USA Driving License in UK?

Hi,

My wife arrived in UK on 23 September 2019 on a spouse visa.

Regarding her American driving licence, can she drive temporarily for a year or so on her American driving license or does she need a UK provisional to drive with me accompanying her?

Thanks

Hello

You can use this official website to asses the situation:

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

She has 12 months with the US driving license.

But you will struggle to find an insurance on a foreign license. It's nearly impossible.

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 18, 2021 10:49 pm

Hello

You can use this official website to asses the situation:

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

She has 12 months with the US driving license.

But you will struggle to find an insurance on a foreign license. It's nearly impossible.

Thanks!

It seems crazy how she can drive for 12 months although she doesn't know how to drive a manual! At least I can teach her though.

Am I right in thinking she can essentially use the 12 months to learn under my supervision before she needs to apply for a provisional then? Or can she only drive automatic cars?

To learn under your supervision, she needs 2 things:

- A DVLA Provisional License
- An insurance for learners
- L signs on the car

I am not convinced she will find an insurance with a foreign license.

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 19, 2021 8:50 am

To learn under your supervision, she needs 2 things:

- A DVLA Provisional License
- An insurance for learners
- L signs on the car

And for you-

Anyone you practise your driving with (without paying them) must:

be over 21
be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you want to learn in, for example they must have a manual car licence if they’re supervising you in a manual car
have had their full driving licence for 3 years (from the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein)

You can be fined up to £1,000 and get up to 6 penalty points on your provisional licence if you drive without the right supervision.

You can drive with as many passengers as the vehicle can legally hold.

It’s illegal for your friend or family member to use a mobile phone while supervising you.

https://www.gov.uk/driving-lessons-lear ... or-friends

You may be able to add her as a named driver onto your car insurance.

I can tell you for fact as my wife came to the UK with a Vietnamese license. She was allowed to drive in the UK for one year from the day she arrived.

Insurance was no bother, and I bought her a fiesta ST for her first car, had a tracker on it for the first year but not this year. She had only got her license in VN a month before she came to the UK.

I taught her to drive, in her car on her fully comprehensively insured car. Not at all against the law, after all, all I did was sit next to her and tell her what to do.

She passed her test in VN on a manual car, so there was no issue with only being able to drive an automatic. If your wife has an automatic license only, then that is all she can drive one of those here too, if she has a manual gearbox license, then even if she has forgotten how to change gear, she can drive one in the UK. You can teach her.

Before her US license year expires, she will need to apply for a UK provisional, and do the theory and practical so she can receive a full UK license. She can still drive on her US license without worry, while she is preparing for her UK test and has a provisional. Best to apply for UK provisional and do this asap, because if she fails the UK license, but still has her US one, she can still drive herself and you can still teach her, she can then retake her test.

MY OH passed the theory first time, and then failed the first time for practical, passed second time a few weeks later, and no need to stop driving herself.

THO.

ChugaLuvMe wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:54 pm

Hi,

My wife arrived in UK on 23 September 2019 on a spouse visa.

Regarding her American driving licence, can she drive temporarily for a year or so on her American driving license or does she need a UK provisional to drive with me accompanying her?

Thanks

If your wife arrived in 2019, her US driving licence is no longer valid (can only be used for 12 months).

Unfortunately due to pandemic there’s a huge backlog for those willing to take test. Currently the bookings are only opened for October this year!

iwolga wrote: ↑

Fri May 14, 2021 4:38 am

ChugaLuvMe wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:54 pm

Hi,

My wife arrived in UK on 23 September 2019 on a spouse visa.

Regarding her American driving licence, can she drive temporarily for a year or so on her American driving license or does she need a UK provisional to drive with me accompanying her?

Thanks

If your wife arrived in 2019, her US driving licence is no longer valid (can only be used for 12 months).

Unfortunately due to pandemic there’s a huge backlog for those willing to take test. Currently the bookings are only opened for October this year!

Sorry, I meant 23/SEP/2020.

It's not a case of can you drive a car.
Over here, we have LOT of rules. She must take lessons with a driving instructor and must pass the Theory test or go through it as a minimum. Hope this makes sense.