Can I rent a manual transmission car in the UK with a Canadian driving license?
I've read that in the UK, in order to drive a manual transmission car, you must hold a driver's license that shows you took your test with a manual transmission.
I have a Canadian driving license (British Columbia). In BC there is no such restriction on transmission type, and therefore my license does not indicate that I can drive a manual transmission.
My wife and I will be vacationing in the UK next year and are planning to rent a car. I have driven a manual transmission for years and have no problem driving one, but will it be legal in the UK, or do I need to specifically rent a car with an automatic transmission?
Best Answer
I hired two manual cars from two separate UK rental places (Enterprise being one of them) in January 2015. No problems whatsoever. Insurance was very reasonable for a week each time. I've held my BC licence for the past twelve years. They did not ask about past claims, accidents or even whether I had driven a right-hand vehicle before. No restrictions on transmission type either.
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Can I drive manual in UK with Canadian license?
Holders of Canadian licences will need to provide proof that they can drive a manual vehicle, or they will be legally restricted to drive an automatic. After that date, people with a foreign licence from above will need to apply for a NI driver's licence.Can I rent a manual car in the UK?
The majority of rental cars in England have manual transmission. If you don't specifically request an automatic transmission, the vehicle will have a manual transmission.Can I Drive a Manual Car on an Automatic Licence
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Answer 2
Yes, you can come as a visitor and present your Canadian driving licence and hire a car with manual transmission.
If you were to stay twelve months, however, you would have to exchange your Canadian licence (note there is no exchange for US licences) and would then be granted only a UK licence to drive automatic vehicles unless you could prove that you had passed your test in Canada on a vehicle with manual transmission. This exchange of licences without further testing is a relatively recent concession for holders of licences from certain areas.
If, after a year, you wished to continue to drive vehicles with manual transmission, you would have to sit a UK driving test on a vehicle with manual transmission.
Answer 3
You read correctly. A UK driving license differentiates between automatic and manual, and those with automatic licenses are not allowed to drive manuals.
I'm not sure about the conditions of Canadian licenses in the UK, however if you acquire an international driving permit then this distinction doesn't apply no matter which country you are from.
Also worth noting that generally you will pay the UK rental company more for an automatic version of the same car.
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