Licence exchange takes 3 months..?

JackHeuston

Hello!
I was considering to exchange my EU driving licence for an Irish one so that my car insurance premium would be lower. The procedure looks easy enough, but after a quick email exchange with the NDLS I figured that the whole process would take approximately 2-3 months.

I thought, yeah ok, when you submit your application along with your current driving licence, they would give you some sort of letter or certification that states you're just waiting to receive the card.

Apparently I was wrong, can you confirm they don't give you anything back and they expect you to not drive for 2-3 months? How is this possible? Am I missing something?

CiniO

I thought waiting times of 3 months are over, and now it takes few weeks at the most.

And yes - they expect you not to drive for 3 weeks legally.
And that applies to every single driver in Ireland who is renewing or exchanging his licence due to change of address / extra category / medical condition/ etc...

JackHeuston

CiniO wrote: »

I thought waiting times of 3 months are over, and now it takes few weeks at the most.

And yes - they expect you not to drive for 3 weeks legally.
And that applies to every single driver in Ireland who is renewing or exchanging his licence due to change of address / extra category / medical condition/ etc...

3 weeks are kind of acceptable, but 3 months! I don't know, first guy at NDLS told me "up to 3 months". Asked again after a few days, second guy said the average time for an exchange is 2-3 months. I would figure they'd tell you an insane amount of time just to make sure you don't receive your licence later than what they tell you, but now I'm really wondering if it's going to take months instead of a few weeks.

I would start the process to make sure I get a lower premium, but three months without driving...

pred racer

It took 3 months for mine (early last year) and all they give you is a receipt to say you have applied for a new licence.

GalwayKiefer

Seriously?! I'm moving home soon and I was expecting - at most - a week turn around time.

stefanovich

Not advising one way or the other but a lot of people (myself included) would take the small risk of driving with just the receipt. The guard would have to be a right pr*ck to do you for it.

neilthefunkeone

Just coming up on 2 months waiting myself.. When I called to check on progress all they say is its processing and can be up to another month..

Unbelievable system.. I really can't see what the delay is..

Greenmachine

Can't believe this now takes up to 3 months is it just for an exchange. What about renewals. When the council still was tasked with this. I variously renewed my provisional on the motorcycle category, and received it the next day, and adding the car category had it added to my full bike license on the same day while I wait. This is progress apparently.

JackHeuston

Thanks y'all for your replies!
I found in the FAQ that they take 3 months only for licence exchange, because they need to contact your country of origin. Still, I don't see what's so difficult contacting an office in a EU country that's going to take three full months. In three months I could walk back to Italy and come back here with the paperwork, probably twice haha

Anyway, I saw this in the FAQ, but I guess it's only valid for people getting their licences for the first time: (link omitted, can't post links :-( just go to the NDLS website, click FAQ on the top menu, and scroll down to "What should I do while I’m waiting for my new card e.g. if I’m stopped by a member of An Garda Síochána and asked to produce my licence?"

JackHeuston

Thanks y'all for your replies!
I found in the FAQ that they take 3 months only for licence exchange, because they need to contact your country of origin. Still, I don't see what's so difficult contacting an office in a EU country that's going to take three full months. In three months I could walk back to Italy and come back here with the paperwork, probably twice haha

Anyway, I saw this in the FAQ, but I guess it's only valid for people getting their licences for the first time: (link omitted, can't post links :-( just go to the NDLS website, click FAQ on the top menu, and scroll down to "What should I do while I’m waiting for my new card e.g. if I’m stopped by a member of An Garda Síochána and asked to produce my licence?")

delahuntv

JackHeuston wrote: »

Thanks y'all for your replies!
I found in the FAQ that they take 3 months only for licence exchange, because they need to contact your country of origin. Still, I don't see what's so difficult contacting an office in a EU country that's going to take three full months. In three months I could walk back to Italy and come back here with the paperwork, probably twice haha
"

You are dependent on the other EU country reply in good time - try getting a French official or Italian or worse still a Greek official to reply to good time! -

Hence "up to 3 months" allows for the ridulously slow bureaucrats of France, Italy & Greece.

If its Germany or UK or Nordic countries, it will be quicker.

JackHeuston

delahuntv wrote: »

You are dependent on the other EU country reply in good time - try getting a French official or Italian or worse still a Greek official to reply to good time! -

Hence "up to 3 months" allows for the ridulously slow bureaucrats of France, Italy & Greece.

If its Germany or UK or Nordic countries, it will be quicker.

Yeah, as I guessed they just tell you to expect a long time so that it's sure you'll have it by that time. Still, I'm surprised by how long bureaucracy takes for this, and that you are expected not to drive meanwhile. It's comprehensible though.

delahuntv

JackHeuston wrote: »

Yeah, as I guessed they just tell you to expect a long time so that it's sure you'll have it by that time. Still, I'm surprised by how long bureaucracy takes for this, and that you are expected not to drive meanwhile. It's comprehensible though.

Take photocopy of licence and add receipt.

Try working in France! - You'll think Irish civil servants are superfast and efficient! :P

neilthefunkeone

Well hold on.. I was just renewing my full Irish paper license to the new card and its been 2 months so far.. And when i called last week i was told it can be up to another month..

So its not just a hold up with other countries replying, its internal!!

Bray Head

I applied online to convert an EU license to an Irish one seven weeks ago. I sent off the EU license to the NDLS and have not received my new Irish one.

I rang the NDLS who said that they were waiting on the other EU country to get back to them. I emailed the EU country myself and got a certificate back within two hours in English with details of my license and confirming that I had no endorsements or penalty points.

I sent on the certificate to the NDLS but when I rang them again they just gave me another excuse. It's ridiculous.