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How to obtain a UK driving licence and do not lose an EU driving licence?

It seems that EU driving licences will not be accepted after Brexit on 31/10/19, and UK driving licences will not be accepted in the EU after Brexit.
So it would make sense to have a UK driving licence issued before Brexit based on the EU driving licence, and to still have the foreign (EU) driving licence.

Normally DVLA sends the EU driving licence back to the motoring authority which issued it, because apparently they expect that EU citizen should have only one driving licence from any of the EU countries.
But after Brexit the UK driving licence will stop be a licence from an EU country.
So would in such case DVLA send back to the applicant both the foreign (EU) driving licence along with the new UK driving licence, instead of sending the EU driving licence back to the foreign motoring authority?

At this point in time, the UK is part of the EU. So EU regulations are still fully in force.

You may want to wait after the Brexit, if any, then see how future procedures deal with this issue.

After Brexit they may not allow to issue UK licence based on EU licence.

I'm non EU and I'm not even allowed to exchange my driver's licence to a UK one i.e. I need to pass exams. Still they want my non-EU driver's licence.

I don't know if that's a general rule, but 2 of my colleagues were asked for it. Hence I'm not quite sure that being outside the EU will resolve your situation.

I read on these boards and elsewhere that people sometimes got their EU licence sent back to the applicant along with the UK licence (there was no explanation why) and sometimes got issued the UK licence when they even did not physically have their EU licence (they thought that they lost it, but they later found it - there is a message somewhere on these boards about that case).

orville wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:25 pm

After Brexit they may not allow to issue UK licence based on EU licence.

I think they will. Same as for the Commonwealth citizens and some other countries called "designated".

So in case of the 'designated' countries they do not send back the licence to the foreign motoring authority?

orville wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:33 pm

So in case of the 'designated' countries they do not send back the licence to the foreign motoring authority?

If you exchange your license for a UK one, your other license is sent back to the issuing authority in your home country.

orville wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:33 pm

So in case of the 'designated' countries they do not send back the licence to the foreign motoring authority?

I'm sorry I don't know. I was replying to your comment re possibility to have it exchanged after Brexit.

CR001 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:36 pm

If you exchange your license for a UK one, your other license is sent back to the issuing authority in your home country.

So for Commonwealth and 'designated' countries it works the same as for the EU countries?

And what if someone returned to the home country or another Commonwealth, EU or a designated country? How to get back the old licence, which was sent back by DVLA?

orville wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:45 pm

CR001 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:36 pm

If you exchange your license for a UK one, your other license is sent back to the issuing authority in your home country.

So for Commonwealth and 'designated' countries it works the same as for the EU countries?

And what if someone returned to the home country or another Commonwealth, EU or a designated country? How to get back the old licence, which was sent back by DVLA?

You then exchange your UK license for a new one in your home country.

CR001 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:36 pm

If you exchange your license for a UK one, your other license is sent back to the issuing authority in your home country.

And what do they do with it? Do they destroy it or archive it and can give it back in certain circumstances?

orville wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:33 am

CR001 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:36 pm

If you exchange your license for a UK one, your other license is sent back to the issuing authority in your home country.

And what do they do with it? Do they destroy it or archive it and can give it back in certain circumstances?

I am doing this in Germany right now - Germany sends the UK license back to DVLA.

I once got a Swiss license based on my US drivers license and got the American one back with a stamp on it: 'Not valid in Switzerland',

ALKB wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:15 am

I am doing this in Germany right now - Germany sends the UK license back to DVLA.

I once got a Swiss license based on my US drivers license and got the American one back with a stamp on it: 'Not valid in Switzerland',

And what do DVLA do? Do they destroy the licences they receive after the exchange took place?

Did US give you back exactly the same driving licence you had before or issued a new one?

orville wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 26, 2019 12:46 pm

ALKB wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:15 am

I am doing this in Germany right now - Germany sends the UK license back to DVLA.

I once got a Swiss license based on my US drivers license and got the American one back with a stamp on it: 'Not valid in Switzerland',

And what do DVLA do? Do they destroy the licences they receive after the exchange took place?

Did US give you back exactly the same driving licence you had before or issued a new one?

I am not aware of DVLA's internal procedures but since UK drivers licenses expire after 3 years, I don't think they will archive the physical card.

I have not lived in the US since, so I did not apply for a new license there.

I hold an American, a German, and a UK driving licence.

As far as I understand it you have two options:

1) Swap your EU licence for a UK one. You might not get the physical card for your EU licence back, but the license number stays on record in your home country should you ever need to resurrect it. This option is cheaper. This sort of "honorary" UK licence should also be fine to use post-Brexit, but nobody really can know for certain. For the record, they do keep track of who has swapped and the swap is marked on the licence card. It seems doubtful that they would back-pedal and render thousands of licences invalid overnight but if they can make money out of it... I wouldn't be too surprised.

2) Pass the UK theory and practical exams. If successful, you will get a UK licence card in addition to your existing EU license card. This option is more expensive but is seemingly Brexit-proof. Unless they apply the current PBS to all immigrants irregardless of origin... but then, your driving license will be the least of your worries.

I chose to pass the tests.