UK driving licenses and number plates have been given a makeover to signify the beginning of a new chapter for the UK.
To mark the UK’s exit from the EU, the EU flag has been removed from all UK driving licenses and number plate designs, with the first batches issued beginning in January 2021.
While existing licenses and number plates will still be valid, the new versions will be issued to everyone renewing a license or getting one for the first time.
The new designs coincide with the beginning of a number of agreements recently made between the UK and member states for British drivers, making it easier for Britons to drive in the EU when existing restrictions end.
Thanks to these agreements, UK drivers who hold photocard licenses will not need an international driving permit to drive in any of the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein. UK drivers won’t need to display a GB sticker in most EU countries if their number plate has GB or GB with a Union Flag on it.
Although national restrictions are still in place, and people should not be traveling internationally unless for work or other legally permitted reasons, these new arrangements mean that Britons can easily drive in the EU for years to come