Changes to Driving Licence rules in Great Britain from 19 January 2013. Please review how these Driving Licence rules affects you, your drivers at work, your company driving policies and compliancy.
Driving licence rules in Great Britain come from European laws – European second Directive on driving licences (91/439/EEC). From 19 January 2013 a new Directive – the third European Directive on driving licences (EU3D) (2006/126/EC) – will come into force. This will change driving licence rules in Great Britain.It will introduce a single driving licence model across Europe, and common rules about the design of the licence card itself and the period for which it is valid. This will:
- stop citizens, police forces and those responsible for the issuing of driving licences becoming confused by conflicting rules in different countries, and
- should help prevent criminals producing fraudulent driving licences.
All this will make it easier for countries to accept driving licences issued by other member states and let people living in these countries move more freely around Europe.
New licences issued on or after 119 January 2013 will have to meet the terms of this new directive. Member states will:
- issue all new driving licences in the new format – for new learner drivers and those who pass a test, and
- replace all existing valid licences with the new format when customers notify a change, exchange or renew their licence.
1 A small number of new driving licences may be printed before this date.
How it affects drivers/riders in Great Britain
Existing drivers/riders
The new rules will not take away your entitlement to drive/ride if it was granted before 19 January 2013. However, some of the new rules will affect you. For example, when you update your licence on or after 19 January 2013 we will send you a new style driving licence. Some vehicle categories you are allowed to drive/ride now will be shown differently on your new licence and the validity period will depend on the vehicles you are allowed to drive/ride.
New drivers/riders from 19 January 2013
If you apply for provisional entitlement to drive/ride, or pass a driving test from 19 January 2013, the new rules will apply to you.
