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Prior to the UK leaving the European Union on 31 January 2020 and during the transition period which ended on 31 December 2020, a UK driving licence was a European driving licence, [3] adhering to Directive 2006/126/EC and valid throughout the European Economic Area. A new updated design has been issued from January 2021, now simply reading "UK ...
The database of drivers, developed in the late 1980s, holds details of some 42 million driving licence holders in the UK. It is used to produce driving licences and to assist bodies such as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, police and courts in the enforcement of legislation concerning driving entitlements and road safety.
UK driving licences were introduced by the Motor Car Act 1903 but no test was required. The intention was purely to identify vehicles and their drivers. [9] The Road Traffic Act 1930 introduced age restrictions and a test for disabled drivers; this was the first formal driving test in the UK.
UK driving licences may be endorsed by order of the courts if the driver has been convicted of an offence concerned with driving or operating a vehicle. [1] An endorsement may also be accompanied by a number of points which can remain on the licence for up to 11 years. [ 2 ]
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport (DfT).. It carries out driving tests, approves people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carries out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive, [2] carries out roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitors vehicle recalls.
From 1 January 2021, European licences are recognized by the UK if the driving test was passed in an EU/EEA country, and can be used both if the holder is visiting or if residing in the UK. They can also be exchanged for a UK driving licence. [12] [13] UK driving licences can be used when visiting EU/EEA countries with some exceptions.
Drivers File: This recently added database contains information on 48 million people who either hold a driving licence or are disqualified from holding one. The record will contain information relating to test passes, endorsements and the licence entitlements. This database is the responsibility of the DVLA and is updated every morning.
Many foreign driving licences permit one to drive in the UK, but must be exchanged for British licences after a year. Drivers from the USA, however, must take a British test if they wish to drive in the UK for more than a year after arriving in the country (with the exception of US military personnel stationed in the UK for a set period of time ...