Is Your Driving Licence Valid Abroad?

Heading abroad with your own car can be a planning nightmare. You have to ensure your car is in excellent condition, your routes must be organised and of course your paperwork needs to be up to date. There is a lot to consider before setting off and many people forget some of the simplest, yet most important points. One of these is checking that your UK driving licence is able to be used without a problem in the country you’re visiting.

Where Can You Use Your UK Licence?

Regardless of where you’re planning to drive, always make sure that your licence is up to date before you leave and that you have it with you. If you’re planning to drive in the European Community, you can in general use your UK licence without any problems. Always remember that even though the legal driving age in the UK is 17, this may not be the case in many countries throughout Europe. Most have a minimum driving age of 18, so please check first before trying to drive there if you’re a young driver. The list of countries who happily accept a UK driving licence without a problem are:

• Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden

Plastic Licence Versus Paper Licence

In most cases when travelling abroad, it’s advisable to ensure that you have a pink plastic licence with you. You should also carry with you the green paper part of the licence as this will outline any convictions you have. If you only have a green paper licence, consider upgrading to a plastic photo licence as it’s also a great form of identification.

International Driving Permits

If you are planning to travel around countries that are outside of the EEU, you should check with motoring organisations there whether you need an international driving permit. You can get these relatively easily from the AA, RAC, Green Flag and RSAC. The International Driving Permit (IDP) is simply a formal document that is issued to those travelling to another country and it translates your licence into different languages. This can be useful as it means that should you encounter a problem with the law when driving abroad, the relevant authorities can understand what your licence entitlements are, as well as identifying you easily.

In order to be eligible to obtain an international driving permit. You must be over 18 years of age and hold a full UK licence. You’re not allowed to drive abroad on a provisional licence.

Moving Abroad and Your UK Licence

If you’re planning to stay in a foreign country for an extended period of time, or are moving there permanently, you will need to speak to local authorities about using your UK licence. Many countries will let you use your licence for a particular period of time and then after this time has elapsed will expect you to chance to a local licence. Some will revoke your UK licence, others will let you keep it – it’s entirely country dependent. If you’re not sure, speak to someone at the local driving authority there or visit a local police station.