Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003

57 Recognition in United Kingdom of foreign driving disqualification

(1) Where this section applies, the appropriate Minister—

(a) must give the offender a notice under this section if the unexpired period of the foreign disqualification is not less than one month, and

(b) may give him a notice under this section if that period is less than one month.

(2) The unexpired period of the foreign disqualification is—

(a) the period of the foreign disqualification, less

(b) any period of that disqualification which is treated by regulations made by the appropriate Minister as having been served in the State in which the offender was convicted.

(3) The provision which may be made by regulations under subsection (2)(b) includes provision for treating any period during which a central authority or competent authority of a State has seized a licence without returning it as a period which has been served in that State.

(4) If the appropriate Minister gives the offender a notice under this section, the offender is disqualified in each part of the United Kingdom—

(a) for the relevant period, and

(b) if the foreign disqualification is also effective until a condition is satisfied, until the condition or a corresponding prescribed condition is satisfied.

(5) The relevant period is the period which—

(a) begins at the end of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the notice is given, and

(b) is equal to the unexpired period of the foreign disqualification.

(6) But if the foreign disqualification is at any time removed otherwise than in prescribed circumstances, the offender ceases to be disqualified in each part of the United Kingdom from that time.

(7) The appropriate Minister may make regulations substituting a longer period for the period for the time being mentioned in subsection (5)(a).

(8) Where the foreign disqualification is for life—

(a) the condition in subsection (1)(a) is to be treated as satisfied, and

(b) the other references in this section and section 58 to the unexpired period of the foreign disqualification are to be read as references to a disqualification for life.