When does my one year of driving on my US license end?

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of my arrival in the UK. My driving test is booked for Monday (!) -- my question is, can I drive tomorrow, or was today the last day of my being legally allowed to drive on my US license?

Unfortunately, you cannot drive any longer on your US license...at least that is how I understand the rules. You will need to have L plates and an appropriate passenger....sorry and good luck on your test!!

You can no longer drive on your US Licence, I'm afraid:

'Residents

If you are the holder of an ordinary driving licence (car, moped, motorcycle entitlement) and provided your licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12-month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.

However, if you do not pass a test within the 12-month concessionary period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply. If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.'

From:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022561

"If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways."

Hm, interesting -- so why would I need to pass my test? I have my provisional license and am not subject to provisional licence conditions. How is that different from holding a full licence?

"If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways."

Hm, interesting -- so why would I need to pass my test? I have my provisional license and am not subject to provisional licence conditions. How is that different from holding a full licence?

That clause is only pertaining to the first 12 months you are in the UK, and not afterwards.  It means that because you had a US license during your first 12 months, even though you obtained a UK provisional licence during that 12 month period, you were not subject (during that 12 months only) to the restrictions that a normal UK provisional licence driver would have been subject to (i.e., displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways).  Reread the whole passage again - you can't just take that bit out of the context of the whole thing.

Now that you are out of the 12 month period, you are subject to those restrictions now by using a UK provisional licence only.  US license is no longer relevant, as you're out of the 12 months.  That's why you need the full licence.

Good luck on your test!

"If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways."

Hm, interesting -- so why would I need to pass my test? I have my provisional license and am not subject to provisional licence conditions. How is that different from holding a full licence?

Key words are "during this period" which in this indicates your first year in the UK

You hold the equivalent of a full license during your first year here (i.e your US license) , even if you get a UK provisional license. You don't have to adhere to the provisional license rules as you have your US license.

Once that year is up, you then have to adhere to provisional license rules. So you have to pass your test in order not to have to adhere to provisional license rules after that first year.

So yes, you are now past a year so you should not be driving on your US license and are now subject to provisional license rules.

Aha. Thanks for the clarification. The wording is a bit ambiguous -- could be read as saying that the important thing is just 'obtaining' the licence within this period (which I did). Makes sense that this special exemption would expire at the end of Year 1.

Fingers crossed for the test on Monday. I've been driving EVERY DAY since I got here (daily commute, country roads, in-town stuff, roundabouts galore, a few long road trips) so you'd think I'd be fine. Why, then, am I all teenager-y and nervous?