have been here for less than one year and have your US driving licence (some people prefer to put the L plates on, though, just to let people know they are inexperienced driving here - they only cost £2 and you can buy them at most garages.) At the moment, you don't even need your provisional licence to drive, you can just drive. You should indeed carry your US driving licence with you when you drive, and I would think you should bring your passport, too, to show when you arrived to UK so any officers who might stop you could determine your right to drive without a UK licence.

Your provisional licence, I believe, is good for quite a long time. I think someone else on the forum applied for her's 5 years ago and just now completed her driving test. So you should be fine there. However, once you have resided in UK for longer than 12 months, you will then be treated like every other learner driver here, meaning you will have to be accompanied by a driver who is over 21 years old and had a full licence for at least 3 years, display L plates, and not drive on motorways until you pass your driving test.

I think when you are just settling in, it's ok to put getting your licence on the back burner. Just being here and getting adjusted to things can be pretty daunting for some people, so adding the stress of driving tests might only make that adjustment harder. I waited until after I had lived here for one year to get my provisional licence and start my lessons, because I just now feel ready to tackle that. It may be a different situation, though, if you are on your own and must drive to get to work or something like that, in that case I may have pushed to get my licence before the year was up. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Your provisional licence, I believe, is good for quite a long time. I think someone else on the forum applied for her's 5 years ago and just now completed her driving test. 

Yep, the provisional licence is good for 10 years!    But of course, you can only drive by yourself on your US licence for the first year you are here, and then thereafter you would need a licensed driver of 3 years or more to accompany you if you are only on a provisional UK licence.

I think when you are just settling in, it's ok to put getting your licence on the back burner. Just being here and getting adjusted to things can be pretty daunting for some people, so adding the stress of driving tests might only make that adjustment harder.

That's what I did for 5 years! 

But I'm legal now & loving it more & more!    Now that we've got our Sat-Nav, I imagine I will be doing most of the driving in our household - much to DH's delight!  I drove us out & around in the Dales yesterday (we went out walking in the country there) & it was great fun.    Then I had to drive through Leeds city centre in taking our friend home...not fun...but that was mostly because the sun was square in my eyes & Leeds city centre is spaghetti junction. 

But I'm legal now & loving it more & more!    Now that we've got our Sat-Nav, I imagine I will be doing most of the driving in our household - much to DH's delight!  I drove us out & around in the Dales yesterday (we went out walking in the country there) & it was great fun.    Then I had to drive through Leeds city centre in taking our friend home...not fun...but that was mostly because the sun was square in my eyes & Leeds city centre is spaghetti junction. 

Awww... look at you go! I hope I am able to do that soon. It feels a bit daunting at the moment, but hopefully I will get there. Lesson 2 tomorrow! 

Jewlz-it does get lots better as you go on! I found it also helped to have a tangible reward at the end (for me, getting my license meant that I could drive myself to Cheshire for some horseback riding lessons).  Oddly enough, even though nothing has really changed, passing the test gave me a huge confidence boost--and I now feel MUCH more comfortable than I did last week! Either way, you'll rock it!

Jewlz-it does get lots better as you go on! I found it also helped to have a tangible reward at the end (for me, getting my license meant that I could drive myself to Cheshire for some horseback riding lessons).  Oddly enough, even though nothing has really changed, passing the test gave me a huge confidence boost--and I now feel MUCH more comfortable than I did last week! Either way, you'll rock it!

Awww, thanks, Jennie. I'm sure it will get easier. I think the confidence thing is a big issue for me, I'm a Nervous Nellie at the moment!