driving in the UK

[123me]

I am a Canadian moving to the Uk next year. Will I be able to drive there with my Canadian license, along with an international drivers license? If so, would my car insurance be higher? Or, is it best and perhaps necessary to do a UK driving test?

[izzysmum04]

Found this for you at the DVLA website.

Gibraltar and Designated Countries

GB has reciprocal exchange agreements with Gibraltar and 15 designated countries.

The designated countries are:
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands*, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea*, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

If you are a visitor in GB, and hold full ordinary entitlement, you can drive any category of vehicle, up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the date you last entered GB, whether or not you brought the vehicle into GB. If you also hold full entitlement to drive large lorries or buses you are only allowed to drive large vehicles registered outside the GB that you have driven into the country.

If you are a resident in GB and provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement, you must exchange your licence for a GB one before the 12 months end. If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident.

*Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands is not exchangeable.

Concerning exchanging your licence, here's what I found:

Canadian licences

If you are the holder of a Canadian licence you will receive automatic transmission only when exchanging for a British licence. This can only be upgraded to manual upon presentation of confirmation, from the relevant licensing authority, of a manual test being passed or a manual test is passed in this country.

[123me]

Originally Posted by izzysmum04

Found this for you at the DVLA website.

Gibraltar and Designated Countries

GB has reciprocal exchange agreements with Gibraltar and 15 designated countries.

The designated countries are:
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands*, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea*, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

If you are a visitor in GB, and hold full ordinary entitlement, you can drive any category of vehicle, up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the date you last entered GB, whether or not you brought the vehicle into GB. If you also hold full entitlement to drive large lorries or buses you are only allowed to drive large vehicles registered outside the GB that you have driven into the country.

If you are a resident in GB and provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement, you must exchange your licence for a GB one before the 12 months end. If you do not do this you must stop driving although you may apply to exchange your licence at any time within five years of becoming resident.

*Motorcycle entitlement from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands is not exchangeable.

Concerning exchanging your licence, here's what I found:

Canadian licences

If you are the holder of a Canadian licence you will receive automatic transmission only when exchanging for a British licence. This can only be upgraded to manual upon presentation of confirmation, from the relevant licensing authority, of a manual test being passed or a manual test is passed in this country.

Thank you for the website, your reply was helpful.

[izzysmum04]

You're very welcome.