Quick question which I'm not sure about the answer of... if you don't hold a UK license, either through disqualification or never having held one, can you get a license from another country and use it here. If you didn't drive here, found yourself working in Jamaica on a short work contract for instance, obtained a Jamaican license when you were there and tried to use it when you came home. Would you be ok if pulled by the 5/0??

Going by the info on this link, http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...nce/DG_4022561 , it looks like you are able to drive legally if you aren't a UK resident and for up to a period of 12 months... however, it doesn't mention if you are a UK resident what the rules are. More than likely, its one rule for them and another for us, but wasn't sure and the link doesnt mention it. The link, or one connected to the one above, says that the only countries which recognise the disqualification of a UK license are ones within a small radius, IOM, Ireland etc.


Cheers,
Grant

 

Think it's pretty clear. If you are a non-UK resident then you can drive her on an international driving licence.

Obviously if you are a UK resident then no, it's not OK. Especially if you have a driving ban.

Charlie

 

I wasn't talking about an international driving license though? That is made pretty clear on the site, it requires a valid UK license before you can apply/hold an international license... as you say, its black and white and very easy to understand.

Reason I'm asking, its of interest to me obviously, but one of my friends got banned for 2 years and IIRC still has around 11-12 months left to run on that, he's due back in the UK by Christmas, but currently on a short term work contract in Kingston and was wanting to know that if he picked up a Jamaican driving license then could he use that when he comes back to the UK as per the details on that link?


Cheers,
Grant

 

He is banned from driving on UK roads.
If they stop him they will ask his name and address and DOB etc, and it will come up telling them that he is banned.
If he starts waving a jamaican license at them, they'll ignore it.

Thats my opinion, I havent ever tried it, but im pretty sure that given that he as in individual is explicitly banned from UK roads, that wether he has another license or not, won't change that fact.

 

If he's banned then thats it ,dont deserve to drive on uk roads through any type of dodgy method

 

For this to work, he will have to use a different name, otherwise as per Chip's post he will get fucked once stopped here.

 

If you are still banned with your UK license but hold an international license, I would still believe you to be banned!

 

I think the key, is the difference between being disqualified and being banned.

If you are merely disqualified, then you are allowed to take another test and then can drive on the road again, I would imagine at that point if you took a foreign test then you'd be ok, but if you are banned, then you are banned, its not about wether you have a qualification or not, its about the fact that you are banned from being on the road.

So I would imagine once the ban period is over and he needs to take a new test, he could potentially at that point do a foreign one instead if he is looking for a reason to pay higher insurance premiums or something like that.

 

Yea that makes sense, thanks for the input Chipper.


Cheers,
Grant

 

He's defo screwed, someone I know of who is portugese but permanent uk resident, living + working here has tried it, went back to portugal for a few days renewed his license there then tried to drive on that here, Ł800 fine and another 12 months on top.
tabetha

 

I was interested in the answer myself, but was going to use a friend as my "canary down the mine" to see if it worked... but it would be unfair for me to let him try that now that someone has basically explained my friends 'master plan' to the exact word and said that it failed.


Cheers,
Grant

 

when i got banned i went to oz and drove about on a spare, then never pulled me or owt but i had the bit i needed if they did
its a nice way to run out a ban, had to wait 6 mths for the tag* to come off tho



*motoring offence im not a rapist or owt


i was wondering myself if i was to get a spanish van on spanish plates could i roll about without any issues, if i got pulled i would just say 'ola'

i dont need to as i have a 10 plate van all legit but i saw an abandoned spanish van nearby

 

You can drive a hire car in the UK on a foreign licence no problem, no need for international.

If I ever hire a car in the UK I always use my UAE licence as they cannot put points on it!!

 

when i come back to the uk for a holiday next year, i'll bring my pickup and run that on the american plates for the month, and run on my american licence, just get uk insurance, that way as said above, can't put points on licence that way

 

IF YOUR BANNED FROM DRIVING IN THIS COUNTRY(UNDER ENGLISH LAW)YOU SHOULDNT DRIVE IN THIS COUNTRY NO MATTER WHOSE LICENCE YOU HAVE OR WHO THE F-YOU ARE OR COMING FROM AND INSURANCE WONT BE VALID- WHAT IF YOU KILL SOMEONE OR SOMEONES KIDS!!??-THERE MUST BE A REASON FOR THE BAN?????????? DRUGS-DRINK ETC ETC,
AND MEMBERS ARE TRYING TO ASSIST YOU TO DRIVE-------------WTF----------------

 

If you have insurance it would be valid, as you'll have informed them of every detail about yourself, the car, origin of license, etc... that said, I'm sure a few insurance companies wouldn't want to know if you were using a non-UK license, but it wont be as black and white as you seem to think.


Cheers,
Grant