Private Car

Car Owners

All car owners wishing to bring a car into the UK must have a full Drivers licence, MOT, road tax and car insurance before the car is legal to drive on any UK road network.

All drivers must be over the age of 17 years of age and also must hold a valid driving licence.

All information regarding the Driver, MOT, car insurance and road tax can be found at the DVLA - The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/exptimpt.htm

Any car that is imported for use in the UK must be registered and licensed as soon as possible after it arrives in the UK. The vehicle should not be used or kept on public roads until the licensing and registration have been completed.

There are international agreements that state for the temporary use of a car in a foreign country for a limited time, usually six months in a 12-month period. A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, providing that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.

The vehicle should not be used or kept on public roads until the licensing and registration have been completed.

Driving Licence

EEA nationals

If you have a Community licence, this will authorise you to drive in the UK for the periods set out below.  Provided your licence remains valid you can drive in the UK:

Until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident whichever is the longer period.

• Until aged 45 or for five years after becoming resident whichever is the longer period.
• If you are aged over 45 but under 65 you can drive until your 66th birthday or for five years after becoming 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 a British licence must be obtained.

Nationals from: Gibraltar and Designated countries (Australia, Malta, Barbados, New Zealand, British Virgin Islands, Republic of Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Canada, Monaco, Republic of Korea).

Provided your licence remains valid, you can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you become resident.  To ensure continuous driving entitlement a GB licence must be obtained before this period elapses, by exchanging your licence for a UK one.

New residents may not drive medium or large vehicles or passenger carrying vehicles until they have passed the relevant UK driving test. 

Gibraltar vocational licences can exchange a valid vocational licence within five years of date of residency.

All other countries

Provided your full 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 UK licence must have been obtained and a driving test passed before the 12 month period elapses.

New residents may not drive large vehicles until they have passed the relevant UK driving test. 

Driving test candidates are required to pass a motor car (category B) test before applying for provisional entitlement for larger vehicles.

Find out more about driving in the UK as a visitor or new resident:
www.dvla.gov.uk/forms/pdf/INF38.pdf