What happens if driving on US licence longer than 12 mths

Hello All,

My husband is on a waiting list for the Theory and driving tests where we live.

He has a provisional licence and has been here for nearly a year.

What does this mean for his driving and our insurance?

Thank you

If he reaches the end of the 12 months without having got his full UK licence yet, he will have to stop using his US licence to drive. Since his insurance will no longer be valid (because his US licence is not valid to drive on in the UK anymore), he will need to take out insurance on the provisional licence instead.

As soon as the 12 months are up, he will be treated as a learner driver until he passes his practical test and gets a full UK licence - so that means:

- being accompanied at all times by someone over 21 who has held a full UK licence for at least 3 years
- displaying L plates on the car
- no motorway driving

As was said on another thread, if you have an accident, your insurance will not pay out, even if you have paid your premiums. 

Thank you, does it start from the last time he entered the country?

Starts from when his visa was stamped upon his initial entry into the UK.

The insurance company will happily continue to take his money.  They won't pay though.

As mentioned, it starts from the first date he entered the UK on his spousal visa.

I see on your signature that it says you entered the UK on August 25th 2015... so that means his 12 months was up on August 25th 2016.

So, if he's still driving on his US licence, he is driving without a valid licence and without valid insurance...which means he needs to stop now, and only drive on a UK provisional licence, abiding by UK learner driver rules.

You don't have to take the test where you live, you can take it anywhere and often you can find a place to take it at short notice.