The Foreign Office is advising British people living in EU countries to swap their UK driving licences for a local licence before 29th March 2019 in order to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, writes Sue Fletcher.
The latest advice on the Government’s website states: “If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 29 March 2019, you will not be able to exchange your driving licence without taking another driving test.”
For the full text see:
Swapping a UK driving licence as an EU citizen requires a trip to your local IMT. You cannot do this through a driving school, but subsequent renewals can be processed through a driving school, or online, which might save a lot of travelling in the future.
Take with you;
- UK licence
- FiscalNumber
- Passport
- Residency certificate
- 'Fit to drive' medical certificate from your Portuguese GP
- Proof of your address (e.g. utility bill)
IMT staff will complete the paperwork, take a digital photo and digital signature and take away your UK licence. In its place you’ll be given a piece of paper that allows you to drive until your licence arrives in the post – usually within three weeks, but this might be longer, in which case you may need to return to IMT to have your temporary licence re-stamped.
Your UK licence will be cancelled in the UK so please don’t consider lying to the UK authorities about a ‘lost’ licence as the fine is £1,000. It’s worth checking that IMT is allowing you all the vehicle classes currently shown on your UK licence as this can cause complications in the future if you have a motorbike, for example, and then discover you have lost the licence to ride it.
Cost is €30.
Driving licence test in Portugal
If you don’t swap before Brexit you’ll need to pass a Portuguese driving test. The driving test in Portugal consists of three parts – technical, theoretical and practical:
- Theoretical – 30 questions in 35 minutes (Passing mark: 27 out of 30)
- Technical exam – 50 minutes
- Practical driving exam – 40-50 minutes with instructor and examiner present.
Prior to taking the driving exam, you’ll need to take at least 32 hours of lessons at a driving school and have passed the theoretical part of the test. Before you enrol with a driving school, make sure it is a government-licensed driving centre.
Once you have completed your course with a driving school, you can apply for a registration form for a driving licence and the practical driving exam.
If you don’t speak Portuguese, the British Embassy may accredit an interpreter, who will be allowed to attend your exam and translate the driver licence test in Portuguese.
Older drivers in Portugal need to undergo medical and psychological examinations when renewing the validity of their Portuguese driving licence at ages 50, 60, 65 and 70, and drivers older than 70 must revalidate every two years.
Comments
So he said UK driving license will continue to be recognised and to keep calm and carry on.
comments welcome
Uk driving licence might still be usable in the EU countries until 1st March 2019, B day is coming ... are you prepared.
There was a meeting at AFPOP on 16th January
"At a meeting of the PS party in Loulé on Wednesday 16th January, the speaker was Dr Augusto Santos Silva, who is the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs. The subject of the meeting was 'Brexit' and we were invited to attend the meeting by the Faro MP Dra Ana Passos"
"Sr Santos Silva confirmed several times during the meeting that UK citizens will continue to enjoy all the current freedoms that they have in Portugal. Driving licences will continue to be recognised, health care will continue to be available, pension credits will continue to be awarded and professional qualifications will continue to be accepted. In fact the minister quoted Winston Churchill and said “Keep Calm and carry on”, adding “continue to do as you have done until advised otherwise."
So he said UK driving license will continue to be recognised and to keep calm and carry on.
comments welcome
Quoting Ed:
Thanks for clearing that up.In line with my figures. Have a nice day.
Quoting Boris H: Of the estimated 45,000 Britons living in Portugal, only 23,000 of them are said to be registered. There are an estimated 400,000 Portuguese living in the United Kingdom.
Please inform your readership of the correct amount of Portugese people living in Britain and the amount of British people living officially and unofficially in Portugal. You did publish these figures a few weeks ago.
Quoting liveaboard:
I was fooled by my new PT license, I thought that they had included my motorbike permit; but later [when it was too late to fix] I realized it's limited to 125cc.
Just FYI.
If you think Portuguese drive like the third world, you have not driven in the third world.
I have.
What is in no doubt is the driving in Portugal is the one of the worst in Europe.The road traffic accident and fatalities statistics state Portugal is number 2.
I have been driven off the road here numerous times by people coming around a corner well over the white lines.I have rarely been in my car and not seen an accident here.
The drink driving rates are horrendous and
As someone who was not allowed to vote in the referendum(lived outside UK over 15 Years,) I am reluctant to take advice from a government that does not appear to have a clue what it is doing.
Am equally reluctant to cash in my UK driving license for what I consider a third world of Europe driving license.
I would have to pay 30 euros plus private doctor for medical plus all the other costs driving to faro which is the nearest IMT office to wait another whole day to get something done.
I bought a property here before the whole Brexit fiasco on the basis of free movement etc.Certainly not to give up my identity to what I consider a very backward country.
I am watching and will decide whether to bail out of here and will not be bullied by project fear.
Quoting JamesAlgarve:
In UK, after 70, it is a self assessment medical declaration, foc, yes, but wide open to abuse, therefore allowing many unfit drivers on the road, as recently witnessed near Sandringham.
I believe the Portuguse system is far safer.
Agreed. In Sri Lanka at the moment. If anyone thinks Portuguese drivers are bad, Jeez, they should come here. Much much worse, not helped by all the multitude of slower vehicles eg Tuc tucs which results in cars & coaches & buses making a multitude of unsafe overtaking manoeuvres whether on straight roads, blind bends or whatever. Dangerous place to be on the road!
Portugal roads are sanitised by comparison!