Motorists are being warned that they have just hours left to give their feedback on several major driving licence changes set to be introduced in the near future.
Current rules state that anyone living in Great Britain who has a valid driving licence in a country outside the European Economic Area is able to drive small vehicles for up to 12 months.
After this point, people must sit and pass a GB driving test if they want to continue driving, with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency now considering whether some drivers should benefit from separate rules.
The DVLA is currently running a consultation which would allow motorists with a Moldovan car driving licence to exchange it for an equivalent Great Britain licence.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
The DVLA’s driving licence consultation will end this evening
PA
If they are from a country with which Great Britain has a driving licence exchange agreement, they are able to swap their licence for a GB equivalent without needing to pass a driving test.
The DVSA has assessed licensing and testing standards in Moldova and deemed these measures to be equivalent to those found in Great Britain.
As a result, the DVLA is proposing to allow Moldovan car licences to be exchanged for the GB equivalent without the need for a further driving test.
The consultation states that the DVLA has not identified any issues with the proposals included and would not present any concerns for existing standards.
Benefits of the scheme include allowing individual licence holders to avoid the added time and expense involved in sitting another test.
The agency states that there would not be any “significant costs or savings for the DVLA” and may even remove some demand for driving tests.
Data from the DVLA stated that 33,472 GB provisional car licences were issued to applicants with Moldova as their place of birth between January 2018 and November 2024.
Since driver licensing rules are a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, the proposed changes will only apply in England, Scotland and Wales.
The consultation question states: “Are you aware of any reason why the DVLA should not exchange car driving licences issued in Moldova for the equivalent GB licence?”
Any changes which are given the green light as part of the consultation will require a designation order to be made under Section 108 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Drivers are able to take part in the open consultation by emailing the DVLA or posting a response to the DVLA International Policy Team.
The consultation on the future of Moldovan driving licences will end at 11.59 on Friday, March 28.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The new measures could even lower demand for driving tests
PA
Other countries currently designated for driving licence exchange
- Andorra
- Australia
- Barbados
- British Virgin Islands
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Gibraltar
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Republic of Korea
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Zimbabwe