Dvla and foreign Licences

Currently reading:
Dvla and foreign Licences

sammy657

Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
221
Points
60
I was wondering if the dvla could still revoke your driving licence under the new drivers 6 points rule act if you exchange your licence for a foreign one and are living in a different country as it says on there website that they can still revoke it if you live in the uk but have a valid european or ecc driving licence. I am confused
 
The New Drivers Act only applies to people who have taken a test in the UK. This can have odd results. If somebody exchanges a foreign car licence for a UK one they are not liable to the New Drivers Act. If they ever take a test for another entitlement eg motorbike or HGV they then become liable under the New drivers act as they have passed a test. That lasts for two years after passing the test for the new entitlement even if they have held a full UK licence for 25years.

If a UK licence holder gets a foreign licence they are still liable under UK law and can be revoked or disqualified if they score enough points or do something that warrants a ban. Foreign licence holders can also be banned in the UK, even if they don't have a UK licence but the ban would only apply here and not in any other country.
 
Its weird because i passed my test in the uk in december 2006 and i now have an irish licence and live in ireland so i was wondering if i am still under it? Because i read that was was like hmm but the authorities here tell me because its an irish licence i am on 12 points like everyone else. Its confusing :(
 
Meh still confused oh well surely they cant revoke it if i did build up 6 points which i dont have as i live here im an irish citizen and under irish juresdiction
 
Meh still confused oh well surely they cant revoke it if i did build up 6 points which i dont have as i live here im an irish citizen and under irish juresdiction

Do the 6 point's thing apply in Ireland?

If you get point here then I would have though TBH that they'll go on your licence. As the DVLA and irish equivilent are the same thing are they not, just with a different name :confused:

Jon.
 
Its weird because i passed my test in the uk in december 2006 and i now have an irish licence and live in ireland so i was wondering if i am still under it?
Any offences committed on mainland UK would put points on your UK licence. If you reach 6 within the first two years you would be put back to learner status (by the DVLA) for the UK. But as you hold a foreign licence you could continue to drive without L plates or a supervising driver. If you were banned in the UK ( by a court) you would not be able to drive as a court order trumps a foreign licence.

I don't know what happens with Northern Ireland points and/or licences as they have some weird rules of their own.
 
Its weird because the authorities here tell me its 12 points as its an irish licence (piece of flimsy laminated paper) over here but on the dvla website it says as i passed my test in the uk i am still under the 6 point rule. Just confused if this passes on to ireland or any ecc country as its a different licencing authority and juresdiction as over here we dont have mutal reconition of penalty points between the republic and the uk so if you had say 3 points in the uk and exchanged it for a irish licence them points wouldnt carry over
 
Last edited:
at the moment points are not recognised from either jurisdiction however last month they introduced new legislation whereby bans were recognised and as far as I am aware they are going to bring in a points system that will be recognised in both Ireland, N. Ireland and UK.
 
at the moment points are not recognised from either jurisdiction however last month they introduced new legislation whereby bans were recognised and as far as I am aware they are going to bring in a points system that will be recognised in both Ireland, N. Ireland and UK.
I read about that. I wasn't sure whether or not it included points or just disqualification. I presume that also means the Gardai will have limited access to U.K. PNC checking and vice-versa. Or does it?
 
The DVLA (at the moment) have no way to know about any Irish points, and cannot revoke your Irish licence under the 6 points rule as they didn't issue it. You exchanged your UK licence for the Irish one I presume - meaning the UK one doesn't exist any more.

So, you can hit 12 points, and that takes 6 offences not 4 like in the UK...
 
Its weird because i passed my test in the uk in december 2006 and i now have an irish licence and live in ireland so i was wondering if i am still under it?

you are using an irish license, not a british license. they are completely seperate things.

if you get points in IRE it does not affect your UK license, and vice versa.
 
ben they would take your name and DOB and address, if that showed up that you ha da uk license you'd get the points and get wrong for trying to pull a fast one.
 
The police and camera partnerships often don't bother to follow up foreign licence holders. When a foreign licence holder is prosecuted and gets to court we can disqualify or impose points exactly as we do with UK licence holders.

A disqualification imposed by a UK court is valid in the UK but does not affect the foreign licence which can still be used in other countries.

If points are imposed then a record is kept at the DVLA against that persons name so that, if they reach 12 points, they can be disqualified under the totting up rules.
 
I've been pulled for speeding in Northern Ireland, officer told me there was 'too much paperwork' involved in sending a fine to the Republic and warned me to slow down - I believe they could send the fine but no ability to make me pay it. And absolutely no points sharing between the DVLNI and DOT here yet.
 
When a foreign licence holder is prosecuted and gets to court we can disqualify or impose points exactly as we do with UK licence holders.
yes, but that wont affect their uk license (if they keep it quiet), and it wont affect their foreign license when they go back abroad, so in effect its free points to play with.
 
Last edited:
So technically i have 12 points here in the republic and if i went to the uk with my irish licence i would still have 6 untill december?
 
:chin:

But I don't have a UK address, so I just give my Taiwan address and that would sort that out?
If you've hired a car they just invoice the hire company who charge your credit card. You'll still pay the fine but avoid the poins.
 
Back
Top