UK driving licence renewal Thailand

[MARK74]

i hope this is in the correct place, sorry if it is not.

 

I will go to the UK for christmas for a week and have looked everywhere for my UK licence but it has disappeared, hasn't been used for many years and we have moved around quite a bit so i have given up looking.

 

Does anyone know if i can get a new license whilst in thailand? from the DVLA website i don't think it can be done, i have tried to call them but, good luck getting any answer from them, i gave up.

 

so if i cannot renew here is there a way to apply online but using a relatives address in the UK and ask them to post to me here or would the dvla need proof i lived there?

 

i want to hire a car for the week i am in the uk, has anyone used a thai license to rent a car from heathrow airport.

 

I would think that a thai person would be able to so but as a british person does anyone know if i would have a problem just renting using my thai license and if there are any issues in doing such as affect insurance etc.

 

Many thanks if anyone has any ideas

[wgdanson]

Yes you can use your Thai license in UK for car hire, probably easier cos you do not need to get your licence summary number from DVLC which shows any convictions. 

 

Get your new license on-line sent to a mate's address in UK, and get them to send it to you, or collect when you are in UK.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

As said above, use your Thai license. It's actually what you're supposed to do if you're resident in Thailand. You can drive in the UK on a Thai license for up to one year. You don't even need your UK license any more, why bother <rhet>.

Edited October 2, 2018 by NilSS

[evadgib]

https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

[Kwasaki]

As said if you live in Thailand use your Thai licence.

After 2 years of being out of the your UK licence is void unless you have a home address and go back for 6 months of the year. 

[MARK74]

great thanks a lot guys, i'll just use my thai licence and won't bother renewing the UK licence then ????

[HAKAPALITA]

Worth checking Rental Restrictions for Europe. Some restrict you to Mini type Cars if you under 30, and some hefty daily surcharges if under 30.

[MARK74]

3 hours ago, HAKAPALITA said:

Worth checking Rental Restrictions for Europe. Some restrict you to Mini type Cars if you under 30, and some hefty daily surcharges if under 30.

thanks, i will be on the motorway quite a bit so there's no way i am going to hire a vauxhall corsa!

I am 44, i am sure they'll be no problem hiring a vauxhall vectra or equivalent 

[Moonlover]

On ‎10‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 5:10 PM, wgdanson said:

Get your new license on-line sent to a mate's address in UK, and get them to send it to you, or collect when you are in UK.

I disagree with this advise. You are only entitled to apply for a new licence if you are actually resident there. To do so, using 'a mate's address' would be fraudulent and could lead to prosecution.

 

Your right to hold a licence has not been rescinded and if you were to go back and live there, you would be able to apply for a new one, but only under those conditions.

 

But as said already, why bother about it when your Thai licence will get you on the road anyway.

 

Have a good trip.

 

ML

[catman20]

so if i cannot renew here is there a way to apply online but using a relatives address in the UK and ask them to post to me here or would the dvla need proof i lived there?

 

yes thats how i renewed mine.

[Estrada]

I have used my Thai Drivers licence every time for the last 8 years, no problem. I use Europcar. 

[wgdanson]

1 hour ago, catman20 said:

so if i cannot renew here is there a way to apply online but using a relatives address in the UK and ask them to post to me here or would the dvla need proof i lived there?

 

yes thats how i renewed mine.

Moonlover says that is illegal. But easy to do. The online site says you must be UK resident

Edited October 4, 2018 by wgdanson

[Peterw42]

I think it needs to be qualified that if you go home and have a home licence in your pocket (or hold one) and a Thai license in your pocket, you are by default driving on your home license. You dont really have the choice to nominate an overseas licence if you have a home license. Otherwise you can avoid fines, points loss systems etc. You can only drive on Thai license in home country if you dont have a valid home country license.

[Dogbarker]

On 10/2/2018 at 5:45 PM, Kwasaki said:

As said if you live in Thailand use your Thai licence.

After 2 years of being out of the your UK licence is void unless you have a home address and go back for 6 months of the year. 

Hello, .. I have been looking for more detail on your comments  of going back for 6 months of the year.  That would mean my UK licence is invalidated as I spend less than 6months of the year there. Cannot find anywhere it is mentioned on any dvla website .. Help appreciated.

[CharlieH]

11 minutes ago, Dogbarker said:

Hello, .. I have been looking for more detail on your comments  of going back for 6 months of the year.  That would mean my UK licence is invalidated as I spend less than 6months of the year there. Cannot find anywhere it is mentioned on any dvla website .. Help appreciated.

Never heard of this "6 month rule" it requires you have a UK address. A "UK residence" and its there so you can be fined /summoned etc for traffic offenses. Valid UK address is all thats required is my understanding.

[kwak250]

If you use your Thai driving license are you allowed to drive the wrong way down the road /go through red lights /undertake everyone and generally drive like a <deleted>?

I suppose you wont hsve to worry about clocking up points on your licence!

[phetphet]

Don't forget you may need to provide a passport sized photo for the new licence. maybe a utility bill as well. Depending on how long ago you last renewed.

 

You can do it online, but could also ask a friend or relative to get you two application forms from the post office (one extra in case you make any errors), and post them to you here. That way, you could complete the form, add the signed photo and return it to said friend to repost to DVLA.

 

 

[Moonlover]

53 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Moonlover says that is illegal. But easy to do. The online site says you must be UK resident

If you drive on a UK licence within the UK and the address on that licence is not one that you can be normally contacted, you are committing an offence and the fine is pretty steep.

 

Yes, you can circumvent the ruling about being a resident if you so wish, but why take the risk, when you have a valid Thai licence anyway.

[Moti24]

17 hours ago, MARK74 said:

great thanks a lot guys, i'll just use my thai licence and won't bother renewing the UK licence then ????

Yes, you can use your Thai licence in the UK.  But:

 

A friend of mine visited the UK 2 years ago, for Christmas and New Year.  When he arrived, the company he booked the hire car with said he couldn't upgrade the insurance because he had a Thai licence.  As far as I know, he tried a couple of other companies, with the same result.  So, it would be wise to book in advance, asking the relevant questions. 

[Moonlover]

On ‎10‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 5:45 PM, Kwasaki said:

As said if you live in Thailand use your Thai licence.

After 2 years of being out of the your UK licence is void unless you have a home address and go back for 6 months of the year. 

Where did you get this from? As far as I'm aware, the only time a UK licence becomes void (other than through disqualification) is when the holder is a none UK citizen who leaves the country permanently. 

[superal]

I renewed my UK driving licence last year on line , all easy and good I though until I found out that they also send you confirmation papers in the post to your home address to be signed by you and returned to them and that is what I did as luckily I had to make a trip on another issue .

[Dogbarker]

36 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Never heard of this "6 month rule" it requires you have a UK address. A "UK residence" and its there so you can be fined /summoned etc for traffic offenses. Valid UK address is all thats required is my understanding.

Thanks Charlie H that is what my understanding was but trying to find out just in case. May have invalidated my car insurance if that was the criteria. 

[Moonlover]

4 minutes ago, Moti24 said:

Yes, you can use your Thai licence in the UK.  But:

 

A friend of mine visited the UK 2 years ago, for Christmas and New Year.  When he arrived, the company he booked the hire car with said he couldn't upgrade the insurance because he had a Thai licence.  As far as I know, he tried a couple of other companies, with the same result.  So, it would be wise to book in advance, asking the relevant questions. 

Good tip. I recall when I used to make home visits from the Saudi Arabia It was always wise to pre-book. It was much cheaper and full insurance, including CDW was locked into the price.

 

And I always used my Saudi licence.

[HAKAPALITA]

Romany Folk in Europe towing caravans use a PO Box for the Fines that they never pay. Thats all they want anyone's address for these days. Hertz Rental U.S. last year held my deposit, in case i got any Citations, they never flinched at my Thai licence, my Yank one expired years ago.Going Home to keep a Euro Licence is about as puerile as the 90Day Report here imo. You can get a  Brit Passport without going Home cant You.?.

[wgdanson]

33 minutes ago, superal said:

I renewed my UK driving licence last year on line , all easy and good I though until I found out that they also send you confirmation papers in the post to your home address to be signed by you and returned to them and that is what I did as luckily I had to make a trip on another issue .

To be signed for, not necessarily by YOU. My brother just did it for me, and posted my new DL to me out here.

[wgdanson]

44 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

If you drive on a UK licence within the UK and the address on that licence is not one that you can be normally contacted, you are committing an offence and the fine is pretty steep.

 

Yes, you can circumvent the ruling about being a resident if you so wish, but why take the risk, when you have a valid Thai licence anyway.

I wonder how many UK residents think to change the name on their DLs every time the move house or flat......not many I guess.

[superal]

27 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I wonder how many UK residents think to change the name on their DLs every time the move house or flat......not many I guess.

Should have said that mine was a first renewal for 70 year old . As far as I can remember , upon completing the on line application and submitting it , the other paperwork then became apparent , much to my surprise , but I am sure that it was the applicant who had to sign the papers and return by post But not 100% sure .

Below is a statement from another forum which may endorse my views . ( can of worms comes to mind )

 

The law is that you cannot renew your UK driving license while non-UK-resident and it is unclear whether you can continue to drive using your current UK license until it expires once you have left the UK (in my view this is probably OK, but others take a different view).

If you do renew your UK license, it is necessary to sign a declaration that you are currently UK resident and to provide details of your actual current residential address (which DVLA will double check by running a credit check).

Following renewal of a UK driving license, the DVLA may notify HMRC that you are declaring UK residence for the current tax year. Therefore if you have declared UK non-residency to HMRC and are not currently paying UK tax, it is highly risky to renew your driving license because in the worst case scenario you may be deemed to have declared your liability for UK tax and/or face potential penalties for falsely declaring residential status.

All a bit confusing and not to be toyed with I say .

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, superal said:

Should have said that mine was a first renewal for 70 year old . As far as I can remember , upon completing the on line application and submitting it , the other paperwork then became apparent , much to my surprise , but I am sure that it was the applicant who had to sign the papers and return by post But not 100% sure .

Below is a statement from another forum which may endorse my views . ( can of worms comes to mind )

 

The law is that you cannot renew your UK driving license while non-UK-resident and it is unclear whether you can continue to drive using your current UK license until it expires once you have left the UK (in my view this is probably OK, but others take a different view).

If you do renew your UK license, it is necessary to sign a declaration that you are currently UK resident and to provide details of your actual current residential address (which DVLA will double check by running a credit check).

Following renewal of a UK driving license, the DVLA may notify HMRC that you are declaring UK residence for the current tax year. Therefore if you have declared UK non-residency to HMRC and are not currently paying UK tax, it is highly risky to renew your driving license because in the worst case scenario you may be deemed to have declared your liability for UK tax and/or face potential penalties for falsely declaring residential status.

All a bit confusing and not to be toyed with I say .

You are probably right, but I just did my 70 yr renewal and no problems. If the taxman comes and wants anything, I'll ask them to up my pension first.

[Moonlover]

See what you started O/P? Actually this topic has been done to death many times over, but I'm guessing you now the answer you need, once you have unscrambled it!

 

Enjoy your trip to UK.

 

ML

[bert bloggs]

As said before fill it in online and get it sent to "your home address" in the UK