1251 Driver's licence

[QUOTE=mailrich]Hi all
I've got a question about driver's licences that maybe someone can help with.

I moved to Italy last year and am still using my UK driver's licence as I understand you can use it for a year or two.
Does anyone know how long I can use it for? Can I use it permanently as long as the address is good? (I could use my parents' address in UK)
I understand the process to get an Italian one is a bit complicated and costly, does anyone know about the procedure and costs?
Many thanks
Richard[/QUOTE]

drop down to your Scuola Guida with your UK licence, residence certificate permesso and a couple of passport photographs they will send it off and normally a couple of weeks later you collect it and pay about 40 euro, they then put a pink sticker on it with your Italian address. This is for both types of licence, a big bloke with a gun told me I had to change mine after a year, so I did. :)

I may have asked this before , but I can't find the answer :rolleyes:
We still have 'old style' drivers licences ( no photo) ..will this be a problem when we apply for Italian ones...also do you get the English one back to use in Uk if need be. :confused:

Hi,

I would guess that Italy now issues the pink European driving licences (with passport pics)?

I've held mine since 1991, in the early days of European DLs, and after I had moved from Germany to the UK in 1997, I was informed that I didn't have to get a separate UK licence as mine was perfectly legal.

Therefore I would think that if you get a EU licence in Italy, then you don't need to apply for a UK one if you intend to return to the UK. It would also be a more useful document to have if you're being stopped for some reason in EU countries, as the EU licences are multilingual.

Embassies usually hold information such as this as well.

Stephanie

Stephanie

Hi

I have been here in Italy for just over a year and I have a UK paper (no photo) EU driving licence.

Do I need to change this, I wasn't aware that I would...

A&L, read my post above, paper licence returned to you with a sticker on it.
Iona and WE. Your licences are not "Changed" they are "recognised" in Italy.
I understand that the "recognition should take place within the first year.

The situation for EU citizens going INTO GB is different, as the GB recognises the licences for EU countries without the need for any further messing about.

At the present time Italy does not... They should, but, don't... OK ????

George don't shout at me for being thick .. :( ......I've had a really rotten day today and got nowhere...doesn't any official body want my money !!! :confused: ...anyway.. back to driving licence...where do the photos go then ??

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]Iona and WE. Your licences are not "Changed" they are "recognised" in Italy.
I understand that the "recognition should take place within the first year.

The situation for EU citizens going INTO GB is different, as the GB recognises the licences for EU countries without the need for any further messing about.

At the present time Italy does not... They should, but, don't... OK ????[/QUOTE]

Ahh! GeorgeS, thanks for clarifying! Good to know! :)
Stephanie

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]George don't shout at me for being thick .. :( ......I've had a really rotten day today and got nowhere...doesn't any official body want my money !!! :confused: ...anyway.. back to driving licence...where do the photos go then ??[/QUOTE]

Errrm, I think I made that bit up, :o BUT, in my defence...There can never be enough photographs for anything in Italy, ans, errrrr, thats all

Iona, you're OK with a normal UK licence in Edinburgh, BUT, you WILL come to Italy to live, then you can change yours too. :)

The Convention states that you no longer have to exchange an EU licence and most countries comply. You should, though, get the new photo card licence to fit the convention rules. As in other parts of EU, local authorities take time to absorb new rules. There is no offence in not changing your licence and you cannot be charged on this.

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]drop down to your Scuola Guida with your UK licence, residence certificate permesso and a couple of passport photographs they will send it off and normally a couple of weeks later you collect it and pay about 40 euro, they then put a pink sticker on it with your Italian address. This is for both types of licence, a big bloke with a gun told me I had to change mine after a year, so I did. :)[/QUOTE]

George, concerning this "recognition" of the UK driving licence that you've mentioned to me before, once they give you back your UK licence with a sticker on the back, is it still to all intents and purposes a UK licence? Italians have to renew their licence every year for instance (I believe) . Presumably nothing like this is required for recognised UK licences that do not expire (until very late in the driver's life).

Additionally, what happens with points on licences for driving offences? Italians start with 22 points and lose points as they commit offences until they reach zero. In the UK we acquire points in mulitiples of 3 until 9 points at which time our licence is suspended. What happens to a "recognised" UK licence in Italy in the event of driving offences? How can points be deducted from it?

Interestingly, the ACI website says there are 3 options for non-italian EU licence holders:
1) Exchange it for an italian one
2) Have it recognised by paying the fee and having the sticker affixed to it.
3) Do nothing. Keep it as it is.

(exact link in italian is here: [url]http://www.aci.it/wps/portal/_s.155/1095/.cmd/ad/.c/605/.ce/1730/.p/823?PC_823_action=patentiestere#comunitaria[/url])

I've printed the web page out and keep it in the car now in case I need to show it to an armed policeman who disagrees :-)

It's just a bit silly to post the same message on two threads, and, also send it to me by private message... I have replied on the other post.