If your new to the UK, either as a visitor, temporary resident, student or as a new permanent resident you may need to take a UK Theory and Practical driving test.
EU and EEC Countires:
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, Romania, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
Visitors:
If you hold a valid community licence and are visiting GB,
you can drive any vehicle if the full entitlement for that vehicle is
shown on the licence.
Residents:
If you have a valid community licence, this will allow you to drive in GB
for the period set out below. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence
for a British licence. Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in the UK:
* until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period Lorry, minibus, bus driving licence holders (vocational driving licence):
* until aged 45 or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period if you are aged over 45 (but under 65) until your 66th birthday or for five years afterbecoming resident, whichever is the shorter period
* if you are aged 65 or over for 12 months after becoming resident
In order to continue driving after these periods, you must get a British driving licence
Drivers from ALL other countries not shown above:
Residents:
If you are the holder of an ordinary driving licence
(car, moped, motorcycle entitlement) and provided your
licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small
vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months
from the time you became resident.
To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must
have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12-month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.
However, if you do not pass a test within the 12-month concessionary
period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply.
If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.
If you are the holder of a vocational licence (minibus, bus, lorry entitlement)
and a new resident, you must not drive large vehicles until you have passed the relevant GB driving test. Driving test candidates are required to
pass a motor car (category B) test first before applying for provisional
entitlement for larger vehicles.
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