Do you HAVE to get a UK license?

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

Sorry but that's not entirely right. Like I've already said a couple of times, some European nations have managed to get reciprocal arrangements for almost the entire US, albeit by having to contact each state government rather than the federal one.

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?

Well, all the best with the preparations. You'll be allowed to drive the first 12 months, but a bigger issue will be insurance. As it turns out, a driver has to be insured, rather than the car. This means you can't just borrow a friends' cars and drive off unless you're listed as an authorised driver for that specific car.

As an expat, you can expect ridiculously high quotes from local insurance companies. Having gone through that pain before, I was glad to find an expat insurance company, Clements, that'll be able to give you a rational quote if you're employed with a corporation/institution/organisation, etc. It would be advisable to study for the UK driving test if you expect to stay here over 12 months. Obviously if you're not going to be on a tourist visa, you're entering as a resident, and so a UK license will be required for when that 1 year is up. Ofcourse there's always the public transport which is pretty good in cities like London. Anyway, good luck.

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.

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.

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, contrary to humane principles and in violation of the Geneva Conventions, the UK still practices torture.

Great post, I was very amused.

Thanks for all the wonderful information!!

We looked into moving to Canada and not all Provinces will convert a UK license.  Nova Scotia won't.  Also, I know someone with a Canadian license who converted, but only to an automatic license.

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).

Sorry but that's not entirely right. Like I've already said a couple of times, some European nations have managed to get reciprocal arrangements for almost the entire US, albeit by having to contact each state government rather than the federal one.

How is it not entirely right?  Some European nations have reciprocal agreements with US states, but none of those countries are the UK, so that makes no difference to the original question at all.  In fact, as you yourself said earlier in the thread, your EU/Holland license couldn't be traded for a UK one because it was based on your US license.

I don't know why you keep banging on about reciprocal agreements, when the original poster can't take advantage of one.

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.

You won't have a problem passing your UK test then! 

Sorry but that's not entirely right. Like I've already said a couple of times, some European nations have managed to get reciprocal arrangements for almost the entire US, albeit by having to contact each state government rather than the federal one.

Hence why the UK hasn't done it.

UK - Excuse me US, would you like to have a reciprocal agreement?
US - Errr, you'll have to ask each individual State.
UK - Well, in which case we'd need to get agreement with every single one. Get them to call us.

[quote/]

UK - Excuse me US, would you like to have a reciprocal agreement?
US - Errr, you'll have to ask each individual State.
UK - Well, in which case we'd need to get agreement with every single one. Get them to call us.
[/quote]

Hahaha. Sounds about right. That's actually exactly how it works with transferring licenses to practice law. Since each individual state regulates differently each state must contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority to become a recognised jurisdiction and allow it's lawyers to take the transfer test. I had to write the SC Supreme Court to make that happen here in South Carolina.

You won't have a problem passing your UK test then!

On the contrary – I failed the first time, for lack of practicing how to pass (as opposed to how to drive). In any case, that rather misses the point, which is that it's ridiculous to allow us to drive unchaperoned and then to take away that right, after a year, because we haven't taken a test.

Fortunately for my second, successful test, I came better prepared.

I understand it may be about the difficulty in arranging reciprocal agreements, but it still has the power to make me a bit grumpy.


PS. I wonder how many older UK drivers would pass without a problem, especially considering how the test has expanded over the years, with questionable additions such as hazard perception, which is biased against seasoned drivers because we tend to see hazards too quickly to satisfy whoever made the game. Sad/funny quote over on this forum for drivers & instructors: "My years of experience have left me less skilled at observing developing hazards."

That's a good point - our licenses don't expire until we're 70, and then all you have to do is assure the DVLA your eyesight etc is fine.  I really think there should be some form of re-testing for older drivers.  My grandmother started driving before the driving test came in and wasn't required to take one.

I do drive for a living in the Highlands, and see lots of rental cars, and based on what I see I'm very glad we have a strict driving test - I don't think Canadians or anyone else should be able to avoid it.  I think the one year exemption is really to avoid becoming like Vietnam or somewhere, where tourists have to rent a driver as well as a car. (although that would be relief to me personally;-)

Well, all the best with the preparations. You'll be allowed to drive the first 12 months, but a bigger issue will be insurance. As it turns out, a driver has to be insured, rather than the car. This means you can't just borrow a friends' cars and drive off unless you're listed as an authorised driver for that specific car.

Well sort of...
 it is true they they are insuring the driver not the car but 'most' insurance companies will allow you (the policy holder) to drive other people vehicles, provided that a) you have the owners permission and b) the other car also has an valid insurance policy.

It is usally limited to 3rd part only (ie you are not covered if you cause the accident)  But provided those other conditions are met, you are entitled to jump into someone elses car and drive it.
it's 'most' companies, so it is always a question i always ask when taking out a policy:
"Am i insured to drive other vehicles?"

Sorry this is slightly off topic but hope this is of some help

I am glad you mentioned asking if we will be covered while driving someone else's car.  Here it is automatically assumed you can drive pretty much any car.  I am not sure I would have thought to ask that.

Thanks!

How is it not entirely right?  Some European nations have reciprocal agreements with US states, but none of those countries are the UK...I don't know why you keep banging on about reciprocal agreements, when the original poster can't take advantage of one.

Why hide truth and UK pitfalls? Addressing issues like missing UK-US agreements that will plague the askers (and so many others) often solves them, or allows solutions to be set in motion. The poster might be near Canada and get a chance to do a driving test there before coming to expensive UK where bureaucratic pedants are in no shortage, besides the long waiting lists for doing driving tests. Quite frankly, US drivers are especially valuable cash cows for the driving industry here. They come in great numbers and they're often failed for the benefit of keeping them trapped as returning customers. I see so many excellent American drivers who get discouragement undue to them by these tactics.
I feel for their plight.
Besides, it doesn't hurt to get a big picture, especially since the asker (as so many US expats) might visit neighboring EU states during holidays/long weekends, or get transfers to rest of EU, with UK corporations still being part of it and having offices there.

On the contrary – I failed the first time, for lack of practicing how to pass (as opposed to how to drive)[]it's ridiculous to allow us to drive unchaperoned and then to take away that right[]because we haven't taken a test.
PS. I wonder how many older UK drivers would pass without a problem, especially considering how the test has expanded over the years, with questionable additions[]biased against seasoned drivers.

I totally agree with your posts. They're enlightening and I'm happy more people see through the legal fiasco. It's quite unjust that older UK licenses which didn't require written, only practical test, are being converted to full lifetime UK-EU licenses, while holding US licenses as suspect.

Having driving for over 20 years throughout EU (incl. UK) on my EU (US) license, I tried to convert it after getting a job in UK, fully confident it would be my right. Imagine the shock of being allowed to drive decades in UK as neighboring visitor, but suddenly having to sit in ostentatious exams. It's a legal hypocrisy. For now I'm safe as I maintain my residence in Holland (not yet sold) and drive as non-resident. When I get the chance, I'll sit UK tests just for appeasement. I already got three driving licenses and a pilot license, so heck what's a fifth one in possession if not silly charity to local driving industry. Crazy maybe, but the redundancy will keep me dry until someday lagging UK bureaucrats start agreeing like Germans and Belgians do with each US state. Ofcourse, by then we might have driverless vehicles already, like the Google cars!!!