UK driving licences ‘may no longer be valid’ in the EU following a no-deal Brexit
Government warns UK driving licences may no longer be valid on their own, should the EU be left without a deal
The government has warned that UK driving licences ‘may no longer be valid’ in the European Union in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
After March 29, 2019 — when the UK leaves the EU — drivers may be required to use an international driving permit (IDP) in Europe, as is currently required when driving in some countries outside of the continent.
An IDP can be obtained from some post offices for £5.50, with the process of applying taking ‘around five minutes’. While motoring organisations AA and The RAC can both also issue IDPs currently, only the government will be able to from January 31.
It has also said UK nationals moving to an EU country may not be able to exchange their licence for an EU equivalent following Brexit.
Edmund King, president of motoring association AA, said: “This will be an extra burden for UK drivers wanting to take a holiday abroad.
“We are also disappointed that from the end of January next year the AA will no longer be permitted to issue IDPs as we have done for decades. We had campaigned to maintain the right to issue these permits, but the Transport Secretary has decided that IDPs will only be issued at post offices.”