Renewing a UK (NI) Driving Licence while overseas

(Mods, please feel free to move this)

I need to renew my UK driving licence. I’d hoped to just be able to fill in some paperwork and get it all sent off, but they required me to either visit some office in person to prove my identity, or send my passport to them. Obviously neither of these are possible.

Has anyone here renewed a UK driving licence while overseas?

Mine is actually a Northern Irish licence, which is slightly different, but I’m keen to hear from anyone in the UK that may have done this.

I assume the BTCO absolutely can’t help with this, right?

When you emigrate, according to the rules you’re supposed to hand it in and get a local one. On the other hand, someone at the DVLA told me to keep a relatives address on it, which is what I do.
Mine lasts until 2040, are Norn Irn licences different?

Now they have photos on, so you need to go in person so they can see you look like your picture.

[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”]When you emigrate, according to the rules you’re supposed to hand it in and get a local one. On the other hand, someone at the DVLA told me to keep a relatives address on it, which is what I do.
Mine lasts until 2040, are Norn Irn licences different?

Now they have photos on, so you need to go in person so they can see you look like your picture.[/quote]

Yeah, I am going to do the relatives’ address thing. I was looking at the forms and that appears to be acceptable. I would only ever be using the licence when I’m in the UK anyway.

My licence was for 10 years and it ran out last year. Unfortunately my parents’ address also changed, which makes things a little more complicated.

Norn Iron licences are a bit different. For example, we’ve had photos on ours since the 1920s or something. You know, since we’re all troublemakers.

It’s just occurred to me that maybe I could send them my Irish passport as a form of ID. I wonder if that would be acceptable.

i did mine online and used my parents address to have the license sent to.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/BeforeyouapplyC/DG_067507

I’m not sure why you’re having more difficulty . . . are you sure you’re not trying to renew you’re cycling proficiency test certificate? They’re not the same you know, even if you did use stabilisers to make it a four-wheel vehicle.

[quote=“Stray Dog”]i did mine online and used my parents address to have the license sent to.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/BeforeyouapplyC/DG_067507

I’m not sure why you’re having more difficulty . . . are you sure you’re not trying to renew you’re cycling proficiency test certificate? They’re not the same you know, even if you did use stabilisers to make it a four-wheel vehicle.[/quote]

Thanks for the linky, stinky.

I don’t think I can do the Norn Irish one online, especially since I need to send new photos. At least I can’t find a web page saying otherwise. However, I think this page (and linked pages) pretty much tells me what I need to know (I’m mostly confused about what forms of proof of ID/address I need):

dvlni.gov.uk/drivers/photo_certify.htm

I’m just concerned that doing a renewal (the old one’s already expired) AND a change of address might just be too much for them to cope with.

Also, I need to know if I can use an Irish passport as proof of ID, since my British passport is currently in use in Taiwan, so to speak. I think it should be OK, since they accept British or Irish birth certificates as alternatives to passports.

That Norn Irn link says:

[quote] * Full Valid Current Passport in your current name
* UK or IRL Birth Certificate
[/quote]
Doesn’t say what country the passport needs to be from. I assume they do give driving licences to furriners, even Orish.

There’s a phone number on the bottom. I know you’re not very technical, but have you thought of, you know, calling them?

[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”]That Norn Irn link says:

[quote] * Full Valid Current Passport in your current name
* UK or IRL Birth Certificate
[/quote]
Doesn’t say what country the passport needs to be from. I assume they do give driving licences to furriners, even Orish.[/quote]

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. I’ll give it a go and see what happens.

Well I don’t really want them to see I’m calling from Taiwan…

Well, I’m not one of these strange smelly British people, but in the land of Oz, you can simply go to the Aust trade office in Taipei, have a certified copy of the passport made and send that as acceptable ID. Call the Brit office here and ask if they do the same.