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Original poster

To not know what to do re International Driving License

83 replies

narisha99 · 02/04/2019 15:39

We are going on holiday on Friday and won't be back until mid April - We are driving across Europe so potentially need an International Driving License if we leave the EU when we are away.

Tried my local post office last week, they had run out of forms and assured me they would have them by today. Tried today and now they estimate Thursday, we leave Friday at 7.30am! I'll try a few other local branches to see if they have them (post office lady thought that was unlikely). So what do we do if there are no forms on Thursday!

What are the implications of driving in Germany, Netherlands & France without an international license? Have got no idea what to do if we can't get the form - cancelling the holiday seems a little extreme!

OP posts:
RiddleMeThis2018 · 02/04/2019 15:41

I don’t know if this helps, but I live in Germany and drive here on a UK licence. We have been advised by various government bodies that, within 6 months of the UK leaving the EU, we’ll have to have changed our licences for german ones. Obviously nothing is clear, but i’m going with that for now.

1wearpurple · 02/04/2019 15:42

If you give a vague area, then someone here might be able to tell you of a nearby post office where they've been successful.....

sleepstealer · 02/04/2019 15:44

I got an international driving permit for my DH last week. You can search on the post office website which post offices you can get them from.

mum11970 · 02/04/2019 15:45

It will probably be fine. Don’t think everyone abroad with an EU license will suddenly be driving illegally, there is bound to be a change over period. Alternatively, if you want to cover all bases and be guaranteed 100%, try a different post office? I live pretty rurally but have more than one choice of post offices in a few miles radius.

Original poster
narisha99 · 02/04/2019 15:48

Leave near Bracknell.

The post office will tell you which PO will do them, but it doesn't tell you if they have them is stock!

OP posts:
Original poster
narisha99 · 02/04/2019 15:51

@RiddleMeThis2018

Ah thanks - thats handy to know, yes I guess without a change over period then everyone living abroad would suddenly be driving illegally!

I think my main concern is if it effects car insurance, might contact the car insurance company

OP posts:
Donnasaurus · 02/04/2019 15:55

I work in a post office and there isn't an actual form to fill out anymore you just take your licence and a passport size photo and it's issued then and there, have you looked online to see where near to you does them? Then you can call the post office to see if they have the international driving permit you need rather than driving around to find somewhere that does them

catlady3 · 02/04/2019 15:57

Don't rely on a changeover period in the event of a no deal brexit. That is exactly why a deal is needed, to sort out things like this.

Original poster
narisha99 · 02/04/2019 16:04

I work in a post office and there isn't an actual form to fill out anymore you just take your licence and a passport size photo and it's issued then and there, have you looked online to see where near to you does them? Then you can call the post office to see if they have the international driving permit you need rather than driving around to find somewhere that does them

Yes I know where does them, thats the easy bit :-) But the problem is that we have been to 2 of the them (hubby is out now) and they are saying they have run out of the forms that they need.

Looking for some phone numbers for local post offices to avoid driving around, but some aren't listed or just have the national number :-(

OP posts:
Brefugee · 02/04/2019 16:05

I guess without a change over period then everyone living abroad would suddenly be driving illegally!

But that is exactly the point that everyone has been trying to make for months/years. If there is no agreement it will be a cliff edge.

I'd do whatever i could to get an International Licence. If you're driving your own car you'll probably be ok but you can't dismiss, out of hand, the idea that any passing bolshie Police Officer won't suddenly demand to see your licence if they notice your plates.

If you're driving a hire car I'd check with the company you're getting it from, it might be they are prepared for Brexit and will insist you have one.

Have a nice holiday!

DogInATent · 02/04/2019 16:07

I don’t know if this helps, but I live in Germany and drive here on a UK licence. We have been advised by various government bodies that, within 6 months of the UK leaving the EU, we’ll have to have changed our licences for german ones
You're supposed to change to a local license within 3 years of living in another EU country. But (alongside re-registering your vehicle locally) it's something that's usually over-looked by most intra-EU immigrants. I think both of these will be more strictly enforced post-Brexit.

FuriousCheekyFucker · 02/04/2019 16:14

I don't understand; i've never needed an "international licence" when I've rented cars in Canada, the US, Kenya, Oman or Australia.

Why the sudden need post Brexit, or is this another one of those Chicken Licken scaremonger stories doing the rounds?

RiddleMeThis2018 · 02/04/2019 16:15

You’ve maybe seen this page, but there’s some info here about insurance:
www.gov.uk/guidance/prepare-to-drive-in-the-eu-after-brexit

doIreallyneedto · 02/04/2019 16:16

@narisha99 - I guess without a change over period then everyone living abroad would suddenly be driving illegally!

It doesn't really work like that. The changeover period was the previous 2 years so if you require a local or international licence for a particular country, it will kick in on brexit day unless they decide otherwise. Ireland will not recognise UK licences on day 1, but that is only if you are resident, not if you are a tourist.

Have a look at this - www.gov.uk/guidance/international-driving-permits-for-uk-drivers-from-28-march-2019

DogInATent · 02/04/2019 16:17

We are going on holiday on Friday and won't be back until mid April - We are driving across Europe so potentially need an International Driving License if we leave the EU when we are away.

A No Deal Brexit is going to be a real PITA for this sort of thing:

  • one or two two International Driving Licenses per driver
  • green card for insurance
  • Schengen visa (?) and the 90 days in 180 days rule
  • I have no idea what's happening with breakdown cover contracts
  • mobile roaming charges (potentially, depends on provider)
SaltSpoon · 02/04/2019 16:18

Just try another post office. They nearly all have them. Not an actual problem.

RiddleMeThis2018 · 02/04/2019 16:19

You're supposed to change to a local license within 3 years of living in another EU country. But (alongside re-registering your vehicle locally) it's something that's usually over-looked by most intra-EU immigrants. I think both of these will be more strictly enforced post-Brexit.
Having your vehicle registered locally is certainly not overlooked here in Germany, even if you move a few miles down the road! But the embassy has been pretty clear on the driving licence issue (in so far as anything is clear just now.)

Gilbert1A · 02/04/2019 16:22

This reply has been deleted

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Ninninannanoonoo · 02/04/2019 16:33

Here in France they set up a new central department to deal with license exchanges - previously you could just do it at the local town hall. We were originally advised that in the event of a no-deal Brexit any residents with a UK license would have to sit a French driving test to get a French license. Unsurprisingly, the new department was absolutely inundated and many people have been waiting over a year to get their new French licenses (and as they have sent off their original license they cannot drive/hire a car outside of France). All applications made in 2019 are being returned unprocessed to allow them to clear the backlog and we have been advised that there will now be at least a years grace to exchange. AFAIK the International license is merely a translation of your UK license so I'm not sure how it would help.

applepinkierainbow · 02/04/2019 16:34

@SaltSpoon I think the availability varies in different parts of the country - I have been to 5 post offices today and there are none. Most were told that they would be receiving more on Saturday but they still haven't arrived. We leave on Friday too OP.

VeronicaDinner · 02/04/2019 16:37

I don't see any reason why you would need an international driving permit. They're usually only used as a supporting document to confirm a licence exists where there are language issues, such as where the original licence is Chinese and you want to drive in America.

sleepstealer · 02/04/2019 16:39

I got the permit from the post office in Wokingham

Everytimeref · 02/04/2019 16:40

The EU have already stated that if we crash out with no deal then there will be no transition period so you do need to be prepared if traveling abroad over Easter. (So no this isn't scare tactics from Remain).

Lifecraft · 02/04/2019 16:42

It will probably be fine. Don’t think everyone abroad with an EU license will suddenly be driving illegally, there is bound to be a change over period

Unbelievable. The last 2 years news coverage has been dominated by this stuff and still people have no clue what a no deal brexit really means.

There is no change over period. Because we haven't reached a deal to include one. That's what the "no" in no deal means.

Lifecraft · 02/04/2019 16:45

I don't understand; i've never needed an "international licence" when I've rented cars in Canada, the US, Kenya, Oman or Australia.

Let me explain. We've agreed deals with those countries, and many others, whereby they accept a UK licence for short period stays, usually under a year.

If we had no deal with those countries, you would need an international licence. If we leave the EU with no deal, we will have, no deal. The clue is in the words "no" & "deal".