# Driving test in the UK?



## MultiCrayon (Jul 18, 2012)

How hard is it to pass the UK driving test? 

I don't have an EU driver's license even though I have EU citizenship. I have 30 years of driving experience in the US and a valid US driver's license (expires 2014 and can be renewed thereafter)

1 Do I have 1 year to drive on a US DL before I have to get a UK license once I get residency? When does the countdown of 1 year start, from the date of NI issue? Or?

2. If I live in London, would it be possible to go to a small town and take my driver's test there? I presume I would also take my driving lessons there. I plan on taking a test with automatic transmission. I know that it would be easier than using my left hand to do manual shifting. I also know that automatic DL means i can only rent or drive an automatic car.

3. Is it really that difficult to pass the UK Driving test? What is it like, the theory and road test?


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## Michelle_ (Sep 6, 2012)

There is a lot of information that you can get from Google about the theory & road tests that you will be asked to take; this should be easy to find. 

I know many people who passed the theory test the first time, and did not spend much time studying for it at all! So this part is not hard.
As for the road tests, this should not be too hard either, it really depends on you as a driver.

I believe that you have 1 year to drive in the UK without taking the test, but I'm not sure when it starts from.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

MultiCrayon said:


> How hard is it to pass the UK driving test?
> 
> I don't have an EU driver's license even though I have EU citizenship. I have 30 years of driving experience in the US and a valid US driver's license (expires 2014 and can be renewed thereafter)
> 
> 1 Do I have 1 year to drive on a US DL before I have to get a UK license once I get residency? When does the countdown of 1 year start, from the date of NI issue? Or?


Yes, you can drive up to a year from the date you arrived in UK. Get a provisional licence after 6 months (you can't get one before) and try to pass the test (theory and practical) before your year is up. If you don't, you will be subject to learner driver restrictions like displaying L plates, being accompanied by full licence holder and being banned from motorways.



> 2. If I live in London, would it be possible to go to a small town and take my driver's test there? I presume I would also take my driving lessons there. I plan on taking a test with automatic transmission. I know that it would be easier than using my left hand to do manual shifting. I also know that automatic DL means i can only rent or drive an automatic car.


You can, but why? Since you live in London, your driving will be mainly in the capital and it makes sense to take lessons there. Test is standardised throughout the country and any one test centre isn't necessarily easier to pass than in others. I learnt to drive and passed the test in London!



> 3. Is it really that difficult to pass the UK Driving test? What is it like, the theory and road test?


That's what many people say but if you are a competent driver, learn the UK Highway Code and stick to it, learn what you need to pass (your instructor will tell you how) and practise, practise, practise, then you have nothing to fear.


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## Michelle_ (Sep 6, 2012)

One tip that I can give you though is to try to take your practical driving test in an area that you are at least somewhat familiar to, and kind of works towards your advantage... if the area is really hilly and you find that tough, then a different one may be better. Some areas have really big/large busy roundabouts too which can be difficult when you're taking a test... I know a lot of people who failed at roundabouts because they waited for ages (over 10 minutes holding up traffic behind etc), saw an opportunity to squeeze in and went for it (the examiner considered this too dangerous even though it's what anyone would do, and wanted you to wait even longer.)


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## MultiCrayon (Jul 18, 2012)

You all rock! Thanks for the great tips.

Yes, I am gun shy because I had failed the Swedish driving test which many seasoned drivers (Non natives) failed after repeated attempts like 2 to 10 times. There are 4 parts to the Swedish test including ice driving. I failed on my first attempt due to reverse parking, 30 cm from the curb, it must be 20 to 25 cm. I also went 100 km on the freeway, too slow for the 110km sign, must be 105 to 108. I forgot to put my hands on the quarter to 3 position on the steering wheel , ALL the time and left my hand on the gear stick for longer than a few mins. There are many anal details one must observe,l such as signalling when leaving the roundabout (Swedish laws about roundabouts are really weird) It is not uncommon for someone to spend 6 to10 thousand pounds and still not be able to pass, since the theory and road test must be taken within 2 months , not even a day over or both would have to be taken all over again. 

I am originally from the US * have dual American and Swedish citizenship so roundabouts, for a Californian, especially busy ones are not what I am used to, so yes I am paranoid about the right way to drive in roundabouts so the tip about picking a place with less roundabouts does resonate with me. 

So I am thinking of not wasting more money to retake the swedish test while I am still here and instead save the money for lessons in the UK? What do you all think? I have been driving since I was 15 in the US but in the last 3 yrs living in Sweden, have not driven much except for yearly trips back to the US (CA).

I am thinking small town so as to make it easier to acclimatize to the driving on the left instead of the busier London roads. On the other hand if I am to live in London then it does make sense for me to learn on London roads.

Appreciate all thoughts and tips from nice folks like you !!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Are you expecting to drive a lot in London? Are you planning on having a car? The bus and tube system is pretty great.


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## MultiCrayon (Jul 18, 2012)

nyclon said:


> Are you expecting to drive a lot in London? Are you planning on having a car? The bus and tube system is pretty great.


Nyclon that is a great question . I am not planning to drive a lot in London and won't buy a car until I have a parking spot for it but I do want a UK/EU license for driving trips to the countryside (love the english countryside) during the weekends. The advice given earlier about waiting 6 months then taking the provisional before my one year is up seems like I need good planning ahead. Time passes by quickly and I am planning ahead. 

So do you think that given what I told u about the stringent anal testing procedures and requirements of the Swedish system (there are more weird rules the Safety conscious Swedes have about their so called environmental driving that would make other people shudder or cringe) should I just wait and take the UK test instead?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

You can normally only have one driving licene from an EU country, and it will be recognised everywhere in Europe. So I suggest you just concentrate on passing UK driving test. I don't know how it compares with Swedish test, but many continentals say the British test - getting tougher all the time - is still easier than their own, which has many bureaucratic compulsory elements like x hours of classroom teaching and x hours of motorway driving (motorway driving isn't part of UK driving test as learner drivers are banned from it).


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

MultiCrayon said:


> Nyclon that is a great question . I am not planning to drive a lot in London and won't buy a car until I have a parking spot for it but I do want a UK/EU license for driving trips to the countryside (love the english countryside) during the weekends. The advice given earlier about waiting 6 months then taking the provisional before my one year is up seems like I need good planning ahead. Time passes by quickly and I am planning ahead.
> 
> So do you think that given what I told u about the stringent anal testing procedures and requirements of the Swedish system (there are more weird rules the Safety conscious Swedes have about their so called environmental driving that would make other people shudder or cringe) should I just wait and take the UK test instead?



You can take the driving test anywhere. If your main goal is to be able to hire a car for trips outside of London, then taking lessons and the test outside if London is perfectly reasonable. I know several people who have done just that.


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## MultiCrayon (Jul 18, 2012)

Joppa said:


> You can normally only have one driving licene from an EU country, and it will be recognised everywhere in Europe. So I suggest you just concentrate on passing UK driving test. I don't know how it compares with Swedish test, but many continentals say the British test - getting tougher all the time - is still easier than their own, which has many bureaucratic compulsory elements like x hours of classroom teaching and x hours of motorway driving (motorway driving isn't part of UK driving test as learner drivers are banned from it).



That is what I would do, thanks for suggesting it. Yes in the swedish system, I had to spend 200 pounds for the slippery simulated ice driving (with 2 hours in the classroom plus 2 hrs on the track outside) and 4 hours in classroom of alcohol and fatigue driving where they spell out the evils of how alcohol and drugs, how that and fatigue can ruin your life with videos of burnt victims etc . (50 pounds for that) Then there is the 70 question within 50 minutes theory test (where you are tested on the servo vacuum and parts of the engines and their functions etc not just road knowledge)and the anal retentive road test (swedes are ultra safety conscious they are the ones who started Volvo a supposedly safe car)

SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE ROAD TEST DOES NOT REQUIRE DRIVING ON THE MOTORWAY AT ALL? Just driving around town or the city?


I just have to get used to the left side driving .One big advantage the signs will be in English, Yay! The darn Swedish signs are not easy to read from a distance many with Swedish words on them that you would have to learn and memorize if swedish is your second or third language.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Your test may include driving on a dual carriageway, which looks like motorway with mutiple lanes and usually has the same limit (70 mph) but isn't technically a motorway - the road hasn't the letter 'M' in it like M1, M5, M60 or A621(M).


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## MultiCrayon (Jul 18, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Your test may include driving on a dual carriageway, which looks like motorway with mutiple lanes and usually has the same limit (70 mph) but isn't technically a motorway - the road hasn't the letter 'M' in it like M1, M5, M60 or A621(M).


That is good to know. Thanks!! Last but not least (geeze, forgive me for being the question hog I presume one must take the theory and pass that first before being allowed to do the road test. Is there a time limit that the road test or theory must be taken within a certain amount of time before both have to redone? 

In Sweden it is 2 months for both road and theory. Booking a test date is also hard , every center in different towns is full when the weather is good and not snowing (and the weather in Sweden is seldom good) so many people fall outside of the 2 months requirement and can take much longer to complete the tests.


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## amaquima (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm sorry for jumping in, but since I have a question related to this I figured I might. I just realized my DL expires in February 2014, is there any chance I could drive on an expired DL until I get to the 6 months period that Joppa mentioned? Our DL renewal process changed a few days after I renewed it last and for what I know after you get an appointment you have to wait 12 days to go to the appointment and then wait a bit more after that to get your new license.


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