Replacing a GB Driving Licence from European address

[Pippa68]

My father in Law has lived in Scandinavia for about 15 years & has always had a GB driving licence. He phoned tonight to let me know his wallet was stolen, and now needs to replace his licence...this would seem easy to do, but there are the following problems.

The address on his old licence is the UK address he had 20 odd years ago..he hasn't lived there for years. I would have thought this was fraudulent, but that's another matter!

He doesn't have a UK address, and I would assume he would need one in order to replace his UK licence. He has asked if he can use our address, which I am not happy with.

I have searched the DVLA website and have been unable to find anything on their pages with regard to his situation. Any ideas?

[kempie]

This situation is covered by European Directive 91/439/EEC -

A replacement for a driving licence following loss or theft may be obtained from the competent authorities of the State in which the holder has his normal residence; those authorities provide the replacement on the basis of the information in their possession or, where appropriate, proof from the competent authorities of the Member State which issued the original licence.

A resident in an EU- or EEA-Member State other than the state which issued the licence may not ask for a duplicate of the original licence. The Member State of normal residence issues a new licence on the basis of the information in its possession.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/home/drivinglicence/faq/006_en.htm

The Directive came into force on 1st July 1996. Before this date any person taking residence in another EU Member State should have exchanged their licence to one issued by the authorities in the Member State of residence.

As I understand it, your Father-in-Law moved to Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland???) before this date, when it was compulsory to exchange a GB licence for a 'local' one. If this is the case it would have been illegal for him to drive using his GB licence until the time the law changed in 1996. Also, because he failed to notify a change of address (which warrants a fine of �1000), his GB licence could technically be deemed invalid from the time he took up residence in another country.

[kempie]

[Continued...]

Thus his non-compliance with the licence exchange regulations may cause problems with the issue of a replacement licence back home in Scandinavia.

[Pippa68]

Thanks kempie ~ I kind of figured he may be fined.

He lives in Finland, and to be honest wants all the British 'perks' but not the downside ;o) since moving over there he has always wanted us to sort UK stuff out for him..I want him to sort this one out himself!

Cheers again..