Singapore Expats

Converted DL and then let it expire

Discuss how you can convert your foreign drivers' licence and other topics relating to drivers' licence.
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smoulder
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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by smoulder » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 9:38 am

Wd40 wrote:
Fri, 26 Jan 2024 9:27 am
smoulder wrote:
Tue, 13 Jun 2023 2:03 am
Wd40 wrote:
Mon, 12 Jun 2023 12:11 pm
Just to update here, you need to renew your license 3 years after its expiry date. If you fail to do it, you need to convert your foreign driving licence again.

My India license is very old from 2004, so the TP guys told me to get a new one. My India license will anyways expire next year, so during my next India trip I need to get it renewed.

Now I wonder what the issue date of my new India license will be, will it be the original 2004 issue date or the new issue date? If it is new 2024, then I guess I am screwed because I won't be able to convert it.

Anyways this is my own doing, so myself to blame.
I had a driving license issued in Mumbai in 1999! The old paper booklet. It expired in 2019 (20 years later.

I knew that Singapore only accepts the card license. So back in 2019, when I was in Bangalore (note, not Mumbai), I had the local RTO issue me a card. So if I recall correctly, since I applied for the license more than a month (?) before the expiry of my Mumbai license, they basically gave me a Karnataka card - the number on the license was the same as my Mumbai license and the expiry date was the same as well. I was able to sneak in to finish up the conversion of my license just days (2 or 3 days) before my Indian license expired!

Conclusion - my situation was similar but not the same. I was applying for a Singapore license for the first time, unlike you. Not sure if that makes a difference. My Indian license expiry date didn't change because I applied about 3 months before the expiry - if I understand correctly, they will give you a new 20 year license if you apply within 1 month from expiry or a little while after (I don't remember exactly how long).
Just to update here. During my trip to India in December, I managed to get my driving license renewed in Bangalore. It was still valid for 6 months, so kind of early renewal. I believe you are allowed to renew 1 yr in advance.

They renewed it for 10 more years.

Thank God, the date of issue remains the original issue date 20 years ago, 2004. This is very very important. The date of issue should be prior to your 1st arrival date in Singapore, if you want to convert your license.
That's good information for anyone else who is looking to convert their Indian license to a Singapore license.

On a side note, I find it strange how they extended your Indian license by 10 years while retaining the issue date whereas in my case they changed neither - they just changed the "media" from paper to plastic. It's really strange how they operate.

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Wd40
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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by Wd40 » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:07 am

smoulder wrote:
Fri, 26 Jan 2024 9:38 am
Wd40 wrote:
Fri, 26 Jan 2024 9:27 am
smoulder wrote:
Tue, 13 Jun 2023 2:03 am


I had a driving license issued in Mumbai in 1999! The old paper booklet. It expired in 2019 (20 years later.

I knew that Singapore only accepts the card license. So back in 2019, when I was in Bangalore (note, not Mumbai), I had the local RTO issue me a card. So if I recall correctly, since I applied for the license more than a month (?) before the expiry of my Mumbai license, they basically gave me a Karnataka card - the number on the license was the same as my Mumbai license and the expiry date was the same as well. I was able to sneak in to finish up the conversion of my license just days (2 or 3 days) before my Indian license expired!

Conclusion - my situation was similar but not the same. I was applying for a Singapore license for the first time, unlike you. Not sure if that makes a difference. My Indian license expiry date didn't change because I applied about 3 months before the expiry - if I understand correctly, they will give you a new 20 year license if you apply within 1 month from expiry or a little while after (I don't remember exactly how long).
Just to update here. During my trip to India in December, I managed to get my driving license renewed in Bangalore. It was still valid for 6 months, so kind of early renewal. I believe you are allowed to renew 1 yr in advance.

They renewed it for 10 more years.

Thank God, the date of issue remains the original issue date 20 years ago, 2004. This is very very important. The date of issue should be prior to your 1st arrival date in Singapore, if you want to convert your license.
That's good information for anyone else who is looking to convert their Indian license to a Singapore license.

On a side note, I find it strange how they extended your Indian license by 10 years while retaining the issue date whereas in my case they changed neither - they just changed the "media" from paper to plastic. It's really strange how they operate.
Did you apply for renewal?

There are 2 steps, one is conversion from offline to online. Even though mine was a card license, it wasnt a smart card, so they first converted it to online, kind of like digitized it, so it is on their computer files now instead of some physical dusty hard copy files.

Next step is to renew the license. So I did both these steps. I took an agent's help and it cost me Rs 1800 for the 1st step and Rs 1200 for the 2nd step. Total about S$60. I still had to visit the RTO for getting my photo clicked and signature.

I think in your case, you didnt renew your license, you just had it converted from the paper physical license to a smart card digital.

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by smoulder » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:59 am

"Agents". That's probably the reason for the difference. I'm pretty sure I asked the "agent" to renew as well, but he had some barely coherent response about why it wasn't possible - clearly from your experience, that's not true.

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by midlet2013 » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:31 pm

malcontent wrote:
Sun, 06 Aug 2023 11:41 pm
There are certain things you just don’t want to neglect, and DL is one of them — just keep it going… even if you don’t own a car, even if you aren’t driving. Same thing with credit, you want to keep some kind of credit going, at least a credit card. And for expats, this applies to the country of your passport as well — keep things active and current while you’re gone to make for an easier transition back, should the need arise. It’s just the smart thing to do.

One should not neglect DL. I had a Korean license which was very easy to get , like 6 hrs training and 500$ or so. Once I came here, I changed my Korean n Intl license to Singapore within 6 months. Only written test was needed. I did not drive anything for 7 years.

However, right before the 5 yr validity was over, I renewed and got a permanent license due to PR. Even tho I never had a vehicle, I made sure to get Singapore license and maintain it well by renewing on time even though I was not using.

And after almost 8-9 years, finally I am using it.

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by midlet2013 » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:32 pm

And even though I never drove in SG, I was able to drive in New Jersey and Alaska, which was worth it.

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by malcontent » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 2:50 pm

Just to echo the comments above, fully agree on keeping your drivers license going even if you aren’t driving. When I first moved here, I made sure to convert my license from the U.S. before it expired, even though I had no plans of ever driving here. You just never know when it might come in handy - and it did.

In my early years here I had a few friends from work that lent me their car (for free) while they were away on business trips. In the late 90’s our first vacation to Australia required renting a car, we drove from Brisbane down to Sydney and then down to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road. We covered a lot of ground and it was the best and most affordable way. I still remember not being used to driving on the right and hitting a bunch of curbs in Sydney… good thing it was a rental!
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows - Epictetus

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by smoulder » Fri, 26 Jan 2024 7:57 pm

Agreed. Same here. I don't own a car here but I drive frequently when we go on holiday. India, the US, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, to name a few places - both using my Indian license before it expired, and now my Singapore license.

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by PNGMK » Mon, 29 Jan 2024 8:26 am

My wife stupidly has let her TX licence expire a decade ago out of sheer laziness. It will be a giant pain to fix I suspect. She said it was all too hard (to what? Change the address to her parents and ask them to renew it?). I'm seriously pissed as the True ID system in the US is a nightmare to get through and in NC she'll need a number of things Fortunately she has not made the same mistake with her Singapore DL although it got close to expiring.

I've managed to keep my Australian licence renewed although technically you're not meant to due to issues with state residency if you're not in residence. As I have a full truck, car and motorcycle licence I wouldn't want to start again.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by malcontent » Mon, 29 Jan 2024 2:53 pm

PNGMK wrote:
Mon, 29 Jan 2024 8:26 am
My wife stupidly has let her TX licence expire a decade ago out of sheer laziness. It will be a giant pain to fix I suspect. She said it was all too hard (to what? Change the address to her parents and ask them to renew it?). I'm seriously pissed as the True ID system in the US is a nightmare to get through and in NC she'll need a number of things Fortunately she has not made the same mistake with her Singapore DL although it got close to expiring.

I've managed to keep my Australian licence renewed although technically you're not meant to due to issues with state residency if you're not in residence. As I have a full truck, car and motorcycle licence I wouldn't want to start again.
The state residency stipulation is the same in the U.S., but like you, I take it with a grain of salt. Over the years the only consequence is a couple of jury duty requests, and I just had it returned to sender note stating “not at this address” and that’s been the end of it.

Singapore is a signatory to the UN Geneva Convention on Road Traffic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Co ... ad_Traffic

This means Singapore DL is valid in most states including Texas for up to one year, or within 90 days of becoming a Texas resident. This is called “Driving Privilege Reciprocity” details can be found here:

https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/drive ... eciprocity

However, Texas only has “Driving Issuance Reciprocity” with France, Germany, South Korea, and Taiwan (oddly enough). So both a Singapore and Australia DL won’t convert without taking the required tests. And you might want to do this anyway, because conversion involves surrendering your foreign license.

As for REAL ID, a passport is a valid REAL ID, as is a passport card (this can be requested when renewing a U.S. passport, which I have done). The nice thing about a passport card is it a valid government issued REAL ID, but unlike a DL it does not have a residential address on it (better privacy).
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows - Epictetus

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Re: Converted DL and then let it expire

Post by PNGMK » Tue, 30 Jan 2024 9:52 am

I understand Mal. The problem is states like NC enforced the RealID rules on drivers licences which makes them hard to get. A lot of original paperwork, car insurance, proof if residence etc needed and maybe a test? We went to the DMV in NC a few years ago to try to convert her expired TX licence and predictably my wife was missing one of the many items needed because she "didn't think I'd need it" and left it behind in Singapore. I've rub out of patience on it.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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