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Do you need a Belgian Driving Licence?
Checking up on a question in the other place I found this out today:
''I went to my local commune (Grez-Doiceau) and asked the question.
According to new legislation which came into effect from January, all people resident in Belgium for more than 2 years must have a Belgian Driving Licence. As a Belgian taxpayer and holder of a small green ID card with the chip this applies to me.
They took my ID card and used the photo and signature from it, charged me 24€ and said the new licence will arrive in a week. I was given back my old UK licence but this will have to be surrendered when I pick up the new one. I also cannot now drive a minibus until I pass a medical.
I didn't ask if this law applies to Commission workers etc with their funny bigger ID cards which can't be used to buy beer from vending machines in stations, apparently, so maybe if this is you, you'll have to ask yourself.. ''
Just thought I'd pass it on, not even claiming that my commune are corrrect but I have the name of the person who told me so my back is covered. Probably.
I have been a Belgian resident for 6 years living in Lot for 4 and here in Flanders I was given the option to change my driving licence to a Belgian one and pay for it or register my British EU valid driving licence with them for free. Clearly it differs depending on where you are.
On the Your Europe webpage http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/driving/validity/resident_... it says;
'If you move to another country, you can drive there with your current
licence as long as it remains valid.'
Well -- technically you shouldn't have to change your licence if your licence is issues within a EU country -- However -- your UK licence is only valid if it is registered to your current address. The DVLA does not accept addresses outside teh UK - So if you are a resident of Belgium -- then your UK licence is not valid
"If you move to another country, you can drive there with your current licence as long as it remains valid."
True BUT .......
If you have a UK driving licence it only remains valid so long as the DVLA have your CURRENT address recorded ........... and since they refuse to record addresses outside the UK, your UK licence is technically no longer valid from the day you become resident in Belgium (or elsewhere outside the UK).
Since the new "plastic" driving licences were introduced in Belgium last April, it has become much easier for Communes to issue exchange Belgian licences for a UK one, and if you have a valid eID you won't even have to provide a photo. Your replacement licence is valid for 10 years and replacing it then will be simple as the rule also applies to Belgians. If you had a D1 Minibus validity (with restrictions) on your old UK licence, this will be carried over (without restrictions) to your new Belgian licence for a period of 5 years from the date you first registered in Belgium or, if earlier, the date of expiry of your old UK licence; after that you can continue the validity by passing a medical - as any Belgian would have to.
If you continue to drive on your old UK licence and have an accident whilst driving in the UK, you stand a very real risk of being prosecuted for driving without either valid licence or insurance (which requires you to have a valid driving licence). Then you WILL have to pass a test in Belgium to continue driving.
Be aware if you have British photo license the picture expires after 5 years, although the paper doesn't. So if you have a photo license better to get a local one.
