The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 138

ROAD TRAFFIC

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Made

at 12.32 p.m. on 10th February 2025

Laid before Parliament

at 3.00 p.m. on 10th February 2025

Coming into force

3rd March 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 88(5) and (6), and 105(1), (2)(a) and (3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988(1).

The Secretary of State has consulted in accordance with section 195(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 3rd March 2025.

(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999

2.  The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999(2) are amended as follows.

Insertion of new regulation 80ZA (interpretation: regulations 80ZA to 80AF)

3.  After regulation 80, insert—

“Interpretation (regulations 80ZA to 80AF)

80ZA.   In regulations 80ZA to 80AF—

“Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave” means leave under paragraph UKR 19.1 of the Ukraine Scheme;

“Immigration Rules” means rules made under section 3(2) of the Immigration Act 1971(3);

“Ukraine Extension Scheme leave” means leave under paragraph UKR 27.1 of the Ukraine Scheme as it had effect on the day such leave was granted;

“Ukraine Family Scheme leave” means leave under paragraph UKR 9.1 of the Ukraine Scheme as it had effect on the day such leave was granted;

“Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave” means leave under paragraph UKR 29.1 of the Ukraine Scheme;

“Ukraine Scheme” means the scheme set out in Appendix Ukraine Scheme(4) of the Immigration Rules.”.

Amendment to regulation 80A (Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: first scenario)

4.—(1) Regulation 80A (modification of regulation 80: Appendix Ukraine Scheme) is amended as follows.

(2) In the heading, for “Appendix Ukraine Scheme” substitute “Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: first scenario”.

(3) In paragraph (1)—

(a) for sub-paragraph (a) substitute “has Homes For Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave”;

(b) after sub-paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa) has not applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave, and”.

(4) In paragraph (2), for “the period of three years after that person becomes resident” substitute “the period of three years beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AA (Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: second scenario)

5.  After regulation 80A insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: second scenario

80AA.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has or had Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave,

(b) applied for that leave before 3:00 p.m. on 19th February 2024,

(c) applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave on or before the day on which their Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave expired, and

(d) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the shorter of the following—

(a) the period of four years and six months beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain;

(b) the period beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain, and ending with the day after the day on which that person’s application for a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave is withdrawn, rejected or refused.”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AB (Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: third scenario)

6.  After regulation 80AA insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: third scenario

80AB.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has or had Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave,

(b) applied for that leave at or after 3:00 p.m. on 19th February 2024, and

(c) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the period of three years beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain.”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AC (Ukraine Extension Scheme: first scenario)

7.  After regulation 80AB insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Ukraine Extension Scheme: first scenario

80AC.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has Ukraine Extension Scheme leave,

(b) applied for that leave on or before 16th May 2024,

(c) has not applied for a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave, and

(d) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the period of three years beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain.”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AD (Ukraine Extension Scheme: second scenario)

8.  After regulation 80AC insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Ukraine Extension Scheme: second scenario

80AD.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has or had Ukraine Extension Scheme leave,

(b) applied for that leave on or before 16th May 2024,

(c) became resident in Great Britain on or after 3rd March 2022,

(d) applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave on or before the day on which their Ukraine Extension Scheme leave expired, and

(e) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the shorter of the following—

(a) the period of four years and six months beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain;

(b) the period beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain, and ending with the day after the day on which that person’s application for a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave is withdrawn, rejected or refused.”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AE (Ukraine Family Scheme: first scenario)

9.  After regulation 80AD insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Ukraine Family Scheme: first scenario

80AE.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has Ukraine Family Scheme leave,

(b) has not applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave, and

(c) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the period of three years beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain.”.

Insertion of new regulation 80AF (Ukraine Family Scheme: second scenario)

10.  After regulation 80AE insert—

“Modification of regulation 80: Ukraine Family Scheme: second scenario

80AF.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has or had Ukraine Family Scheme leave,

(b) applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave on or before the day on which their Ukraine Family Scheme leave expired, and

(c) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the shorter of the following—

(a) the period of four years and six months beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain;

(b) the period beginning with the day after the day on which that person becomes resident in Great Britain, and ending with the day after the day on which that person’s application for a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave is withdrawn, rejected or refused.”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Lilian Greenwood

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

at 12.32 p.m. on 10th February 2025

Department for Transport

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2864) (“1999 Regulations”).

Regulation 3 amends the 1999 Regulations to insert the relevant definitions in relation to these amendments.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 80A of the 1999 Regulations to permit a holder of a permit to drive a motor bicycle, moped and category B (car) under the law of Ukraine (“a relevant Ukrainian driving licence”) who has Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave but who has not applied for Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave to drive in Great Britain for three years after they become resident in Great Britain.

Regulations 5 and 6 insert two new regulations 80AA and 80AB to provide for two alternative scenarios in which holders of a relevant Ukrainian driving licence who have or had Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme leave are permitted to drive in Great Britain for four years and six months or three years after they become resident in Great Britain, depending on which scenario they fall into.

Regulations 7 and 8 provide for an arrangement similar to that in regulations 4 to 6 for holders of a relevant Ukrainian driving licence who applied for Ukraine Extension Scheme leave. However, for those holders of Ukraine Extension Scheme leave who applied for a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme leave, only those who had become resident in Great Britain on or after 3rd March 2022 will fall within the scope of the permission to drive in Great Britain under these two regulations.

Regulations 9 and 10 provide for a similar arrangement for holders of a relevant Ukrainian driving licence who applied for Ukraine Family Scheme leave.

The Appendix Ukraine Scheme was inserted into the Immigration Rules by the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 29 March 2022 (HC 1220, 29 March 2022) and has been subsequently amended.

A full Impact Assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it is not expected to have significant impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors. Instead a de minimis assessment has been prepared as this instrument is likely to entail some costs for businesses, but the net impact is estimated to be below £10 million per year.

The de minimis assessment is published alongside the Explanatory Memorandum to these Regulations at www.legislation.gov.uk.

(1)

1988 c. 52; section 105(2)(a) was substituted by the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1974), Schedule 1, paragraph 17(a), and amended by the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (c. 32), section 91 and Schedule 5, paragraphs 17 and 23(a)(i), and the Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), section 10(12) and Schedule 3, paragraphs 2 and 13(1) and (2)(a).

(2)

S.I. 1999/2864, as amended by S.I. 2023/666; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(3)

1971 c. 77.

(4)

The Appendix Ukraine Scheme was inserted into the Immigration Rules by the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid before Parliament on 29th March 2022 (HC 1220, 29th March 2022) and has been subsequently amended.