This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47459859
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Driving after Brexit: What you need to know | Driving after Brexit: What you need to know |
| (7 months later) | |
| At the moment, UK driving licences may be used to drive anywhere in the EEA (this is the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). | At the moment, UK driving licences may be used to drive anywhere in the EEA (this is the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). |
| If a Brexit deal or withdrawal agreement is passed, UK licences will still be valid for visiting EEA countries during any transition period and there may be agreements for UK licences to be recognised for longer. | |
| A transition period is a set amount of time during which many rules will stay the same, while the UK and EU work out their future relationship. | |
| If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, then the situation gets more complicated, although many EEA countries will still accept a UK photocard driving licence if you are only driving there for a few months. | |
| Specific advice for each country is available from the government. | |
| Some countries require drivers to have an International Driving Permit (IDP), especially for longer visits, which may be bought at Post Offices for £5.50. You may also need to carry your UK driving licence - some countries have stricter rules if you only have a paper licence. | |
| There are two different types of IDP you might need in Europe, known as the 1949 and 1968 IDPs - the numbers refer to the dates of the conventions on road traffic that established them. | |
| Only France, Italy and Cyprus require drivers to have an IDP for a short visit. | |
| The majority of countries, such as Germany and Spain, only need you to have an IDP once you have been driving in the country for a set period - three, six or 12 months. | |
| And a few countries such as the Netherlands and Switzerland will not require an IDP at all. | |
| It's also possible that the type of IDP you need to drive in countries outside Europe will change once the UK is no longer a member of the EU. You can find the full list of which IDPs you need worldwide on this page. | |
| IDPs apply only for visiting other countries. If you are a UK licence-holder living in another EU country, then you may need to exchange your UK licence for a licence issued by an EU country. The government has issued specific advice for each country. In some countries, if you wait until after the UK leaves, then you may need to take another driving test. | |
| EU and EEA licenses will continue to be accepted in the UK for visitors and residents. | EU and EEA licenses will continue to be accepted in the UK for visitors and residents. |
| If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will also need to get a Green Card from your insurer to prove your car is covered. | If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you will also need to get a Green Card from your insurer to prove your car is covered. |
| The Green Card is only proof of a minimum level of third-party cover - it will not necessarily match the level of cover that you pay for in the UK. Check with your insurer to find out what level of cover you will get. | The Green Card is only proof of a minimum level of third-party cover - it will not necessarily match the level of cover that you pay for in the UK. Check with your insurer to find out what level of cover you will get. |
| Taking your car to the EEA without a Green Card will be against the law. | Taking your car to the EEA without a Green Card will be against the law. |
| The government recommends that you have a GB sticker on your car, even if you also have a GB symbol on your number plate. | The government recommends that you have a GB sticker on your car, even if you also have a GB symbol on your number plate. |
| You'll need to carry your V5C log book with you if you own the car. If it is a car you have hired or leased then you will need to get a VE103 form to show you have permission to take it out of the UK. | You'll need to carry your V5C log book with you if you own the car. If it is a car you have hired or leased then you will need to get a VE103 form to show you have permission to take it out of the UK. |
| Perhaps most inconveniently, if you are involved in a road traffic accident in an EEA country after a no-deal Brexit, then you may need to make a claim against the responsible driver or their insurer in the country where the accident happened. | Perhaps most inconveniently, if you are involved in a road traffic accident in an EEA country after a no-deal Brexit, then you may need to make a claim against the responsible driver or their insurer in the country where the accident happened. |
| And that could involve bringing the claim in the local language. | And that could involve bringing the claim in the local language. |
| What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch | What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch |
| Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |
| Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Twitter |