Driving in the UK for Hong Kongers

Exchanging License

Once you arrive in Britain, you can continue using your Hong Kong driving license. After 12 months you must exchange your license to continue driving. You will need to become a UK resident, living in the UK for 185 days in each calendar year, in order to exchange your Hong Kong driving license to the UK version (BNO holders are UK residents). You can exchange it up to 5 years after becoming resident, if it has not expired.

You lose your Hong Kong driving license once you exchange it for the UK driving license. For exchange, here are the following steps:

• • – Order form D1 (https://www.gov.uk/dvlaforms)
  • – £43 fee
  • – License will be received within 3 weeks

If your Hong Kong driving license is 10 years old, the 10 years are not counted when the license is exchanged. Your UK driving license starts from year 0.

It is also cheaper to get car insurance with a UK driving license. Therefore, the earlier you exchange your Hong Kong driving license to a UK driving license the better it is. 

Provisional Driving

– https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence  (Click Link)

– Apply your provisional driving license (green) online 

– £34 – apply online (it’s cheaper)

– Be at least 15 years and 9 months old

– Be able to read the number plate from 20m away

– Required document:

     1. ID – can use BNO passport

     2. Addresses (lived over last 3 years)

     3. National Insurance number (if you know it)

– You will need to provide a passport sized photo – scan and upload onto the system

– Provisional driving license lasts up to 10 years

– Provisional driving license is needed to learn how to drive (will have to show to driving instructor)

Full Driving License

Once you pass your theory and driving tests, your full driving license (pink) will arrive via post. Usually comes within 1-3 weeks. Ensure your address is correct to avoid any delays.

Driving test certificate is needed for driving while you wait for the full license.

Every time you move to a new address, update your address on your driving licence.

People in the UK use their driving licence as ID (e.g. applying for a bank account, collecting letters and parcels from the Post Office).

The full driving licence lasts up to 10 years.