Picture copyright Getty Photos As a
Picture copyright
Getty Photos
As a member of the European Union (EU), UK driving licences may very well be used to drive in international locations within the European Financial Space (EEA) – which means EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
When the UK left the EU on 31 January it entered a transition interval throughout which just about the whole lot will keep the identical till the top of the 12 months. UK licences will nonetheless be legitimate for visiting EEA international locations throughout transition.
What occurs subsequent will rely on negotiations on the long run relationship between the UK and the EU.
There will probably be totally different preparations in place for every nation – particular recommendation for every nation is available from the government.
Some international locations would require drivers to have an Worldwide Driving Allow (IDP), particularly for longer visits, which can be bought at Post Offices for £5.50. You might also want to hold your UK driving licence – some international locations have stricter guidelines for those who solely have a paper licence. DVLA says greater than three million individuals in Britain solely have a paper licence, not a photocard.
There are two various kinds of IDP you would possibly want in Europe, referred to as the 1949 and 1968 IDPs – the numbers confer with the dates of the conventions on highway site visitors that established them.
- The 1949 allow covers any visits to Cyprus and Andorra and longer journeys to Eire, Spain, Iceland, and Malta.
- The 1968 allow covers driving in all different EU international locations that require IDPs, plus Norway and Switzerland
Picture copyright
Getty Photos
Solely France, Italy and Cyprus require drivers to have an IDP for a brief go to.
The vast majority of international locations, resembling Germany and Spain, solely want you to have an IDP after you have been driving within the nation for a set interval – three, six or 12 months.
And some international locations such because the Netherlands and Switzerland is not going to require an IDP in any respect.
It is also potential that the kind of IDP you might want to drive in international locations outdoors Europe will change as soon as the UK is not a member of the EU. You could find the complete listing of which IDPs you want worldwide on this page.
One other driving check?
IDPs apply just for visiting different international locations. In case you are a UK licence-holder residing in one other EU nation, then you might have to exchange your UK licence for a licence issued by an EU nation.
The federal government has issued specific advice for each country. In some international locations, for those who wait till after the top of the transition interval, you might have to take one other driving check.
EU and EEA licenses will proceed to be accepted within the UK for guests and residents.
Media playback is unsupported in your machine
Your UK insurance coverage continues to be legitimate for visiting the EEA in the course of the transition interval.
It’s potential that in 2021, after the transition interval is because of finish, you might be legally required to get a Inexperienced Card out of your insurer to show your automotive is roofed if you’re driving in Europe. This can rely on what’s agreed in negotiations between the UK and the EU on the long run relationship.
The Inexperienced Card is barely proof of a minimal stage of third-party cowl – it would not necessarily match the level of cover that you just pay for within the UK. You would need to test together with your insurer to seek out out what stage of canopy you’d get.
Picture copyright
Getty Photos
The federal government recommends that you’ve a GB sticker in your automotive, even for those who even have a GB image in your quantity plate.
You may have to carry your V5C log book with you for those who personal the automotive. If it’s a automotive you will have employed or leased then you’ll need to get a VE103 type to indicate you will have permission to take it out of the UK.
Maybe most inconveniently, if you’re concerned in a highway site visitors accident in an EEA nation after the top of the transition interval, then you might have to make a declare in opposition to the accountable driver or their insurer within the nation the place the accident occurred.
And that would contain bringing the declare within the native language.
Once more, this can rely on the end result of negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.
What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch