The Driving Licences (Exchangeable Licences) Order 2021

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Driving Licences (Exchangeable Licences) Order 2021 and comes into force on 20th May 2021.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order—

“the Act” means the Road Traffic Act 1988;

“driving test” means a test corresponding to the practical test of driving skills and behaviour prescribed under section 89(3)(1) and (4)(2) of the Act as part of the test of competence to drive;

“vehicle with automatic transmission” means a vehicle in which the person driving the vehicle is either—

(a)

not provided with any means whereby that person may vary the gear ratio between the engine and the road wheels independently of the accelerator and the brakes, or

(b)

provided with such means but they do not include a clutch pedal or lever which they may operate manually.

(2) A reference to a licensing category or a licensing sub-category is a reference to the category or sub-category (as the case may be) identified by the same letter or combination of letters or the same letter and number in Schedule 2 to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999(3).

Designation of the Cayman Islands

3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the Cayman Islands is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Act as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which—

(a) authorise the driving of a class of vehicles corresponding to a class of vehicles included in licensing category AM, B, B+E, F, K or P, or licensing sub-category A1 or B1, and

(b) have been granted by the licensing authority in the Cayman Islands—

(i) to a person who has passed a driving test in the Cayman Islands in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that person’s licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a), or

(ii) in exchange for a licence granted in—

(aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of each licensing category or sub-category referred to in paragraph (2)(a) authorised by that licence, or

(bb) an EEA State, the Republic of North Macedonia, Taiwan, Ukraine, or the United Arab Emirates, or a country or territory named in the Schedule, to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

(3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in the Cayman Islands, or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph 2(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in the Cayman Islands of vehicles with manual transmission.

Designation of the Republic of North Macedonia

4.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the Republic of North Macedonia is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Act as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which—

(a) authorise the driving of a class of vehicles corresponding to a class of vehicles included in licensing category B, B+E, F, K or P, or licensing sub-category B1, and

(b) have been granted by the licensing authority in the Republic of North Macedonia—

(i) to a person who has passed a driving test in the Republic of North Macedonia in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that person’s licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a), or

(ii) in exchange for a licence granted in—

(aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of each licensing category or sub-category referred to in paragraph (2)(a) authorised by that licence, or

(bb) an EEA State, the Cayman Islands, Taiwan, Ukraine, or the United Arab Emirates, or a country or territory named in the Schedule, to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

(3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in the Republic of North Macedonia, or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph 2(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in the Republic of North Macedonia of vehicles with manual transmission.

Designation of Taiwan

5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), Taiwan is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Act as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which—

(a) authorise the driving of a class of vehicles corresponding to a class of vehicles included in licensing category B, B+E, F, K or P, or licensing sub-category B1, and

(b) have been granted by the licensing authority in Taiwan—

(i) to a person who has passed a driving test in Taiwan in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that person’s licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a), or

(ii) in exchange for a licence granted in—

(aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of each licensing category or sub-category referred to in paragraph (2)(a) authorised by that licence, or

(bb) an EEA State, the Cayman Islands, the Republic of North Macedonia, Ukraine, or the United Arab Emirates, or a country or territory named in the Schedule, to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

(3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in Taiwan, or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph 2(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in Taiwan of vehicles with manual transmission.

Designation of Ukraine

6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), Ukraine is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Act as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which—

(a) authorise the driving of a class of vehicles corresponding to a class of vehicles included in licensing category B, B+E, F, K or P, or licensing sub-category B1, and

(b) have been granted by the licensing authority in Ukraine—

(i) to a person who has passed a driving test in Ukraine in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that person’s licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a), or

(ii) in exchange for a licence granted in—

(aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of each licensing category or sub-category referred to in paragraph (2)(a) authorised by that licence, or

(bb) an EEA State, the Cayman Islands, the Republic of North Macedonia, Taiwan or the United Arab Emirates, or a country or territory named in the Schedule to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

(3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in Ukraine, or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph 2(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in Ukraine of vehicles with manual transmission.

Designation of the United Arab Emirates

7.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the United Arab Emirates is designated under section 108(2)(b) of the Act as respects licences of the description specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The licences specified for the purposes of paragraph (1) are licences which—

(a) authorise the driving of a class of vehicles corresponding to a class of vehicles included in licensing category AM, B, B+E, F, K or P, or licensing sub-category A1 or B1, and

(b) have been granted by the licensing authority in the United Arab Emirates—

(i) to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Arab Emirates in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that person’s licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a), or

(ii) in exchange for a licence granted in—

(aa) the United Kingdom to a person who has passed a driving test in the United Kingdom in respect of each licensing category or sub-category referred to in paragraph (2)(a) authorised by that licence, or

(bb) an EEA State, the Cayman Islands, the Republic of North Macedonia, Taiwan or Ukraine, or a country or territory named in the Schedule, to a person who has passed a driving test in such a State, country or territory, as the case may be, in respect of each class of vehicle authorised by that licence corresponding to a class included in one or more licensing categories or sub-categories referred to in paragraph (2)(a).

(3) A licence of a description specified in paragraph (2) shall be exchangeable only in so far as it authorises the driving of vehicles with automatic transmission if it was granted to a person who passed a driving test, whether in the United Arab Emirates, or in a State, country or territory named in paragraph 2(b)(ii), in a vehicle with automatic transmission, notwithstanding that the licence authorises the driving in the United Arab Emirates of vehicles with manual transmission.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Vere

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Transport

28th April 2021