If i have a full AUTOMATIC driving license, can I upgrade it to full MANUAL? - UK -?

Question

I am planning to get a driving license here in the UK. Therefore I need to take driving lessons but I know already how to drive automatic and the car I wish to buy is automatic. Because of that, I want to avoid all the hustle of the manual test for now. Is there anyway I will be able to get a manual license later on??? if so does anybody knows the process???

Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

I am assuming from what you say that you have a licence issued from another country...

As long as you have a full licence that allows you to drive an automatic car, you can drive an automatic car in the UK on your existing licence for a period of 12 months from the date you entered the UK. You don't "need" to take driving lessons, but it's a very good idea to get some proper training from a driving instructor, as road conditions, traffic signs, which side of the road you drive on etc, may well be different from what you're used to :)

You can check the proceedure depending on which country issued your licence at - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dri... - the rules are quite complex and depend on your individual circumstances, so it's worth checking out to make sure you're following the correct procedure.

In many cases, if you are remaining in the UK for longer than 12 months, it is possible to exchange your existing licence for a UK one - but as I say, check out the link to see whether this applies to you :)

If you wanted to start driving a manual car later, you would need to get a UK provisional driving licence to cover you for a manual car, take driving lessons in a manual car and to take the Theory and Practical tests.