EU and EEA licence holders

Temporary Car Insurance on a Non-UK Licence

The licences accepted, the ones that are not, and what a driver with a foreign licence needs to check before starting a quote.

EU/EEA licence, some insurers
UK residency normally required
Non-EU licences not accepted

In partnership with GoShorty

FCA-regulated cover

Every policy is arranged by an authorised UK insurance broker
1 hour to 28 days

One policy, any length in between, no annual contract
Certificate emailed to you

Your policy number and documents, minutes after paying
MID updated four times a day

So a roadside check shows the vehicle as insured

Which Non-UK Licences Are Accepted?

EU and EEA licence holders with at least 12 months of UK residence, with some insurers on the panel. Licences from outside the EU and EEA are not accepted, and non-residents are not normally accepted either.

That last point is worth stating plainly and early, because it decides the outcome. If the only licence you hold was issued outside the EU and EEA, the temporary car product cannot quote you. This page does not recommend what to do instead, because that is outside what an introducer can advise. It sets out who is in and who is out, so you do not lose time on a quote that cannot be issued.

For drivers who do fit, this is temporary car insurance in its ordinary form: comprehensive, from one hour to 28 days, with its own certificate. If you plan to take the car abroad, European car insurance explains how far the cover goes.

How Do You Get Cover on a Non-UK Licence?

Enter the registration, give your licence and residence details exactly as they stand, choose the dates, then read the quote and the wording before you pay.

1
Enter the registration

The plate pulls up the make, model and value of the car. It must be worth between £500 and £65,000, with each insurer setting its own band, and have a valid MOT.
2
Enter your licence and residence details

This is the step that matters. An EU or EEA licence needs 12 months of UK residence behind it, and is accepted by some insurers rather than all. A UK licence held while living abroad is for the quote to assess. Answer honestly: an answer that proves wrong can void the policy.
3
Choose the dates

From one hour to 28 days on one policy. Pick the length that matches your actual stay.
4
Check it, then buy

Read the cover, the excess and the optional extras. Wait for the emailed certificate before you drive. That certificate, not the quote, is the proof of cover.

Who Does This Page Apply To?

Drivers whose licence was issued outside the UK, or who live outside the UK, and who need a car here for a short period.

EU and EEA residents of the UK

You hold a licence from an EU or EEA country and have lived in the UK for at least 12 months. You need cover for a car you can borrow or have just bought, and you do not want to commit to a full year. If you fit, the insurers that accept an EU or EEA licence quote you like any other driver.

Expats visiting the UK

You live abroad but hold a full UK licence. You are home for a few weeks and need a car. Most insurers on the panel require UK residency, so this group is not normally accepted, and the UK address question on the quote is where it is decided.

Those who do not fit

A recent arrival on an EU or EEA licence with less than 12 months in the UK does not meet the test. A driver with an international licence from outside the EU does not either. GOV.UK explains the rules on driving in Great Britain on a foreign licence, including how long a visitor may drive. That is a question about the law on driving, and the criteria for a quote are a separate and narrower set.

Ready when you are

See what your dates would cost on your licence.

Just the registration to begin. Fully comprehensive, one hour to 28 days.

Get Quotes

What Does the Policy Cover?

Comprehensive cover as standard: damage to other people and their property, damage to the car you are driving, fire and theft.

Business class 1 use, meaning meetings and site visits, is included. Deliveries, hire and reward and carrying passengers for payment are not. The policy is standalone, so a claim on it does not affect the car owner’s no claims discount. Whether the policy covers driving in the EU, and on what terms, depends on the insurer. The policy wording and the insurance product information document set out the detail.

How Much Does Cover Cost?

The published starting price for one week here was £46.59, based on the lowest sold between December 2025 and May 2026, and a non-UK licence does not have its own price list.

Published starting prices are the lowest sold, not a typical price. For weekly car insurance, the starting prices were one week £46.59 and two weeks £54.11, on the same basis. The published starting price for 28 days is £81.41, and monthly car insurance explains what that length is for.

What sets your price

1 The driver Age, licence history, claims and points.
2 The car Value and insurance group.
3 The length The number of hours or days sets the price.
4 The start time Priced as part of the policy.

Starting prices on this page are GoShorty’s published from-prices, based on quotes from December 2025 to May 2026. A starting price is the lowest sold to anyone, not a typical price, and every quote is individual. Source: GoShorty’s published prices.

Why Does the 12-Month Residence Test Matter?

For EU and EEA licences it is the dividing line: with 12 months of UK residence a driver can be quoted by the insurers that accept those licences, and without it the driver cannot.

The test is about how long you have lived in the UK, not about when you got the licence or how long you have been driving. A person who has driven for twenty years on an EU licence but arrived in the UK last month is below the line. A person who moved here two years ago on the same licence is above it. The quote asks for the dates, and the answer you give decides the outcome.

Non-residents with a full UK licence are not normally accepted, because most insurers require UK residency; the quote asks for an address and decides. See the answer rather than assuming it. If you are in doubt about a date, check the document that shows it, such as a tenancy agreement or a council tax bill, rather than relying on memory. If you are flying in, check the start time as well as the date, so that cover is in force before the car is collected. A second driver who meets the criteria is another option.

What Are the Other Criteria?

You must meet the insurer’s age limits, from 17 to 75, with a permanent UK address, and the car must meet the same limits as for any other driver.

Any points or convictions declared on the form, and no refused, cancelled or voided insurance. The car must be worth between £500 and £65,000, with each insurer setting its own band, have a valid MOT, not be SORN, and not be a hire or rental vehicle, an import, left-hand drive or modified. Up to 3.5 tonnes and no more than seven seats.

A car with left-hand drive is worth noting for visitors who bring their own vehicle. It is excluded, so a car you have brought with you may not qualify. If you plan to share the driving with someone who holds a UK licence, additional driver insurance explains how a second driver can be covered.

What Should You Check Before Driving?

That the certificate has arrived and the dates are right.

Policies are submitted to the Motor Insurance Database four times a day, so a policy bought minutes ago may not appear yet. Keep the certificate on your phone, and you can check any plate on askMID. GOV.UK sets out the law on vehicle insurance, including the penalties for driving without it. If a quote is not issued, do not drive on the assumption that you are covered.

Before you start

Can you get it?

If you and the car fit these criteria, a quote is likely.

The driver

Aged 17 to 75, minimum age depending on the insurer
A full UK licence from the DVLA or DVA, or an EU or EEA licence with at least 12 months of UK residence
A permanent UK address
Never had insurance refused, cancelled or voided
Points and convictions declared on the form and priced within each insurer's limits

The car

Worth between £500 and £65,000, with each insurer setting its own band
A valid MOT, and not declared SORN, unless you are driving to a pre-booked MOT
Up to 3.5 tonnes and no more than seven seats
Not a hire or rental vehicle, and not held by the police
Not imported, left-hand drive or modified, apart from factory options or mobility adaptations

Criteria are set by each insurer on the broker’s panel and vary between them. Acceptance is always the insurer’s decision.

Questions

Temporary Car Insurance on a Non-UK Licence: FAQs

Is an international licence accepted?

No. Licences issued outside the EU and EEA, including an international licence, are not accepted on the temporary car product. This is one of the first things to check, because a quote cannot be issued if it is the only licence you hold.

Can I get cover on an EU licence?

With some insurers, if you hold an EU or EEA licence and have at least 12 months of UK residence; the quote shows which. You also need to meet the insurer’s age limits, from 17 to 75, have a permanent UK address and meet the other criteria. A driver who has only just arrived does not meet the 12-month test.

I live abroad but hold a full UK licence. Can I get cover when I visit?

Not normally. Most insurers on the panel require UK residency, so an expat visiting on a full UK licence is usually outside the criteria, and the quote decides. Check the answer before you rely on it.

Does being allowed to drive in Great Britain mean I can be insured?

No. GOV.UK sets out when a visitor may legally drive on a foreign licence, but insurance is a separate question. The criteria on this page decide whether a quote is issued, and they are narrower than the law on who may drive.

What are the other criteria?

You must meet the insurer’s age limits, from 17 to 75, with a permanent UK address, with any points or convictions declared on the form. You must never have had insurance refused, cancelled or voided. The car must be worth between £500 and £65,000, with each insurer setting its own band, with a valid MOT and not be SORN.

How long can the policy run?

From one hour to 28 days on one policy, the same as for any other driver. It never auto-renews, and there is no refund once cover has started.

Can I take the car to Europe?

It depends on the insurer. Where cover abroad is given it is usually the legal minimum for the country you are in, so check the quote and the policy wording before you travel. Our page on European cover explains the detail.

Can someone else with a UK licence drive instead?

Yes. If you cannot be covered, a driver who meets the criteria can be insured on a policy of their own for the same car, with the owner’s permission. That is a separate quote for a separate driver.

Does it cost anything to get a quote?

No. Getting a quote is free and you are under no obligation to buy. We may be paid a fee by the broker if someone takes out a policy after being introduced by us. It does not change the price you are quoted.

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