July 21, 2021
Abby Nuttall
Driver Articles
In recent posts we’ve highlighted several changes for UK drivers taking their vehicles abroad, one of which was the need to carry insurance green cards for the vehicle and any trailer you’re taking with you. However, the UK has announced that this will no longer be required from the 2nd of August 2021.
A green card certificate is an internationally recognised document that shows law enforcement in other countries that you have valid motor insurance in place for a particular vehicle.
These certificates usually last for up to 90 days so if you are travelling in and out of the EU frequently then getting a certificate from your insurance provider repeatedly can become tiresome.
Previous advice had been that UK drivers would need a green card certificate to take their car abroad.
For the remainder of this month and the first day of August, the industry is continuing to use them in order to give border officials the time to familiarise themselves with the new rules around insurance and travelling.
We also expect rental companies to continue to use the documents until early August.
The waiving of green card insurance certificates for non-EU vehicles has been given by the European Commission with the aim of helping to reduce friction at the border in Ireland, where drivers will often travel between Northern Ireland and Ireland and a new Northern Ireland Protocol is being introduced.
With the pandemic we’re also seeing more drivers choosing to drive to a holiday destination within the UK and removing this barrier also allows drivers from Britain to travel across to Ireland for a break.
Just bookmark the Wessex Fleet News Homepage to keep up to date with the latest driving news.