I’ve often thought about buying a foreign car and using it at home. No road tax and much cheaper insurance.
Then i came across some old law, or at least a grey area. A UK licence holder can’t drive a foriegn registered vehicle in the UK.
If this is still the case, Then how are British drivers that drive for foreign firms, but on UK roads stay legal?
As we know, There are many old laws that get forgotten about. But if it still stands, Then many drivers and operators could become unstuck if some young plod or vosa man is after promotion.
limeyphil:
Then i came across some old law, or at least a grey area. A UK licence holder can’t drive a foriegn registered vehicle in the UK.
Well Phil, it would be quite easy to give you an answer if you’d said where you saw it when you came across it.
I’ve been spot checked in the UK whilst driving an Italian registered artic.
I produced my UK licence, the cops did their checks then I was allowed on my way.
I’ve also been pulled in in various German registered vehicles, also without any problems.
So where did you find this “old law” then, or is this one of you wind-ups?
dieseldave:
limeyphil:
Then i came across some old law, or at least a grey area. A UK licence holder can’t drive a foriegn registered vehicle in the UK.Well Phil, it would be quite easy to give you an answer if you’d said where you saw it when you came across it.
I’ve been spot checked in the UK whilst driving an Italian registered artic.
I produced my UK licence, the cops did their checks then I was allowed on my way.I’ve also been pulled in in various German registered vehicles, also without any problems.
So where did you find this “old law” then, or is this one of you wind-ups?
It was on a police forum. most coppers didn’t know about it. But they do now. (not from my input) i was just an onlooker.
this might help
gov.uk/importing-vehicles-i … ry-imports
You can usually use a vehicle displaying non-UK number plates without needing to tax or register it in the UK if all of the following apply:
you’re visiting the UK and don’t plan to live here
you only use the vehicle up to 6 months in a 12-month period (1 single visit, or several shorter visits adding up to a 6-month period)
the vehicle is registered and taxed in its home country
You must tax and register your vehicle in the UK straight away if you become a resident in the UK or your stay is longer than 6 months.
so a lot of foreign workers do fall foul of this rule because of the residency rule, but I think the police find it difficult to check the time scale they have been here, since the rules changed on licences.
it use to be that they had to change their licence if they became resident in the u.k. after 12 months, now that has changed. 
i use to drive for a bristol firm who had all there trucks registered in holland , had a dutch o licence but all the drivers were british , got stopped a few times never had any problems
tattooed:
i use to drive for a bristol firm who had all there trucks registered in holland , had a dutch o licence but all the drivers were british , got stopped a few times never had any problems
companies can do that easily, all they need is a registered office in that country to comply, maddons did it for years in Exeter when they had big problems with vosa. 
chap (English) at my last place of employ, had a latvian registered car and never had it changed to English plates and never had any probs (prob no ins either)