Thursday 08 March 2012
Environment Department Response to media enquiry from BBC Radio Guernsey.
We are running a piece on foreign cars on Guernsey roads and would like to establish what the current law is on registering foreign vehicles and if there are any exceptions. The same applies to driving licences.
Environment Department response:
Circulation of Foreign Registered Vehicles
Foreign-registered vehicles may be circulated in the Island by private individuals under International Circulation legislation, which provides exemption from the requirement to register the vehicle locally. There are legal restrictions on who can benefit from these provisions, but essentially the importer must be non-resident and must intend to depart from the Island within 12 months of the date of entry.
Where international circulation is relied upon, a vehicle must not be (or even be offered to be) hired, pledged, given away, sold or otherwise disposed of in the Island.
Should the above criteria not be met then the current legislation requires a vehicle to be registered with the Guernsey authority as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case within a period of 14 days beginning from the date of import.
Circulation and Use of Foreign Issued Driving Licences
It is lawful for a person resident outside of the Island who is temporarily in the Island and who holds a valid foreign issued driving licence under the aforementioned International Circulation legislation to drive for a period not to exceed 12 months from first entry into the Island.
Any person who becomes normally resident* in the Island and who also holds a foreign driving licence issued by a competent** licensing authority will be required to apply to exchange their driving licence for the local equivalent within the first year of residence under current legislation. Should a foreign licence be issued from an authority not recognised by this authority, the licence will no-longer be valid for use within the island following the 12 month period has ended and the holder of that licence will be required to apply for a provisional driving licence and take a theory and practical driving test in order to obtain a full Guernsey driving licence.
Notes:
* Normal residence means a place where a person usually lives for at least 185 days a year. However, students
temporarily away from the Island attending university or people working in the Island on a contract of a definite
- duration may not be required to exchange their licence. Advice in this regard can be sought from the Driver and
Vehicle Licensing Section.
** A competent licensing authority is deemed to be:
(a) Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or Jersey;
(b) A member state of the European Union; or
(c) A country with which the United Kingdom has a reciprocal arrangement with.
Contact Information:
Karl Guille, Traffic and Transport Services Manager
Environment Department
Tel: 243400
