Search Q&A
Driver's Licence
I believe you just messed up. I was told that the UK will not issue a new UK licence as you are not resident in the UK, and the Belgians won't issue you with a Belgian licence as you don't have a valid licence to replace. Just what I heard.....
Get down to your commune asap and apply to change it without pointing out that it has expired.
They may not notice and, if they do, simply profess to be shocked. It is unlikely that they will refuse it as it only expired yesterday.
If they DO refuse, explain the situation to a friend or family member in the UK and use their address to renew it and then change the new licence over here.
Anyone know the rules if I have an Australian licence (car and bike)? All the examples and information I can find are about people with other EU licences.
Also how can I go about getting a new international licence? Only ever had to use to a few times from memory (Asia and Poland). It's such a flimsy document with only a date of issue stamped on it, you have to read the fine print to find out its validity.
The Belgians need your UK driver number, which is on your license and never expires. Or they'll ask you for your driver details, which you can get from DVLA.
There is a difference between the 10-year validity of the photo card licence, the expiry date of which is shown in field 4b, and the validity of your various competences to drive, the expiry dates of which are shown in field 11 on the back of the card (e.g. these may well show the day before your 70th birthday).
If the date in field 4b has passed but not those (or at least B) in field 11, you shouldn't have a big problem. If any date given for B in field 11 has passed, then you will have to pass a Belgian test.
Note that the Belgians require a medical for competences in C1, C1E, D1,D1E (and some others that you probably don't have), but will respect your UK competences either up to any expiry date shown or up to the fifth anniversary of your initial registration as a Belgian resident, whichever falls earliest. You can restore the competence by passing the requisite medical (every five years).
