► HELP ON ULU
► Search ulu.co.uk
► ULU poll
► ADVERTISE THROUGH US
Want to promote through the ULU Network?
ULU has various student marketing and student advertising tools that can promote your services direct to UK students.
Click here for our student marketing & advertising opportunities
► Driving in the UK
Driving in the UK
International students who are in the UK for more than 12 months are required to obtain a British licence. You may only drive on your valid foreign driving licence or international driving permit for a maximum period of 12 months from the date you first arrived in the UK.
There are exceptions for students from the European Economic Area (which is: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and certain specified countries.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
The law allows "a person resident outside the United Kingdom who is temporarily in Great Britain", to drive in the UK during a period of 12 months from the date of his last entry into the United Kingdom provided that s/he holds an international driving permit or a domestic driving permit from a country outside the UK.
In a court case concerning a Mexican postgraduate student, the judge ruled that the student was resident in the UK from the first day he arrived as he had lived and studied and followed his regular habits of life in the country since his arrival over 12 months before. A visit to mainland Europe during his period of study was discounted. This means that some students here for periods of more than 12 months should hold a GB licence.
HOLDERS OF EEA LICENCES
EEA drivers who take up residence in another member state can continue to drive using their own national licence for as long as it remains valid.
RECOGNISED LICENCES
Licences from the following non- EU countries can also be exchanged for a full UK licence:
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe. There is no requirement to sit a driving test.
Any student holding a licence issued by one of the above non- EU countries may drive on their licences for a maximum of 12 months. Before the end of the 12 month period they must apply to exchange their licence for a GB licence. This can be done by completing form D1 and D750 available from most post offices.
There is a charge for the exchange. See http:www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drivers.htm for current fees. Your home licence must be surrendered to the DVLA who will return it to the original issuing authority.
ALL OTHER LICENCE HOLDERS
People holding licences from all other countries, who intend to stay in the UK for more than 12 months, must pass a driving test and obtain a full licence within 12 months of arrival. You must have been in the UK for 6 months before you can apply for a driving test and full licence.
Obtaining a provisional licence
You are required by law to apply for a British provisional licence in order to take the test. This will cost £38.00 (complete D1 form). During this period you will not be subject to provisional licence conditions if you are driving on your home licence within the initial 12 month period e.g. displaying ‘L’ plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or not allowed to drive on motorways. New drivers would be subject to these conditions. Further information on provisional licences is at
www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drivers.htm
Arranging a driving test
A test which comprises of a theory and practical part can be arranged by contacting the Driving Test Enquiry Line - 0870 0101372. Further information on fees and other requirements is available at http://www.driving-tests.co.uk
Failure of driving test
If you fail the driving test within 12 months you can arrange to re-take it provided that you have not been driving on your home licence for more than 12 months. In the meantime you can continue to drive on your own licence.
If you fail to pass the UK driving test within the 12 months period you will be classified as a learner driver and will not be allowed to drive alone. You will always have to be accompanied by a fully qualified driver aged over 21 years and who has held a full GB car licence for over 3 years.
DRIVING LESSONS
If you are required to take a UK driving test it is advisable to take some driving lessons in order to increase your knowledge of UK traffic laws. Whilst this is not essential it may increase your chances of passing the test at the first attempt.
Driving instructors can be found by looking in the Yellow Pages. Anyone giving professional paid instruction must be registered with the Driving Standards Agency. To check if the instructor is registered call the DSA on 0115 901 2500.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Please note that it is a legal requirement to register, tax and insure your car. In addition, any car over 3 years old must be tested annually for road worthiness. This is known as the MOT. Current costs for car tax range from £110 to £175 per year. The MOT test costs from £40 but the total cost may be considerably greater if work needs to be carried out on your car in order for it to pass the test. The cost of insurance varies widely according to your age and driving history. Some international students have reported that they have got cheaper insurance once they have got a GB licence.