Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

an anyone confirm if my friend can drive my car in South Cyprus. My car is up to date with the necessary documents for South side ( i have a UK licence so there was no problem obtaining the South side permit) but i want to know if i can add her to my South Insurance so that she can drive my car back from Larnaca as she doesn't have a UK/European licence but is a TRNC licence holder.
Is the TRNC licence valid for driving in South Cyprus ? (i know it is not for the purpose of the yearly South permit).
Thanks

TC driving licences are, to my knowledge, only valid for Turkish Cypriots. The authorities in the south expect 'foreigners' to have a licence from their own country. Having said that your friend is unlikely to be asked to produce her licence on the return trip from Larnaca unless she has the misfortune to have an accident or be stopped by the GC police for any reason. They certainly don't check on the border.

So what happens to someone who lives here permanently, with a TC license and no UK address, you cannot get a UK license with out one?

Our son obtained his driving licence here and still lives with us here. He is not allowed to drive in the South on his TRNC licence.

Owl Lady: The DVLA in the UK have no problem with Brits using somebody else's address in UK when they are resident abroad. Unfortunately, you cannot use a TC driving licence to cross the border if you are not a Turkish Cypriot, If you have never had a UK licence then essentially you are stuffed if you want to drive on Greek side.

thanks for the replies, the question was purely hypothetical as I don't drive here, no car.(do still have UK license, but wrong address, so had been told it was invalid.

Agobard, the use of the UK non-residential address for driving licences has ceased. Recent applications have been refused if you did not have a UK residential address, ie had at some time switched addresses (say) to here, and try to switch back.

They quoted me chapter and verse re an appeal made on behalf of a colleague, and I sat down and read through the EU regs, and subsequent amendments.... its quite true, if you move abroad, even to the TRNC where a TC licence is not accepted with a British passport by the south the DVLA will not make an exception.
So never never change a UK licence to a foreign address.....they demanded proof of residency in the form of a rentbook, or rental contract that the licence request was for a genuine residential address, as of January this year.

Hi ifonly.

The answer to your question is no ,your friend will not be able to drive your vehicle in the South, & be covered as when you go to add your friend they require their UK licence.

Hope this helps.

Elkiton: I think that you have misunderstood what I said. As far as I am aware it has always been the case that you could not have a foreign address on a UK licence. The point that I was making was that the DVLA are perfectly happy with any old UK address - family, friend whatever - it doesn't have to be the licence holder's address.

EU rules are certainly clear. When I moved to Germany I had one year, then had to obtain a German license.

They took away my UK one.

Thank heavens I didn't have to take a German driving test. The way they learn to drive here they would never pass a UK test!

Sorry Agobard, I guess I was not clear in my posting..... From direct experience, some additional information not detracting from your posting.... if you for any reason make the mistake of showing a foreign address on the paperwork going to the DVLA, ie home address outside of the UK, or a new application for a provisional licence, they are refusing to grant a UK licence even with a current UK mailing address.

So a resident of the TRNC, full time, is not entitled to have or keep a UK licence more than 3 months after moving here, it has to be surrendered. -I guess we all know that.

It is only a loophole that they will renew an existing licence (without checking where you actually live) as long as you have an existing UK address on it regardless of where you reside.

Currently they are asking (if they suspect you are an ex-pat) for proof that the UK address is a residential address, not a mailing address......Just been there, done it, worn the T-shirt, escaped by the skin of my teeth!

" if you for any reason make the mistake of showing a foreign address on the paperwork" Why would you do that?