Uk driving License

it's really easy, just send the doc and in a few weeks a new license arrive.

As long as your license was originally from the UK and not one you converted to the UK from somewhere else, then it gets tricksy

I was told today by malta transport I can't send it I have to go in person

I changed mine without it going to expire I took the application form into the office, together with a
photo, they kept my UK licence there is also a fee to pay.

They told me I can't exchange it unless it's within 3 months of its expiry date and also I can't change it otherwise

Mine had over a year to go, this was only last year.

Thanks maybe I just go there and try

johnny1126 wrote:

They told me I can't exchange it unless it's within 3 months of its expiry date and also I can't change it otherwise

Obversely someone doesn't understand what they are talking about

You're supposed to exchange them after a year here

That's not correct. You can drive here on any EU. driving license. I've been here 5 years and did not have to exchange my license. Only now because of Brexit

In theory you were supposed to have changed your licence to a Maltese one.

That's not correct. Believe me I looked into it. I've been driving here for 5 years on my uk license. Fully acceptable even when I got a speeding fine 😂 they would like you to but under EU law you can drive in any EU country on an EU license. I even registered my car here I drove from the uk with my uk license. This is a fact not supposition. In one of my jobs I drove a Maltese company car. I did not have to exchange my license. It's only now because of Brexit as a uk license will no longer be valid in any EU country

johnny1126 wrote:

That's not correct. Believe me I looked into it. I've been driving here for 5 years on my uk license. Fully acceptable even when I got a speeding fine 😂 they would like you to but under EU law you can drive in any EU country on an EU license. I even registered my car here I drove from the uk with my uk license. This is a fact not supposition. In one of my jobs I drove a Maltese company car. I did not have to exchange my license. It's only now because of Brexit as a uk license will no longer be valid in any EU country

One problem with that is that whilst no one seems to worry about it, if you become resident here you are legally obliged to inform DVLC in the UK of your change of address and they will not issue a new licence to a non UK address so your UK issued licence is technically no longer legitimate.
As for the Maltese licence, you can change it once you have been resident here for 6 months and it was always recommended, but most of the TM offices just say not to bother until it is due to expire but you are entitled to do so if you wish.
When I did mine the licence actually expired in the middle of the process as it took nearly 3 months but TM said not to worry, as many locals don't have licences anyway!!!

Just take it easy. Go to TM again just 3 months before your UK licence expires. Right now your UK licence is pretty good. Never argue a case with authorities,  they are always right Just make sure you have a valid driving licence. My German one is lifetime and I do not bother about a Maltese one anyway.

hanselmar wrote:

Just take it easy. Go to TM again just 3 months before your UK licence expires. Right now your UK licence is pretty good. Never argue a case with authorities,  they are always right Just make sure you have a valid driving licence. My German one is lifetime and I do not bother about a Maltese one anyway.

Germany is still in ther EU

SimCityAT wrote:

hanselmar wrote:

Just take it easy. Go to TM again just 3 months before your UK licence expires. Right now your UK licence is pretty good. Never argue a case with authorities,  they are always right Just make sure you have a valid driving licence. My German one is lifetime and I do not bother about a Maltese one anyway.

Germany is still in ther EU

And EU licences have to be renewed at 70 years of age and normally have to include a medical certificate to show you are still fit to drive.

Yes I know this but that wasn't the question 😂

johnny1126 wrote:

Yes I know this but that wasn't the question 😂

Just maybe you follow the advice from them those that have gone the process instead of quoting law which is wrong?

There is a lot of conflicting advice on here. I'll just go to MT. myself. I've been here 5 years so irrespective of the law no one has to change their license if from an EU country. And that's from MT themselves. Thank you and good evening

johnny1126 wrote:

There is a lot of conflicting advice on here. I'll just go to MT. myself. I've been here 5 years so irrespective of the law no one has to change their license if from an EU country. And that's from MT themselves. Thank you and good evening

32

The big difference is that after the New Year you will not have an EU licence so if you don't change it now it will soon be too late!
As it stands they say that a permit will be required to drive in Europe if you have a UK licence after 2020.

Does anyone know if a UK driving licence can be changed to a Maltese one ,now we are of the EU, without doing a driving test? The TM site does not mention swapping a UK one for Maltese but does say an EU/EAA,Australian ,and UAE can be swapped.

snape wrote:

Does anyone know if a UK driving licence can be changed to a Maltese one ,now we are of the EU, without doing a driving test? The TM site does not mention swapping a UK one for Maltese but does say an EU/EAA,Australian ,and UAE can be swapped.

I believe you have until the end of next month to change your UK licence for a Maltese (EU) one, after that, as a resident of Malta, your UK licence would not be valid as you do not reside in the UK and can not have a UK licence registered at an address outside the UK.

So can one change the UK licence to Maltese without doing a Maltese driving test? Currently we are still in UK.

snape wrote:

So can one change the UK licence to Maltese without doing a Maltese driving test? Currently we are still in UK.

You would only be able to change your UK licence to a Maltese issue one under the existing Brexit agreement if you are a resident here and do it before the end of June. After that you would be applying as a TCN both for residency and for the driving licence and I am not sure how  Malta will treat UK citizens.

F0xgl0ve wrote:

snape wrote:

So can one change the UK licence to Maltese without doing a Maltese driving test? Currently we are still in UK.

You would only be able to change your UK licence to a Maltese issue one under the existing Brexit agreement if you are a resident here and do it before the end of June. After that you would be applying as a TCN both for residency and for the driving licence and I am not sure how  Malta will treat UK citizens.

Well I'm finding this whole UK driving licence to Maltese very confusing. I moved to Malta in July 2020 and received my paper receipt for residency from Identity Malta in December 2020. I applied to exchange my UK driving licence in January 2021 and was told it would take a couple of weeks for the Maltese licence to be issued. In April, I enquired as to why I hadn't received my licence and was told that the UK government had advised that no UK licences should be exchanged until further notice. No other explanation was given. What is of concern to me now is, that if I haven't received my Maltese licence by July, then I will have to take a driving test. I also currently cannot drive as my UK licence has expired

AdrianTrew wrote:

F0xgl0ve wrote:

snape wrote:

So can one change the UK licence to Maltese without doing a Maltese driving test? Currently we are still in UK.

You would only be able to change your UK licence to a Maltese issue one under the existing Brexit agreement if you are a resident here and do it before the end of June. After that you would be applying as a TCN both for residency and for the driving licence and I am not sure how  Malta will treat UK citizens.

Well I'm finding this whole UK driving licence to Maltese very confusing. I moved to Malta in July 2020 and received my paper receipt for residency from Identity Malta in December 2020. I applied to exchange my UK driving licence in January 2021 and was told it would take a couple of weeks for the Maltese licence to be issued. In April, I enquired as to why I hadn't received my licence and was told that the UK government had advised that no UK licences should be exchanged until further notice. No other explanation was given. What is of concern to me now is, that if I haven't received my Maltese licence by July, then I will have to take a driving test. I also currently cannot drive as my UK licence has expired

The UK Gov has said nothing of the kind. All UK licenses across the EU have to be exchanged by the end of June.

AdrianTrew wrote:

F0xgl0ve wrote:

snape wrote:

So can one change the UK licence to Maltese without doing a Maltese driving test? Currently we are still in UK.

You would only be able to change your UK licence to a Maltese issue one under the existing Brexit agreement if you are a resident here and do it before the end of June. After that you would be applying as a TCN both for residency and for the driving licence and I am not sure how  Malta will treat UK citizens.

Well I'm finding this whole UK driving licence to Maltese very confusing. I moved to Malta in July 2020 and received my paper receipt for residency from Identity Malta in December 2020. I applied to exchange my UK driving licence in January 2021 and was told it would take a couple of weeks for the Maltese licence to be issued. In April, I enquired as to why I hadn't received my licence and was told that the UK government had advised that no UK licences should be exchanged until further notice. No other explanation was given. What is of concern to me now is, that if I haven't received my Maltese licence by July, then I will have to take a driving test. I also currently cannot drive as my UK licence has expired

You need to go back to them and explain that it's not true what they said about the UK, you probably find that they have lost your application.Hopefully you may see a different person there this time, good luck.

All applications for swapping UK licenses are on hold for the reason stated, I don't know what they are on about tbh but hopefully some agreement is made. Regardless I know of many who got the exact same excuse.  Presumably there are some discussions between UK and MT govs we are not aware of.

It's not just a matter of "sitting a test" you have to start the whole process of getting a license from scratch and takes roughly 3 to 4 months.

volcane wrote:

All applications for swapping UK licenses are on hold for the reason stated, I don't know what they are on about tbh but hopefully some agreement is made. Regardless I know of many who got the exact same excuse.  Presumably there are some discussions between UK and MT govs we are not aware of.

It's not just a matter of "sitting a test" you have to start the whole process of getting a license from scratch and takes roughly 3 to 4 months.

I appreciate the reply, but it's not acceptable (not your reply). I, as an expat have done everything required regarding the Brexit agreement, yet for whatever reason, it seems that it isn't good enough. I've even contacted the British Consulate in Malta about this issue, but surprise, surprise, they are not even replying to me.

Malta has in general been really good to us, if it becomes a situation where 1 July is around the corner I am sure accomodations will be made.

Meanwhile, I am going to try to get hold of a International Driving Permit from the UK which should at least make things legal(ish)

Anyone who has not changed their licence and wishes to get an IDP from the UK in order to drive here after 1st, July, 2021, you should be aware that you have to apply IN PERSON at one of 2,500 designated UK Post offices, according to 'which.co.uk'

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Anyone who has not changed their licence and wishes to get an IDP from the UK in order to drive here after 1st, July, 2021, you should be aware that you have to apply IN PERSON at one of 2,500 designated UK Post offices, according to 'which.co.uk'

You can send someone on your behalf but have to send them your driving license to do so.

Hi,

Couple of questions/points -

1 - Could getting an IDP enable me to drive here in Malta long term without the need to change my UK license to a Maltese one?

2 - Given that Malta is in the EU and the UK is not, would holding a Maltese license make it easier and/or cheaper to hire cars in other EU countries or does it make no difference in that regard?

Cheers,

Savak wrote:

1 - Could getting an IDP enable me to drive here in Malta long term without the need to change my UK license to a Maltese one?

Not really, you're supposed to change them after a year, you cannot renew the uk one unless you live there, IDP isnt long term.

Savak wrote:

2 - Given that Malta is in the EU and the UK is not, would holding a Maltese license make it easier and/or cheaper to hire cars in other EU countries or does it make no difference in that regard?

no idea, but it will certainly make it easier.

Hi
just an update re change from UK to Maltese driving licenses
Both my husband and I went to the office last year after Brexit deadline and we were given a receipt to show that we had submitted the correct details for changing over our licenses.. no news for ages so I phoned up and initially they said there was a backlog with the DVLC in the UK because of covid .. then 2nd phone call they said there is no reciprocal agreement in place with the UK so everything is on hold and to carry on using our UK licenses
A couple of my friends also had the same experience ..
Has anyone any update or recent news ??
Many thanks in advance

KimberleyS wrote:

Hi
just an update re change from UK to Maltese driving licenses
Both my husband and I went to the office last year after Brexit deadline and we were given a receipt to show that we had submitted the correct details for changing over our licenses.. no news for ages so I phoned up and initially they said there was a backlog with the DVLC in the UK because of covid .. then 2nd phone call they said there is no reciprocal agreement in place with the UK so everything is on hold and to carry on using our UK licenses
A couple of my friends also had the same experience ..
Has anyone any update or recent news ??
Many thanks in advance

That is ok if your UK driving licence is still valid, but mine has expired so I am unable to drive in Malta

Kimberly why did you not do this earlier?

KimberleyS wrote:

Hi
just an update re change from UK to Maltese driving licenses
Both my husband and I went to the office last year after Brexit deadline and we were given a receipt to show that we had submitted the correct details for changing over our licenses.. no news for ages so I phoned up and initially they said there was a backlog with the DVLC in the UK because of covid .. then 2nd phone call they said there is no reciprocal agreement in place with the UK so everything is on hold and to carry on using our UK licenses
A couple of my friends also had the same experience ..
Has anyone any update or recent news ??
Many thanks in advance

I would call British High Commission on +356 2323 0000 and ask for their advice.

@johnny1126 did you get points on your UK license after getting caught for speeding in Malta?