How do I take driving test in UK if not resident?
August 16, 2011 3:03 AM Subscribe
how do I take the driving test in UK if not resident?
OK I know this is a UK based question but I'm hoping fellow Mefites can help anyway-I am resident in Switzerland, but have a UK passport-officially I have to be resident in the UK if I want to take the test there-I've called and checked and they demand that you are resident but the only thing that they seem to require is an address -for which I can borrow numerous friends' addresses but I wanted to ask if anyone had actually done this.I obviously don't want to get any friends in trouble and I don't want to jeopardise my license but I also don't have any nefarious purpose in mind-I really just want to take my driving test in English,cheaply(well, much cheaper than Switzerland)I would really appreciate any feedback, obviously it's a UK based question but anyone can weigh in!
OK I know this is a UK based question but I'm hoping fellow Mefites can help anyway-I am resident in Switzerland, but have a UK passport-officially I have to be resident in the UK if I want to take the test there-I've called and checked and they demand that you are resident but the only thing that they seem to require is an address -for which I can borrow numerous friends' addresses but I wanted to ask if anyone had actually done this.I obviously don't want to get any friends in trouble and I don't want to jeopardise my license but I also don't have any nefarious purpose in mind-I really just want to take my driving test in English,cheaply(well, much cheaper than Switzerland)I would really appreciate any feedback, obviously it's a UK based question but anyone can weigh in!
The reason why they demand that you are resident in the UK is that, if you pass, they will need to issue you with a driving licence. And driving licences can only be issued to people who are resident in the sense of having a UK address.
This is a common problem which affects both foreigners and British expats living in Europe: when you pass the test you will get a European Driving Licence which lets you drive throughout the EU (and Switzerland) until you are 70- however British (and other) beaurocrats have not got their heads round the possibility that you might not reside permanently in the country you take your test in.
There is no detailed definition of "resident in the UK" - basically they are just after somewhere that they can send your licence (and any speeding tickets, etc). You must inform the DVLA when you move address, and that address cannot be outside the UK - but this (I believe; IANAL) is really just so that they can keep in touch.
My solution would therefore be to try to find somebody in the UK who is willing to act as your "driving licence address" for the medium term (a PO box will not work). I would also regard having a UK driving licence while resident in Switzerland as only a medium term solution: if you commit a motoring offence in Switzerland you will probably be required to re-take your test to get a Swiss licence.
posted by rongorongo at 3:37 AM on August 16, 2011
This is a common problem which affects both foreigners and British expats living in Europe: when you pass the test you will get a European Driving Licence which lets you drive throughout the EU (and Switzerland) until you are 70- however British (and other) beaurocrats have not got their heads round the possibility that you might not reside permanently in the country you take your test in.
There is no detailed definition of "resident in the UK" - basically they are just after somewhere that they can send your licence (and any speeding tickets, etc). You must inform the DVLA when you move address, and that address cannot be outside the UK - but this (I believe; IANAL) is really just so that they can keep in touch.
My solution would therefore be to try to find somebody in the UK who is willing to act as your "driving licence address" for the medium term (a PO box will not work). I would also regard having a UK driving licence while resident in Switzerland as only a medium term solution: if you commit a motoring offence in Switzerland you will probably be required to re-take your test to get a Swiss licence.
posted by rongorongo at 3:37 AM on August 16, 2011
Also - be aware of the impending European Driving Licence which is due to arrive from 2013. The linked article states that this will be valid for "10 or 15 years". One would hope that the new license will iron out cross border anomalies of the sort you have run into. European drivers will have until 2032 to convert to the new type.
posted by rongorongo at 3:46 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by rongorongo at 3:46 AM on August 16, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you Mefites-I knew I could rely on you!
posted by hitchcockblonde at 9:56 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by hitchcockblonde at 9:56 AM on August 16, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:06 AM on August 16, 2011