THOUSANDS of motorists could be affected by a major change to driving licence rules.
Drivers from one European country would be allowed to swap their licence for a UK one, under the new rules.
The government is proposing to let drivers from a new country swap their licence for a GB one[/caption]
If accepted, the new proposals would let those drivers skip taking a test here[/caption]
The country being teed up for a UK licence swap is Moldova.
The proposal was put forward by the DVLA, which now wants to hear from the public.
The government statement asked for feedback on allowing “drivers who hold a licence to drive cars which was issued originally in Moldova to exchange it for an equivalent GB licence if the driver becomes resident in GB”.
It continued: “This change will apply in England, Scotland and Wales only. Driver licensing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland.”
At the moment, British residents who got their licence in a country outside the European Economic Area may only drive the relevant vehicles in the UK for up to a year.
After 12 months, they must sit and pass a UK driving test if they want to continue on the roads.
This rule applies to motorcycles, cars and vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg.
However, there is a list of countries from which licences can be swapped for a GB equivalent, without the driver needing to take a test here.
The new government suggestion is to add Moldova to that list.
Countries must be deemed to have testing standards as high as those in the UK for their licences to open to these swaps.
Any prospective GB drivers would also need to meet the usual licencing requirements based on health and age.
It would also exclude anyone who originally earned their licence in a country not on the list, but later swapped it for a Moldovan one.
The GB licence would only include manual cars if that was covered in Moldova.
And the swap must be made within five years of the driver becoming a resident of Great Britain.
Drivers from Moldova living in Great Britain may soon be able to swap their licence for a GB one[/caption]
If more than five years have passed, the Moldovan licence holder would have to pass a GB driving theory and practical test.
There are 22 other countries already on the list, including Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.
As the new rules would affect road users in the UK, the government wants to hear the thoughts of British drivers.
Motorists are encouraged to give their feedback to the consultation.
The deadline to submit any feedback is 11:59pm on Friday, March 28, 2025.
The proposal is not expected to cause any significant costs or savings for the DVLA.
