Exchanging my Cyprus driving licence back to a UK one.

[CYWALL]

Good morning all,
I'm looking for a bit of advice and thoughts of our members on what you think the best route to take.
We have sold our house and we will be selling our car, we won't buy another car here in Cyprus as we moving back to the UK at some point later this year for sure, just not sure what date yet, but would be sometime after August, why August is important is below.

Here's the thing, I changed my UK driving licence to a Cypriot one on becoming 70yrs of age three years ago in August 2018, and it's due for renewal this coming August, we will still be here in Cyprus until at least Nov.
Do you think I should just replace it for another Cypriot driving licence as we may still have our car then, (but not for long), or exchange it back to a UK licence.

My thoughts are to exchange my Cyprus licence for a new UK driving licence to take affect from August, and be ready for when we go back, rather than change to a Cyprus on and have to change again to a UK one in a short space of time.

But would a new UK licence even be legal here in Cyprus for our last couple of months here, if I were to take that route, excuse the pun.
Thanks all for any advice and thoughts.

[trevnhil]

Personally I would change to a Cypriot one but of course you need a medical certificate.. The licence is free and is still valid to drive on when you return to the UK.. You can then change to a UK one when you are living at a UK address

[CYWALL]

Hi Trev, thanks for your reply, any idea how long It would be valid for in the UK, the 3 years it's valid for maybe?

[galexinda]

Any person with a valid driving licence issued in their country of origin is permitted to drive in the United Kingdom for at least 12 months. After this period, you will need to exchange your documents for a UK licence, or pass the DVSA's UK driving test.11 Feb 2021

More useful information in this link:
https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown ... as-licence

[Tuppence]

I don't believe you can re-apply for a UK driving licence while you are living overseas, you have to wait until you are back in the UK & have a UK address.

You could always contact the DVLA. I can't find an overseas phone number for them but there are other ways of contacting them. Their website is https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... ing-agency

We don't intend ever returning to the UK, although you can never say never, but we made photo copies of our UK licences before exchanging them for Cypriot ones just so we had a record of the information. Useful or not, I hope we never need to find out!

[trevnhil]

Hi Trev, thanks for your reply, any idea how long It would be valid for in the UK, the 3 years it's valid for maybe?

It seems that you can drive on a foreign licence for 12 months

" Any person with a valid driving licence issued in their country of origin is permitted to drive in the United Kingdom for 12 months. After this period, you will need to exchange your documents for a UK licence, or pass the DVSA's UK driving test."

[Mrblobby]

I found this form , it might be useful when you get back to the U.K. ?

https://d1-form-dvla.com/jsfiller-desk1 ... e1b9dd2a64

[CYWALL]

Hi everyone, and thank you for taking the time to reply with your advice and thoughts.
After taking it all in I think the sensible option will be to renew my Cypriot licence here in August when due, and use it in the UK for as long as necessary, then swap for a UK licence.
Thanks everyone.

[merchant_banker]

Take a look

https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence

[merchant_banker]

I found this form , it might be useful when you get back to the U.K. ?

https://d1-form-dvla.com/jsfiller-desk1 ... e1b9dd2a64

Do not use this link, it takes you to a site called PDFFIller which charges you to submit the form.