Driving in Europe with the new automatic B+E entitlement

[EarthYak]

I am an experienced caravanner and have towed on the continent before but our new outfit will likely be over 3500kg. With the new UK driving licence rules I now automatically have B+E with my B licence but the DVLA are not planning to show this on the licence until renewal or on the website that replaced the paper counterpart.

I know I should take my licence with me when driving abroad and I am concerned that my entitlement to drive an outfit over 3500Kg in the UK will not transfer abroad or I will not be able to prove that entitlement.

Does anyone have any experience with this since the law changed in the UK?

 

[otherclive]

I am an experienced caravanner and have towed on the continent before but our new outfit will likely be over 3500kg. With the new UK driving licence rules I now automatically have B+E with my B licence but the DVLA are not planning to show this on the licence until renewal or on the website that replaced the paper counterpart.

I know I should take my licence with me when driving abroad and I am concerned that my entitlement to drive an outfit over 3500Kg in the UK will not transfer abroad or I will not be able to prove that entitlement.

Does anyone have any experience with this since the law changed in the UK?

Your legal entitlement does carry over when in Europe, but advice is to get a new licence that shows the entitlement, then there can be no misunderstanding if stopped by police.

 

[EarthYak]

Your legal entitlement does carry over when in Europe, but advice is to get a new licence that shows the entitlement, then there can be no misunderstanding if stopped by police.

Thanks, I will look into renewing my licence early.

 

[Lutz]

Your legal entitlement does carry over when in Europe, but advice is to get a new licence that shows the entitlement, then there can be no misunderstanding if stopped by police.

The legal entitlement will only carry over if it is shown on the driving licence. Either it needs to be added to your existing licence or else you would need an IDP.

 

[Woodentop]

If you go down the IDP route to save the £10 to update you photocard licence be aware that there are two different types of IDP of which some countries need one type and other countries the second type. IISMC Spain for instance demands an IDP in addition to your UK licence.
Be aware that technically you also need a UK sticker for your vehicle even if you have a Union flag and the UK letters on your registration plates. The stick should be 18x13cm which IMO is unnecessarily large and ugly but that's UK regs for you!

 

[ProfJohnL]

I think it wold be very wise to get you licence updated to physically show your entitlements, becasue the enforcement officers at your destination may not know about the UK's change, and depending on their own laws and procedures they may not need to verify your status with the DVSA before issuing fines or other sanctions.

I see no point in carrying inaccurate documentation when its relatively easy to avoid the possibility and hassle of a misunderstanding of this type.

 

[otherclive]

If you go down the IDP route to save the £10 to update you photocard licence be aware that there are two different types of IDP of which some countries need one type and other countries the second type. IISMC Spain for instance demands an IDP in addition to your UK licence.
Be aware that technically you also need a UK sticker for your vehicle even if you have a Union flag and the UK letters on your registration plates. The stick should be 18x13cm which IMO is unnecessarily large and ugly but that's UK regs for you!

When I last looked what identifier was required on the car the HMG website said either the “ ugly” UK sticker, or number plates with UK and the Union flag on the left hand side. EU and GB no longer acceptable-on number plate and need to be supplemented with UK Sticker. If using UK and Union Flag plates in Spain a UK sticker is also required.

Driving in the EU

What UK drivers need to do to drive when visiting the EU

www.gov.uk

 

[Lutz]

If you go down the IDP route to save the £10 to update you photocard licence be aware that there are two different types of IDP of which some countries need one type and other countries the second type. IISMC Spain for instance demands an IDP in addition to your UK licence.
Be aware that technically you also need a UK sticker for your vehicle even if you have a Union flag and the UK letters on your registration plates. The stick should be 18x13cm which IMO is unnecessarily large and ugly but that's UK regs for you!

Yes, there were two international treaties on road transport which had provisions for mutual recognition of driving licences, one from 1949, the other 1968. Spain signed the 1949 one, most other countries the 1968 version. The UK signed both although they only ratified the 1968 version which made it easier for the EU to accept UK licences without the need for an IDP in 2018, just in time for Brexit. Because the UK signed both treaties some bright spark believed that it was necessary to issue both versions of the IDP, but countries that only signed the 1968 treaty will only issue IDPs according to the 1968 rules. Therefore, there is really no need for the 1949 version any more even though Spain only signed that one. (There's no need for Spain to follow by ratifying the 1968 agreement so long as they are in the EU because EU rules already provide for mutual recognition).
The IDP is always valid only in conjunction with your national driving licence. Spain is no exception. The whole purpose of an IDP is to give foreign authorities an indication of what classes of vehicle one is allowed to drive if they can't read or interpret the national driving licence. The 1949 treaty is not quite so clear in this respect. That's another reason not to bother with issuing a 1949 IDP.

There is an EU/UK agreement that number plates with the Union Flag and the letters UK do not need a separate UK sticker, except in Malta and Cyprus for some strange reason. The same applies to Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein which are also not in the EU. The size of the sticker is regulated by the UN, not by the UK.

 

[Milkfloat]

It is free to get B+E added to your licence https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad Fill in form D1