British citizens with Canadian driving permits, returning to the UK

TheVoice · 28 Jul 2012 at 18:33

Hope someone might be able to help with this. My parents are returning to the UK from Canada in 4 weeks (if it were me I'd stay there but that's beside the point) after having been there for about two years on work permits. They both have/had full UK DLs prior to going out there, but they had to physically exchange those for Canadian driver's permits in order to drive for the length of their stay there.

How do they go about getting their UK licences back? Is it just a case of applying for a replacement licence or is the process different?

I'm not helpless so I've managed to find this on the DVLA website that states:

Returning to GB

If you return to GB from a non-EC/EEA country and are not in possession of a GB licence, you may:

-drive for up to 12 months on your foreign licence
-apply for a duplicate of your GB licence on payment of a fee

I presume that last point in bold is what would apply here, but can someone confirm?

Jokester · 28 Jul 2012 at 18:44

Yes, but I would also imagine they will need to change their address that the DVLA have on file as well at the same time.

Destination · 28 Jul 2012 at 18:48

Yes basically give them your canadian one, they give you a Uk one back when you pay them.
Exactly the same process as they did over in Canada.
I assume Canada are in the exchange scheme, some countries are not, but I would assume Canada would be.

TheVoice · 28 Jul 2012 at 18:53

Thanks. The other issue is that upon returning to the UK, they're going to be renting a car immediately which means they won't have their UK licences at that point. How might that work?

Tripnologist · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:00

As per your quote from the DVLA website, they can drive for up to 12 months with their Canadian license before exchanging.

TheVoice · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:05

Ah yes, sorry. The other issue is that apparently their Alberta licences only allow them to drive automatic vehicles, which would be a bit annoying for them as I suspect a manual is cheaper to rent.

Going to see if they're able to apply for replacement licences over the phone, and possibly have them sent to me so I can forward them on.

the_r_sole · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:10

I know some folks that had a similar situation, what they did was probably on a bit shaky ground but anyway, they just said to the dvla that they had lost the photocard so got a new one, meaning they have both an ontario and a uk driving licence!
as i said, probably a bad thing to do...

Tripnologist · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:15

Oh yeah, I went through that when I first moved here 6 years ago (I'm actually from Alberta originally). In Alberta, I could drive manual or automatic vehicles with my license, but over here, that same license only allowed me to drive automatic, not manual. A stupid rule imposed by the UK IMO.

Tripnologist · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:17

the_r_sole said:
Ithey just said to the dvla that they had lost the photocard so got a new one

Well, I guess technically they did lose it, just in another country. I'd probably do the same thing tbh.

(Sorry for double post)

OhEsEcks · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:18

Tripnologist said:
Oh yeah, I went through that when I first moved here 6 years ago (I'm actually from Alberta originally). In Alberta, I could drive manual or automatic vehicles with my license, but over here, that same license only allowed me to drive automatic, not manual. A stupid rule imposed by the UK IMO.

Nothing stupid about teaching people to drive proper cars.

Justintime · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:30

OhEsEcks said:
Nothing stupid about teaching people to drive proper cars.

Yes, only real men drive manuals. I drive a manual but am just as comfortable driving an automatic, steering the thing and actually driving in a manner that causes no one distress or alarm and getting from point A to B is what i'd call a good driver, not the act of using a clutch and shifter.

I'm rather fed up of people who think automatics are 'gocarts' and not proper cars, they do the same function and are actually probably less stressful to drive about especially now the roads are overcrowded.

OhEsEcks · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:32

Justintime said:
Yes, only real men drive manuals. I drive a manual but am just as comfortable driving an automatic, steering the thing and actually driving in a manner that causes no one distress or alarm and getting from point A to B is what i'd call a good driver, not the act of using a clutch and shifter.

I'm rather fed up of people who think automatics are 'gocarts' and not proper cars, they do the same function and are actually probably less stressful to drive about especially now the roads are overcrowded.

Your jimmies are easily rustled if you cry like a woman at an obviously satirical post. Or you are a woman and that's why you don't drive a manual. Because gears are much to complicated. Especially for Americans. Which is why they have interior bongs to alert them to things like leaving lights on and seat belts not being buckled. Common sense things. That only the superior British have ever mastered.

PS: Women can't park.

Justintime · 28 Jul 2012 at 19:41

OhEsEcks said:
Your jimmies are easily rustled if you cry like a woman at an obviously satirical post. Or you are a woman and that's why you don't drive a manual. Because gears are much to complicated. Especially for Americans. Which is why they have interior bongs to alert them to things like leaving lights on and seat belts not being buckled. Common sense things. That only the superior British have ever mastered.

PS: Women can't park.

You're backtracking and trying to be satirically clever, how cute.

chriscpritchard · 28 Jul 2012 at 20:06

All you people mentioning about it being auto only - the DVLA will have a record of the license (since it still technically exists) and so when you apply for a duplicate (cost of £20) it will have any categories that existed before they went abroad.

Justintime · 28 Jul 2012 at 20:08

chriscpritchard said:
All you people mentioning about it being auto only - the DVLA will have a record of the license (since it still technically exists) and so when you apply for a duplicate (cost of £20) it will have any categories that existed before they went abroad.

He dosen't mean the UK license, i'm guessing the one year allowance to drive on the Canadian license stipulates automatic only.

chriscpritchard · 28 Jul 2012 at 20:09

the_r_sole said:
I know some folks that had a similar situation, what they did was probably on a bit shaky ground but anyway, they just said to the dvla that they had lost the photocard so got a new one, meaning they have both an ontario and a uk driving licence!
as i said, probably a bad thing to do...

No actually, it's what the DVLA advise (they direct you to "applying for a replacement license")

Destination · 28 Jul 2012 at 21:58

That might be best in this case, especially if their original term was still valid, else handing in automatic only licences for replacements will probably mean they will receive automatic only licences here.

Tripnologist · 3 Aug 2012 at 15:43

OhEsEcks said:
Nothing stupid about teaching people to drive proper cars.

I'm not sure what you mean by that.
With my Canadian license, I'm permitted to drive manual AND automatic vehicles. That same license here though only allows me to drive automatic, even if I've driven manual all my life.