Transfer of UK license to Irish

R.O.R

spav wrote: »

Also, is there any advantage in having an Irish licence over a UK one (e.g. cheaper insurance)?

Some insurance companies are giving a discount for no points on your licence and this only applies to Irish Licences.

aardsoft

I followed this thread and almost made the mistake of going into Court with the information posted here.

Driving licenses are handling not by the Department of Transport but by the Road Safety Authority. The relevant wording is on their web-site http://www.rsa.ie/SERVICES/RSA_Services/Driver_Licensing.html#Exchange_Driving_Licence


This page contains information relating to Driver Licensing


Full Driving Licence
Learner Permit
FAQs
Forms
Statutory Instruments
Penalty Points
Contact Details


Full Driving License Information and Requirements

Who may apply?
Fee
Theory Test Certificate
Normal Residence in Ireland
Evidence of Identity
Photographs
Medical Report (Form D.501)
Current / Last Licence to Accompany Application
Lost / Stolen Licence
Duplicate Licence Application (Form D.800)
Free-in-lieu Licence
Exchange of Driving Licence
Towing a Trailer
Where to apply
Checklist
Diseases or disabilities where a medical report is required
Medical Aspects
Driving Licence Codes
Categories of Vehicles/Minimum Age of Driver
Motor Taxation Offices
Who may apply ?
You may apply for a driving licence if:-

• You hold a driving licence which will expire within three months and you wish to renew it, or
• You held a driving licence which expired less than 10 years ago and you wish to renew it, or
• You hold a driving licence and you wish to have an additional category of vehicle added to it and a driving test is not required, or
• You have recently passed a driving test, or
• You are exchanging a current valid driving licence issued by another Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area or another 'recognised state'.
  
  
  
  Period of Licence
• If you are under 60 years of age you may apply for a 10 year or 3 year licence.
• If you are over 60 but under 67 years of age you may apply for a licence which will expire when you reach 70 years of age or for a 3 year licence.
• If you are over 67 but under 70 years of age you may apply for a three year licence.
• If you are over 70 years of age you may apply for a 3 year or 1 year licence subject to certification of fitness to drive by your doctor.

The deciding age is your age on the first day of the period for which the licence is being granted.
A one year licence may be granted in exceptional circumstances where, for medical reasons, a longer term of licence cannot be granted.


Fee
The fee for a driving licence is:-
1 year licence - €5
3 year licence - €15
10 year licence - €25
Licence up to age 70 (not more than 10 year) - €25
No fee will apply where the applicant is 70 years of age or more on the commencement date of the licence.
Cheques and Postal Orders should be made payable to the City or County Council to which you are making the application e.g. if applying to Dublin Motor Tax Office the cheque should be made payable to Dublin City Council.


Theory Test Certificate
If you applied for a first provisional licence in the period 25 April 2001 to 10 June 2001, you must submit a theory test certificate with your driving licence application, unless you have already submitted such a certificate. Further information may be obtained on the Driver Theory Test website at www.theorytest.ie



Normal Residence in Ireland
An applicant for a driving licence must be normally resident in Ireland. In this connection, you shall be regarded as having your normal residence in Ireland if, because of personal and occupational ties, you usually live here for at least 185 days in each calendar year. However, if you have personal ties in Ireland and occupational ties in another country which require absences from this country you may still be regarded as being normally resident in Ireland provided that you return here regularly. Working abroad on a specific task for a definite duration or attending a foreign University or College, shall not imply that you have transferred your normal residence to another country.


Evidence of Identity
If applying in person, the licensing authority may, in it's absolute discretion, request you to provide evidence of identity. Examples of the types of documentation that will be accepted in this regard include a passport, a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a certificate of registration, a cheque book, a cheque card, a credit card, a Credit Union membership card, a bank, building society or savings bank book, a Social Welfare payment book, a signing-on card or free travel card, a medical card, an employee or student identity card.

Photographs
Two identical passport-type photographs must accompany your application. Please sign the reverse side of each photograph.



Medical Report (Form D.501) (must be printed back to back on one page)
Your application must be accompanied by a medical report if:-

• You are applying for a driving licence in respect of any of the categories C1, C, D1, D, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED unless you have previously provided a medical report which is still applicable.
• You will be 70 years of age or more on the first day of the period for which the licence is being granted.
• You suffer from any of the disabilities or diseases listed under.
• You have ever suffered from alcoholism or epilepsy.
• You are taking, on a regular basis, drugs or medicaments which would be likely to cause the driving of a vehicle by you to be a source of danger.
• The medical report must be completed by a registered medical practitioner and you must sign the declaration in his/her presence.

Note: (1) A person who suffers from serious arrhythmia which has at any stage resulted in loss of consciousness is particularly advised to consult his/her doctor before applying for a licence.
(2) A person who is dependent on or regularly abuses psychotropic substances is disqualified from holding any learner permit or driving licence.
If you have any doubts about your physical or mental fitness to drive you should consult a doctor.
Medical Report Forms may be obtained from your local Motor Taxation Office or downloaded here.

Current / Last Licence to Accompany Application
Your application for the issue or renewal of a driving licence must be accompanied by:

• Your current or most recently issued driving licence, if you hold a driving licence or held
  one within the previous ten years, and
• Your current or most recently issued learner permit, if you hold a learner permit or
  held one within the previous five years (unless your most recent learner permit has
  been superseded by the issue of a driving licence).

Lost/Stolen License
If your most recent licence has been lost or stolen, you must complete a lost licence declaration form (Form D8 A) at your local Garda Station. This form must then be forwarded to the Motor Taxation Office with your application (Form D.401).


Duplicate Licence Application (Form D.800)
If your licence is current but has been lost or stolen you may apply to your Motor Taxation Office for a duplicate. A duplicate licence is issued to replace a valid licence that has been lost, stolen, destroyed or defaced. The duplicate will be a copy of the original licence, including any endorsements, and will be valid for the same period. Your application should include

• Application Form D.800 signed and stamped at your local Garda Station
• 2 passport-type photographs (signed on back).

Fee - €10.00
Free-in-lieu Licence.
Free-in-lieu licences are issued (provided your driving licence is current) in the following cases:-
(1) Change of name/address.
(2) Removal of endorsement. (N.B. An endorsement must remain on a current licence for 3
years.)
(3) If an error has been made in the issue of the licence (e.g incorrect date of birth).
(4) Extra category added.
In all cases you must send a completed application form, 2 passport type photographs (signed on back) and any supporting documentation e.g. marriage certificate, to your local Motor Taxation Office.
With regard to No. 4 above - you must also enclose the required certificate of competency and medical report (if required).


Exchange of Driving Licence
Mutual Recognition
The holder of a driving licence issued by the competent authority of another member state of the European Union or of the European Economic Area (i.e. EU + Norway, Liechenstein and Iceland) may drive in Ireland on that licence for the duration of its validity. However, if you wish, you may apply for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence. Application for exchange must be made within ten years of expiry of the licence.
Recognised States
Australia, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland and Guernsey have been designated as recognised states for the purposes of Driving Licence Exchange along with those of the European Union and the European Economic Area. Upon taking up normal residence in the state the holder of a driving licence issued by the competent authority of one of these countries may drive here on that licence until the expiry of
(i) the period for which such licence has effect or
(ii) one year from the date of taking up such residence,
whichever first occurs.

Application for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence must be made within one year of expiry of the licence.

All applicants for exchange must complete an Exchange of Driving Licence form (D.900) and an Application for Driving Licence form (D.401).


THE IMPORTANT PART IS (ii)


Hope this helps someone else to not fall into the trap.


regards
aardsoft

aardsoft

it should be http://www.rsa.ie/SERVICES/RSA_Services/Driver_Licensing.html#Exchange_Driving_Licence

regards

aardsoft

Alun

aardsoft wrote: »

I followed this thread and almost made the mistake of going into Court with the information posted here.

<SNIP>

Hope this helps someone else to not fall into the trap.

What "trap" would that be then? We were talking about EU licences, and from what I can see the bit you emphasised is only relevant to the other states that exchanges are allowed for, not EU ones.

smashey

Hi guys, sorry for butting in here but as I see a lot of info regarding the transfer of penalty points, I have a query.

I live in the Tyrone and still use my Irish license (DVLANI told me they had to accept it until it expires) even though I drive a Northern Car and am insured through a broker in Derry.

I have 4 penalty points for speeding (no problems, I was speeding and paid the fines) so would this present a problem if I was to teansfer to a UK license? The only reason I want to do this is that I work in Donegal and the customs have stopped me a couple of times.

Our man in Havana

Nope, your Irish points would not be an issue, as far as DVLA NI are concerned you don't have any points.

smashey

Thanks Bond.

I'll get the form at the weekend.

aardsoft

Th trap I am talking about is that previous threads suggested you do not need to exchange your UK/EU license for an Irish one. In fact if you read the RSA text you must exchange if you are resident for over 1 year.

My license is issue by the UK DVLA and it is an EU one with the blue flag, but the wording covers that.

Alun

aardsoft wrote: »

Th trap I am talking about is that previous threads suggested you do not need to exchange your UK/EU license for an Irish one. In fact if you read the RSA text you must exchange if you are resident for over 1 year.

No you don't. There has been mutual recognition of EU driving licences within the EU for a number of years now.

Our man in Havana

Th trap I am talking about is that previous threads suggested you do not need to exchange your UK/EU license for an Irish one. In fact if you read the RSA text you must exchange if you are resident for over 1 year

You don't. UK/EU licences are valid until they expire.

smashey

aardsoft wrote: »

In fact if you read the RSA text you must exchange if you are resident for over 1 year.

Not according to DVLANI in Coleraine. See my previous post.

spav

aardsoft wrote: »

Th trap I am talking about is that previous threads suggested you do not need to exchange your UK/EU license for an Irish one. In fact if you read the RSA text you must exchange if you are resident for over 1 year.

My license is issue by the UK DVLA and it is an EU one with the blue flag, but the wording covers that.

Unless I'm grossly missing the point here, that's exactly what it doesn't say;

"The holder of a driving licence issued by the competent authority of another member state of the European Union or of the European Economic Area (i.e. EU + Norway, Liechenstein and Iceland) may drive in Ireland on that licence for the duration of its validity. However, if you wish, you may apply for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence. Application for exchange must be made within ten years of expiry of the licence."


So you while you can exchange your EU licence if you want, you don't have to providing it's still valid (i.e. not expired).

Alun

spav wrote: »

Unless I'm grossly missing the point here, that's exactly what it doesn't say;

"The holder of a driving licence issued by the competent authority of another member state of the European Union or of the European Economic Area (i.e. EU + Norway, Liechenstein and Iceland) may drive in Ireland on that licence for the duration of its validity. However, if you wish, you may apply for exchange to an equivalent Irish licence. Application for exchange must be made within ten years of expiry of the licence."


So you while you can exchange your EU licence if you want, you don't have to providing it's still valid (i.e. not expired).

Exactly. the "point (ii)" he was referring to is only relevant to the exchange of licences from the countries other than the EEA that are listed under "recognised states".