Andramedoin Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Hi, I have PR in Australia & have never had a driving license, either in Australia or the UK. I am hoping to start lessons soon and have an idea to speed up the process of getting a full license. If/when i pass and get my Green P's (25 yrs old), can i head for a holiday to the UK and convert it to a full UK license, then come back and convert it to a full license in Australia? I have read a couple of posts where people mention 50 pounds to swap it over, but just wondering whether anyone's attempted this before. It'd be great to come back from a holiday and get a full license. The holiday is not purely for this reason, but thought while I'm there, it might be worth it if possible. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I think you would stumble as you are supposed to be resident in the UK to be able to change it. If you are only back on holiday and not resident in the UK (ie you are resident in Aus) then you should not be able to afaik. https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence TBH I'd not be looking for ways to speed up the process. It is what it is and driving on P plates for a year isn't a bad thing is it? Also your insurance might question a change of DL and going over to a UK one may be an issue. And I'd think the Aus database would show you already hold a current Aus DL and then changing a UK one for another Aus one may see you run into problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 There are enough inexperienced and bad drivers on the roads without another one trying to cheat the system and get loose on a full licence! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I don't think you'd be able to change to a UK license on holiday, you would need to be resident. I'd not long passed my driving test in the UK (full licence) when we arrived in Australia. We came on a 457, and when I went to change my licence to a NSW one, the lady in the RTA advised me to stay on my UK license (which I was able to do, being on a temporary visa), because if I swapped to an Australian licence I would have to go on P's. Of course you are PR already, so you have no choice but to exchange your (theoretical) UK licence within a certain timeframe, and would end up with P's anyway. I enjoyed four years of driving on my UK licence, during which I didn't receive so much as a parking ticket, and then exchanged my licence once I became PR, by which time the need to have P's had passed. Of course the rules may have changed in the four or so years since, so it may be worth looking at the RTA website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Andramedoin said: Hi, I have PR in Australia & have never had a driving license, either in Australia or the UK. I am hoping to start lessons soon and have an idea to speed up the process of getting a full license. If/when i pass and get my Green P's (25 yrs old), can i head for a holiday to the UK and convert it to a full UK license, then come back and convert it to a full license in Australia? I have read a couple of posts where people mention 50 pounds to swap it over, but just wondering whether anyone's attempted this before. It'd be great to come back from a holiday and get a full license. The holiday is not purely for this reason, but thought while I'm there, it might be worth it if possible. Cheers, I think you would struggle doing it that way if you went for your P's first. You MAY be able to go to the UK do an intensive and then try changing it. How long have you been out of the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Ok just had a read, someone did go this route (my post above) a few years ago. Legally you are suppose to be a UK Resident and they will need an address to send your license to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 I think the P plate system here is very good and if I knew someone who had avoided it I am afraid I would dob them in. It is other peoples' lives we are talking about here, not to mention your own! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welljock Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 (edited) The person issuing the licence being half asleep is the only way it would work. If you've held your full UK licence for less than a year they should only issue a Provisional, it happened to my son (WA). Edited July 3, 2017 by welljock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.