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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To panic! Attention Irish driver license holders.

27 replies

Ispini · 30/09/2019 12:32

OK I feel sooooo stupid and can’t for the life of me figure out how this happened. We have recently moved house and despite always keeping my license in my wallet, it has disappeared!
I am supposed to be going to Ireland to see my brother who’s traveling from Sydney for a conference (I live in the UK) We have been so excited to meet up and visit my poorly Mum.
Has anyone been in this situation and had a new license within two weeks? I have tried to phone the NDLA and can’t get through, my husband thinks he may have a copy of it somewhere on his computer so is trying to find it.
Any ideas/advice?

OP posts:
Lifecraft · 30/09/2019 12:47

Firstly, it's licence.

Secondly, so what. You've mislaid your licence. Just apply for a duplicate. You're licence doesn't become invalid when it gets mislaid, so you can still drive.

GruciusMalfoy · 30/09/2019 12:53

Lifecraft, it's "your". Grin

OP, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I guess in Ireland you need your licence on you at all times (when driving, natch).

Likethebattle · 30/09/2019 12:58

@Lifecraft ‘you’re’? If you are going to correct someone make sure you are perfect.....

Likethebattle · 30/09/2019 13:01

You can drive without your licence in the uk As long as you present it within so many days when requested.

Original poster
Ispini · 30/09/2019 13:19

Thank you to those of you that posted helpful replies.
Life craft do you have to be so bitchy? I’m in a total panic and believe me spelling is the last thing on my mind. I would never post such a nasty comment, get a life!
The thing is I need to produce it at the car rental desk so that’s my worry. Will keep phoning and looking for a copy. Thanks all.

OP posts:
VenusTiger · 30/09/2019 13:30

You’ll need a new one anyway if your address has changed @Ispini
Also, you may need a British licence. Dvla and not dla

AlmostAlwyn · 30/09/2019 13:42

Muphry's law, Lifecraft Grin

Would the share driving licence service be of any use? Call the hire company and see if they would accept that?

www.gov.uk/government/news/dvlas-share-driving-licence-service-is-available

Original poster
Ispini · 30/09/2019 13:44

Thanks Venus, I can drive on my Irish one here and will be changing to a UK one, just one of those things that are on the to do list, which seems to get longer and longer!

OP posts:
Suze1621 · 30/09/2019 13:44

When I have booked car hire on line my licence has been checked before car pick up and I haven' t been asked to produce it.

iwantsomesun · 30/09/2019 13:48

UK licence holder here.

I recently updated from paper to card & applied online. I received it in under a week. They took my photo from access to my passport.
It may be worth checking if it is a simple transfer from Irish to UK & available online.

sillysmiles · 30/09/2019 13:49

When are you planning on traveling? There have been ads on Irish radio recently that driving on a british licence will not be covered post Brexit - but I think it may only be for British licence holders who are resident in Ireland - but I'm not sure.

The car rental desk is realistically the only time you are going to need it.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/09/2019 13:53

What does an Irish driving licence look like? UK licences you get a photocard and if you hire a car, you have to get an online printout confirming what types of vehicle you can drive and if you have any points.

If you don't find your licence, would you be able to hire a car with your passport as ID and an online printout if the Irish system works in a similar way?

Is your DH or another driver going - could they just do all the driving?

On the matter of whether it is licence or license, that's something that most people will be unsure of and probably varies from country to country, so it really doesn't need pointing out. It doesn't change the readability of the post, even if it isn't technically correct.

Marmite27 · 30/09/2019 13:53

I had to order a new one due to my purse being stolen. It took about a week for a new one to arrive. Cost £20.

VenusTiger · 30/09/2019 13:54

@Ispini can you apply for British one today and if police check, they’ll see it’s being renewed.
My DH didn’t change his for a long time until I told him dvla said there was a chance of a fine as they don’t hold same information as dla.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/09/2019 13:55

If you can't get through to the NDLA - what is it about government agencies never answering the phone, could you ask the hire car people, especially if an online check can be done, plus other forms of ID?

VenusTiger · 30/09/2019 13:57

@BarbaraofSeville you need a driving licence to hire a car, passport is for ID purposes, it does not inform anyone whether you are legal to drive or not. Copies are not accepted.

youwouldthink · 30/09/2019 14:02

If I've taken it correctly you have an Irish licence? If so when you get over here you can pop into the licence renewal and have it reissued takes about 7 days and you'll need ID such as a passport.
If you are driving between the two countries atter 31 Oct and Brexit has happened its going to cause a lot of issues.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/09/2019 14:03

Yes, but in the UK the information printout has all the details of your licence on - number, points, categories you have a licence for - it proves you have a licence so it should be acceptable, and obviously the passport proves who you are and that you're the person the piece of paper refers to.

If it's not accepted then it's because 'computer says no' rather than anyone using rational thought and common sense.

DramaAlpaca · 30/09/2019 14:06

sillysmiles yes that Irish radio ad only refers to British people resident in Ireland who are still driving on a UK licence.

Original poster
Ispini · 30/09/2019 14:14

Thanks all for some very useful suggestions. I am going to phone round and google for the afternoon. I’ll update when I have some news. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer.

OP posts:
medb22 · 30/09/2019 14:15

Ispini, you'd probably be best off contacting the NDLS directly. There's an email address and a phone number here. Since you haven't exchanged your licence for a British one, I think you'll have to deal directly with the Irish system to start with anyway. They do have a section in the FAQ dealing with the procedure to replace if it's lost abroad, but it has some complicated thing about proving residency entitlement so you might need to actually speak to someone to find out what you need to do.

It does look as though you can get a letter of entitlement so you can exchange for a British licence before you go and use that for the car rental, but that also seems complicated and not fully explained in the FAQ. It's a pretty poor site, tbh!

FWIW - and this probably won't help you, since I am resident in Ireland - I have had a licence stolen before, and I had to fill in a form and get it signed by a Garda to get a new one. I applied in person so I got it straight away, but I did have to carry a copy of the form with me in case I was stopped in the meantime. But like I said, that process may not apply to you applying from abroad.

EmeraldShamrock · 30/09/2019 14:21

Under the circumstances you can apply for a replacement asap.
Are you in Ireland. Can you visit or phone the DMV office.

JuneSpoon · 30/09/2019 14:24

Afaik if you lose your Irish driver's license you have to report it missing to a Garda station, you can't just order a new one

EmeraldShamrock · 30/09/2019 14:26

www.ndls.ie
You need to inform the Garda.
Contact ndls.

northernstars · 30/09/2019 14:51

Britons resident in Ireland have been told to convert to an Irish license. That's around 40,000 licenses to be done in a month and the NDLS appointments were bad enough even before then.