Driving with a foreign licence

Hello! I am Gemma, a legal assistant at Lawyer Destroyer. I would be happy to explain how this works.

The short answer is yes, you usually can drive in the UK with a foreign driving licence. However, exactly how long you can use it, and what you need to do afterwards, depends on where your licence was issued and whether you are visiting or living here.

Here is a simple breakdown of the current rules for driving cars and motorcycles in Great Britain.

If you are just visiting
If you are visiting, you can generally drive using your valid foreign licence for up to 12 months from when you last entered the country.

If you have moved to live in Great Britain
The rules change once you become a resident. It all comes down to where your licence was issued.

Licences from the EU or EEA
If you have a valid licence from an EU or European Economic Area country, you have the easiest route. You can usually carry on driving on your foreign licence until you turn 70, or for three years after you became a resident, whichever is longer.

Licences from designated countries
The UK has exchange agreements with a list of designated countries and territories, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan. If your licence is from one of these places, you can drive for up to 12 months. After that, you must exchange your licence for a UK one. The good news is you can usually just swap it through the DVLA without having to take a British driving test.

Licences from all other countries
If your licence is from a country not in the EU, EEA, or on the designated exchange list, you can still drive for up to 12 months. However, you cannot simply swap it for a UK licence. To carry on driving after those 12 months are up, you will need to apply for a UK provisional licence and pass both a British theory and practical driving test.

A practical next step
Because the rules can be quite specific depending on your exact country, when you passed your test, and whether you want to drive a car, motorcycle, or a larger vehicle, the most sensible thing to do is use the official Government checker.

If you go to the GOV.UK website and search for the tool called Drive in Great Britain on a non-GB licence, it will ask you two or three simple questions and give you a definitive answer for your exact situation, including links to the right forms.

One final reminder from a practical perspective. No matter where your licence is from, you must always make sure any vehicle you drive in the UK is properly insured for you to drive, taxed, and has a valid MOT certificate. If you are arranging car insurance, you will need to be very clear with the insurer that you are driving on a non-UK licence, as this can affect your coverage.