UK license in Ireland

Benedict XVI

Hi, quick drivers license question.

My brother is moving home from London next week.

He has a full, clean UK driver’s license
He plans on buying a car as soon as he comes home.

What does he have to do to get an Irish license or does he have to have a grace period to use the UK one. ?
I came home a few years ago with a full US license and had to start from scratch for my Irish license, will he have to do the same. ?

Can he get insured with the UK license?

gerrycollins

Benedict XVI wrote:

Hi, quick drivers license question.

My brother is moving home from London next week.

He has a full, clean UK driver’s license
He plans on buying a car as soon as he comes home.

What does he have to do to get an Irish license or does he have to have a grace period to use the UK one. ?
I came home a few years ago with a full US license and had to start from scratch for my Irish license, will he have to do the same. ?

Can he get insured with the UK license?

my sister came back with a full clean UK licence and as we are EU countries all licences are treated the same and are considered equal unlike your US licence so he has to apply for a new irish licence using his UK one as the expired/old licence but im not sure about any grace period,

PowerHouseDan

I was he about an Irish License in the uk and was told i have 2 years and then have to change to a uk... But i have got quote with my irish license with UK insurance companies

coolmoose

he doesnt have to change to an irish licence, all eu member states must recognise each others licences. he only has to trade in for an irish licence before the expiry of the uk licence as far as i know

Benedict XVI

gerrycollins wrote:

my sister came back with a full clean UK licence and as we are EU countries all licences are treated the same and are considered equal unlike your US licence so he has to apply for a new irish licence using his UK one as the expired/old licence but im not sure about any grace period,

So the UK license is valid here until it expires ?

Stephen

Yep. And they can't put penalty points on it!

Benedict XVI

Got my answer on Oasis.gov.ie
http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html

The UK license (or any EU\EEA state) can be exchanged for a full Irish one without having to do a test.

peasant

So the UK license is valid here until it expires ?

Yes, absolutely! And if doesn't expire, its valid until death (like my licence )

Some insurance companies may act funny when you tell them you have a EU licence ...just tell them to get real !

PowerHouseDan

That go for irish in the uk too?

Stephen wrote:

Yep. And they can't put penalty points on it!

peasant

Benedict XVI wrote:

The UK license (or any EU\EEA state) can be exchanged for a full Irish one without having to do a test.

Why bother ??

Stephen

Dan: Yes. At least until both governments set up some kind of co-operation, but with the speed the Irish government moves at I can't see that being anytime soon.

Dunno if the brits make you exchange yours after a set period or anything like that though.

jimmycrackcorm

Benedict XVI wrote:

Hi, quick drivers license question.
He plans on buying a car as soon as he comes home.

Why wouldn't he bring a car over from the UK - much cheaper....

Also while you many not get penalty points on a uk licence, you can still accumulate them for the time that you do change your licence or when the EU standardise apply across all countries.

Alun

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

Also while you many not get penalty points on a uk licence, you can still accumulate them for the time that you do change your licence or when the EU standardise apply across all countries.

In theory, yes, unless they lose the back of the envelope they scribbled down the details on by the time he gets to exchanging his licence