Legal Requirements

		Alien Registration
		Driving Licenses
		TV License
		Children and the Law
		Notary Public

Alien Registration

Check immediately with the police or one of the Alien Registration offices on your arrival to see if you need to register with your Regional Aliens Office. This must be done within seven days. There is a fee. As of May 1, 1998, Americans and some other non-EEC nationals are no longer required to register.

Driving Licenses

Cars are licensed for six or twelve months, and must have a current Tax Disc displayed on the windshield. Most cars, depending on the age of the car, also have a yearly inspection called an M.O.T. A car can only be licensed if it has an M.O.T. that is current. You can go to the Post Office to get a new Tax Disc. You will need to bring the current M.O.T. certificate and proof of insurance. The new Tax Disc goes on the lower left corner of the windshield.

Drivers from other countries are allowed to drive using their own present license. After one year, some of us, including Americans and Canadians, must take a written and practical driving test. Booklets of the rules of the road are available through the Automobile Association. Look in the phone book for the shop nearest you. It does help to take driving lessons. Just a couple of lessons can help you pass the driving test. Do not be discouraged if you do not pass the first time. You can still drive using your home license until you pass, but for insurance purposes, do it within the first year. Be sure to ask other expats to recommend specific driving instructors.

Young drivers must be seventeen years old. Make sure you have car insurance even for learner drivers.

To obtain a U.K. driving license, you must:

• Apply for a Provisional Driver's License - applications are available at the Post Office.
• Apply for and pass the driving theory test. You can apply by phone if you have a credit card and a Provisional License. Phone 0870 0101372.
• Apply for and pass the driving application test. You must have passed the theory test first. Ask your driving instructor about test locations.
• Alternatively, you can phone one of the following Driving Standards Agencies.

  Wales & Western Region (includes Slough)	0870 010 1372
  Midlands & Eastern Region (includes High Wycombe)	0121 697 6700
  London & SE Region	0870 010 1372

  For further information about driving in the U.K., you can phone the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) at 0870 240 0009.

  

  
  TV License

  Go to the local Post Office to purchase a TV license. This is an annual license that is required of all TV-owning households. One license per household is required no matter how many TVs you own. Heavy fines are imposed if you don't have one and regular neighborhood monitoring occurs. There is a Post Office in each village.

  

  
  Children and The Law

  Driving

  Young drivers must be seventeen years old. Make sure you have car insurance even for learner drivers.

  Alcohol

  Although children cannot purchase alcohol until they are 18 years old, there is no law to stop them from drinking it under age. Children often are not allowed to be in the bar area of a pub, but there usually are restaurant areas in the pub where they are allowed.

  Leaving Children Alone At Home

  If a child under the age of 12 is left home alone and an accident occurs with fire, the parents can be prosecuted. Parents are also legally responsible for any criminal act done by a child under the age of 16.

  Babysitting Age

  There is no legal babysitting age. Use of common sense is advised.

  National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

  The NSPCC has some excellent booklets with advice on leaving children home alone, understanding the law with regard to leaving children alone at home, and keeping children safe when out with you or out alone. Phone 0808 800 5000. The NSPCC operates the Child Protection Helpline, offers counseling and advice, and produces other free booklets as well.

  

  
  

Notary Public

For voting in U.S. elections, some states require your signature to be notarized, either on the ballot request or on the ballot itself. Please note that the following notary publics are British. If documents are to be used in the U.S., only the U.S. Consulate can notarize them.