Do you HAVE to get a UK license?

We (hopefully) will be moving to UK this summer if all goes well with Visas etc. 
We will not be selling our home so we will maintain our home address.

We visited in March and met someone from the USA that had lived in the UK for several years but now has returned to the US.  He told us that we really don't need to get a UK driver's license.  He said the rule is you can drive on your US license for a year, but each time you return to the US and then back to UK the year starts over again.  So if you travel to US at least once a year and your US license remains valid then you aren't legally required to get a UK license.

Can anyone verify this information?  Thoughts?

That's incorrect. Your time does not reset every time you leave the UK. It's one year from the day you become resident.

And you can take the risk and not get a license, but it's likely your insurance will not cover you should you get in an accident without a UK license once you have been living in the US for more than a year.

Thanks, it didn't make sense when he was telling me about it, that is exactly why I posted the question!

I was once told the same thing by my BSM driving instructor (!), so it must be a fairly common misconception.  I was dubious as well.

If you moved within the US from one state to another, you would get a license in your new state of residence.....why should this be any different?

UK insurance premiums will also likely go down once you've held the full license for 12 months.

It's amazing how many folk think the clock 'resets' after a visit here or a visit there, whether retention of ILR, the 6-month tourist visa or whatever. If it sounds too good to be true....well...you know the rest ..... 

Everytime you enter UK as a "visitor", you can use the US driving license upto 12 months. The clock resets another 12 months the next time you enter as a "visitor".

If you become "resident" you will need a UK licence for driving after 12 months have passed since you last entered UK. Ofcourse, next time you enter as "visitor" the clock resets, and you have another 12 months of driving privilege. The difference lies in whether you enter as a "visitor" or a "resident".

Some countries like Germany and Belgium fully convert US licenses to local EU-EEA licenses. I easily converted my American (Oklahoma) license in Holland, to the pink EU-EEA license over two decades ago. Since normally EU-EEA licenses are fully convertible to UK licences I thought I would not get problems in UK....
However, when I became resident in UK, they refused to convert my European license from Holland, saying it was originally converted from an American one!!! Talk about being nitpicky!!! I felt discriminated, having an EU license (although based on an American one) that was not being converted to a British licence, despite the EU facility that authorises that, and despite a major EU nation easily accepting US licenses.

Anyway, now I too have to do the driving test in UK...and relearn little things that experienced drivers do away with, but are required for the test.
Take care y'all!!!

Everytime you enter UK as a "visitor", you can use the US driving license upto 12 months. The clock resets another 12 months the next time you enter as a "visitor".

If you become "resident" you will need a UK licence for driving after 12 months have passed since you last entered UK. Ofcourse, next time you enter as "visitor" the clock resets, and you have another 12 months of driving privilege. The difference lies in whether you enter as a "visitor" or a "resident".

Some countries like Germany and Belgium fully convert US licenses to local EU-EEA licenses. I easily converted my American (Oklahoma) license in Holland, to the pink EU-EEA license over two decades ago. Since normally EU-EEA licenses are fully convertible to UK licences I thought I would not get problems in UK....
However, when I became resident in UK, they refused to convert my European license from Holland, saying it was originally converted from an American one!!! Talk about being nitpicky!!! I felt discriminated, having an EU license (although based on an American one) that was not being converted to a British licence, despite the EU facility that authorises that, and despite a major EU nation easily accepting US licenses.

Anyway, now I too have to do the driving test in UK...and relearn little things that experienced drivers do away with, but are required for the test.
Tak care y'all!!!

Reg…where in Oklahoma are you from? I am from McAlester….but live on the Isle of Man….

Reg…where in Oklahoma are you from? I am from McAlester….but live on the Isle of Man….

Hi MeShell. Norman, OK. Currently I'm in London. I moved to OK after highschool to start college. It's where I first got my license some 23 years ago.

Since then I could convert it into a full EU license in Holland. Remarkably, I could also convert the EU license further, into a full Indian license when I moved there for a while, also a left hand driving country by the way. In UK the authorities were not so facilitating, but you know the saying: "Act like Romans when in Rome".

Worth an observation, is that UK accepts Canadian and Australian licenses and that the seat of Europe's government, Belgium, accepts US licenses without hassle. Honestly, I expected more from our "great ally". But allright, whatever, I'll do the tests again like so many expats that HAVE to do it. It's more fun than getting caught up in pedantic bureaucracy I suppose!
Regards, Reg.

Worth an observation, is that UK accepts Canadian and Australian licenses

They are part of the commonwealth, so that's why they can convert (at least that's what I was told).

They are part of the commonwealth, so that's why they can convert (at least that's what I was told).

My understanding is that people with licences from countries that have reciprocal licence exchange agreements with the UK can exchange their foreign licence for a UK licence.

The reason you can't just exchange a US licence for a UK one is because the US does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK and will not allow one (due to each state having its own licence laws).

My understanding is that people with licences from countries that have reciprocal licence exchange agreements with the UK can exchange their foreign licence for a UK licence.

The reason you can't just exchange a US licence for a UK one is because the US does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK and will not allow one (due to each state having its own licence laws).

I can always count on you to have the right info! 

Anyway, now I too have to do the driving test in UK...and relearn little things that experienced drivers do away with, but are required for the test.

Indeed. I'm less than fond of the axiom that for an experienced driver, this is a dandy opportunity to "unlearn bad habits". I want to say: Look, I've been driving for 30 years. No accidents. No tickets. I've never even honked my horn in anger. Whatever habits I have seem to have stood me in good stead. Clearly I know how to drive. The UK government must have thought so too, otherwise they wouldn't have let me loose on their roads for a year of possible mayhem on my US license. OK, it's nothing personal. They let everybody with a hearbeat and a license do it.

He said the rule is you can drive on your US license for a year, but each time you return to the US and then back to UK the year starts over again.  So if you travel to US at least once a year and your US license remains valid then you aren't legally required to get a UK license.

I was once told the same thing by my BSM driving instructor (!), so it must be a fairly common misconception.

I was also told the same thing – and also by a BSM instructor. I think maybe this needs to be on the driving instructor's quiz.

Some countries like Germany and Belgium fully convert US licenses to local EU-EEA licenses...

The test freaked me out so much I explored every possibility of a loophole before finally accepting with dawning horror that there was no escape. Though having said that, I drove for quite some time after that complimentary year…

The reason you can't just exchange a US licence for a UK one is because the US does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK and will not allow one (due to each state having its own licence laws).

The reason you can't just exchange a US licence for a UK one is because, contrary to humane principles and in violation of the Geneva Conventions, the UK still practices torture.

They are part of the commonwealth, so that's why they can convert (at least that's what I was told).

Nah, that's not true. They can convert from countries like Japan too. Nothing to do with commonwealth.

My understanding is that people with licences from countries that have reciprocal licence exchange agreements with the UK can exchange their foreign licence for a UK licence.

The reason you can't just exchange a US licence for a UK one is because the US does not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK and will not allow one (due to each state having its own licence laws).

Not really a problem, though. Take the example of Germany & Belgium who have arranged reciprocal agreements with just about each of the states of the US. Pure shortsightedness on London's part.