New to UK Driving? – Don’t Panic We can Help!
If you’re a new driver on British roads, you may find it confusing and find you have a lack of confidence to drive, therefore to familiarise yourself with the road systems and traffic signs, we recommend you take a Refresher course. A refresher course is designed to help you get driving with a few professional driving lessons from our qualified driving instructors.
This is what you need to get started:
Driving in the UK with a Non-UK Driving Licence
You can drive with a non UK driving license subject to certain UK conditions with a valid driving license issued in another country. You can drive in the UK for 12 months as long as you fulfill the minimum age requirement of 17 for motorcars.
EC/EU Driving Licence Holders
With a valid European Community licence, you are allowed to drive in the UK. You can also apply to exchange it for a UK licence.
European Community and Other Countries
All driving licences from countries and economic areas listed below are entitled to drive for up to 12 months in the UK, provided the licence is valid.
If you want to continue driving in the UK after 12 months, you must apply to exchange your licence for a British one before the 12 month period ends.
| Falkland Islands | South Africa |
| Malta | Barbados |
| Jersey | Republic of Cyprus |
| Gibraltar | EC |
| Monaco | British Virgin Islands |
| Guernsey | European Economic Area |
| Australia | Republic of Korea |
| Northern Ireland | Canada |
| New Zealand | Singapor |
| Isle of Man | Hong Kong |
| Switzerland | Japan |
| Zimbabwe |
If you need to or would like to exchange your driving licence, all you need to do is complete an application form called a D1 form- which is available at most Post Office’s.
Other non-UK driving licence Holders
If you hold a driving licence from a country which is not listed above, you can drive any category of vehicles that are stated on your drivers license for up to 12 months; usually from the time you became a resident of the UK, as long as your licence is valid.
After 12 months, if you wish to continue to drive in the UK, you have to apply for a Provisional licence (application form found at the Post Office) and pass a Driving Test before the 12 month period expires.
Please Note: The information above is intended as a guide only and we recommend you contact the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for more detailed information on individual circumstances.