# Driving Licence Info Abroad



## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Do foreign authorities (police, etc) have access to British drivers licence information when driving abroad? I’m not in trouble, honest, it’s just one of those things that have come up in conversation and no one seems to have an answer.

Ron


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

Depends what info you mean..............................certainly the MOT site gives details of the vehicle and its weight class.

It's easily available and the reason I stopped trying to pass off as 3500 for vignettes using a good copy of my original V5.............it clearly shows we are 3850


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Webby1 said:


> Depends what info you mean..............................certainly the MOT site gives details of the vehicle and its weight class.
> 
> It's easily available and the reason I stopped trying to pass off as 3500 for vignettes using a good copy of my original V5.............it clearly shows we are 3850


Naughty :laugh: Actually your reply reminded me of a motorhome owner on the pitch next to us in Switzerland who did the same thing. The trouble was that he only stayed for a week before returning home. This ment that it would have been cheaper for him to have declared his over 3500kg weight rather than than the false one (SF25 against SF40) plus the risk of a hefty fine if caught. He wasn't a happy bunny when he found out!

My question was more to do with foreign police being able to tap into the DVLA to gain info, perhaps on a reciprocal basis.

Ron


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Info here.....

https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/driving-offence-abroad

Terry


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I have today heard of a UK driver, travelling back in his Range Rover from skiing at half- term and obviously forgetting that 110 or 130 means kph not mph....

He was flashed twice on one journey and when he got back to the UK two 90€ fine letters (reduced to 45€ if paid within 28 days of the date of the offence....)

So they CAN use the info and issue the fines, I would be very wary of ignoring them if you hear of anyone or happen to encounter one......


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Maybe we need a new forum feature? 
Perhaps a new button? Something like, “Thanks (on behalf of a friend)”


I’ll get my coat . . .


John


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I know it's not UK but the buyer of my Motorhome who finally paid and took delivery April 2017 didn't change the name in the logbook (carte grise) so his speeding fine in Spain found me in France for the penalty.


Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> I have today heard of a UK driver, travelling back in his Range Rover from skiing at half- term and obviously forgetting that 110 or 130 means kph not mph....
> 
> He was flashed twice on one journey and when he got back to the UK two 90€ fine letters (reduced to 45€ if paid within 28 days of the date of the offence....)
> 
> So they CAN use the info and issue the fines, I would be very wary of ignoring them if you hear of anyone or happen to encounter one......


That scenario involves a foreign authority having access to the KEEPERS details, not anyone's driving licence.

If a French resident is convicted of an endorseable offence in the U.K. there is NO facility to impose points on their French licence. they will get penalty points imposed on a "ghost" U.K. driving licence under their details. So, in the event of them emigrating to the U.K. and apply for a U.K. licence those points will then show up!

I would strongly suspect the same is true for a U.K. licence holder being prosecuted in France. Especially as in France you start with 12 points and they are REMOVED in the event of an offence. Disqualification comes at zero points which is 180° different to the U.K. penalty points system.

Andy


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Sorry Andy,

I think you may have misread what I entered, this was a U.K. registered vehicle and was being driven by it's registered keeper, when they arrived back from their trip there were two letters each with the 90€ fine.

I never mentioned French registered or anything similar. Simply that a UK driver had incurred two fines while in France which had been followed through, presumably via the DVLA.

It was simply a warning not to speed in France as it can follow you back. Whether he paid etc. I have no clue, I am not discussing or mentioning points just the fines.

Such a thing has been possible since 2017 although it does not seem to have been used often AFAIK. But it does exist.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Sorry Andy,
> 
> I think you may have misread what I entered, this was a U.K. registered vehicle and was being driven by it's registered keeper, when they arrived back from their trip there were two letters each with the 90€ fine.
> 
> ...


This is the first instance Ive heard of this happening Dave. I know a few people who have had fines from hire cars follow them home but ive never heard of one where its the owners UK registered vehicle. It was bound to happen I guess. The only issue long termers (like me) might find is if your away for several months and you get flashed on your first day will the fine keep going up and up?

I know the answer is not to speed and I dont as a rule but I still managed to get flashed several times on our last trip.

As for the rozzers having access to your details I am pretty sure they do as I saw a post from someone on another motorhome forum where they were stopped in Romania I think and the cops had Tablets and brought up all the details dead easy apparently.


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi all

i had a speeding ticket last year for euro 25 sent to me in the uk from east germany

so yes they can trace the owner of a uk registered vehicle in europe


barry


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Sorry Andy,
> 
> I think you may have misread what I entered, this was a U.K. registered vehicle and was being driven by it's registered keeper, when they arrived back from their trip there were two letters each with the 90€ fine.
> 
> ...


Dave

No I did fully understand what you had posted, hence my highlighting the fact that foreign agencies have access to *keeper details* so they can send the fine the registered keeper in the post as, without stopping the vehicle they would have no way of knowing who was driving so wouldn't know who's personal details to access. I am pretty sure that driving licence details are NOT accessible to foreign agencies.

As for the rest of the post regarding penalty points etc that was meant for peoples general information.

Andy


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

Mrplodd said:


> Dave
> 
> No I did fully understand what you had posted, hence my highlighting the fact that foreign agencies have access to *keeper details* so they can send the fine the registered keeper in the post as, without stopping the vehicle they would have no way of knowing who was driving so wouldn't know who's personal details to access. I am pretty sure that driving licence details are NOT accessible to foreign agencies.
> 
> ...


i fully agree with andy

my fine was sent to me as the owner of the registered vehicle along with a clear picture of the front of the van and my face

barry


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## salomon (Apr 20, 2011)

I have a friend ( french) who drives a coach here in France and often abroad. He has been to the UK many times with his bus full of kids and usually has to wait around in very inconvenient places in London. Needless to say this has resulted in various infringements.
They are always paid. If not, when he tries to enter the UK again they will have kept the vehicle details and will be prevented from enetering until such fines are paid. 
No idea if this is reciprocal but if I intended to bring a vehicle back into a country where i have a record of a misdemeanor then I would think about it ...

In Andorra they collar French cars at the border when they havnt paid their fines. Its the only reason I have seen people stopped tbh.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

ob1;3018813[B said:


> *]Do foreign authorities (police, etc) have access to British drivers licence information when driving abroad?*[/B] I'm not in trouble, honest, it's just one of those things that have come up in conversation and no one seems to have an answer.
> 
> Ron


As I pointed out earlier, no they don't but what they DO have is access to DVLA's database in respect of the KEEPERS details.

Andy


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

As long as there isnt any points involved on your UK licence and I fail to see how there could be its just like getting a parking ticket. Just pay it. Its no big deal really and just try and keep below the limit which as Ive already admitted Im crap at. I might be a bit more focused now though. As said my concern would be if its sat on the doormat for three months. I have visions of turning up at Calais to be pounced on by a bunch of Gendarmes for multiple offences.  Mind you I think they may be busy enough there as it is.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

powerplus said:


> i fully agree with andy
> 
> my fine was sent to me as the owner of the registered vehicle along with a clear picture of the front of the van and* my face*
> 
> barry


But they have no way of knowing whose face it is - nor do DVLA, unless they have a facial-recognition programme for comparing it with driving licences.

It would be an interesting point of law how the French authorities, which hold the 'owner'. responsible for the fine, would go about enforcing a fine against the 'keeper'in an English Court, since to do so they would have to prove the person had breached the law in France, and what evidence do they have as to the 'owner', unless one volunteers it.

Conflict of laws is a very difficult area of law and are they going to spend money on lawyers to argue their case in an English Court?

I do not know whether the French Authorities have power to impound the car per se when it re-enters France if they cannot prove the driver at the time was the one who commited the offence.

Don't worry I am just mumbling to my legal other half.

Geoff


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I “BELIEVE” that any fines in France are registered against the OWNER of the vehicle and it is up to them to pay the fine OR identify who was driving at the time. But I am not certain of that. 

Perhaps one of our French residents (Ray Nipper are you there) could advise????

Andy


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Yes, it is against the Registered Keeper but the French will not accept no response but will pursue the Keeper in the same way that the Dartford Crossing pursues French or other EU keepers through the Courts using claims companies to follow it through and adding the costs to the original charge.

The French do not bother with points unless it is a French registered vehicle as the loss of one point ( typical for a speeding type offence ) is removed after six months. In the U.K. of course, it is 3 points and they stay there for three years and are visible for four.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Not had a ticket for speeding in France (so far). Did have a parking ticket which I paid. I work on the principle that if I am a guest in another country, then I try to observe their rules and way of life, and any way as stated. I don’t want to roll off the boat and be immediately pulled over, impounded, fined, jailed, hanged, drawn and quartered for a few euros.

Davy


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## mcpezza (Aug 16, 2008)

ob1 said:


> Naughty :laugh: Actually your reply reminded me of a motorhome owner on the pitch next to us in Switzerland who did the same thing. The trouble was that he only stayed for a week before returning home. This ment that it would have been cheaper for him to have declared his over 3500kg weight rather than than the false one (SF25 against SF40) plus the risk of a hefty fine if caught. He wasn't a happy bunny when he found out!
> 
> My question was more to do with foreign police being able to tap into the DVLA to gain info, perhaps on a reciprocal basis.
> 
> Ron


Thanks for the weight charging info. Was confused by the €25 charge last year when I was offering €40 at the border.


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