ALANSUE Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 FROM BBC: Motorists going abroad after 8 June are being warned they may need to take a special code with them if they want to hire a car. From that date the paper counterpart of British driving licences - which records endorsements and fines - is being computerised. Anyone wanting to hire a car abroad could need a code to show convictions for offences like speeding. To obtain it, motorists will have to log on to the DVLA website beforehand. But the code is only valid for 72 hours, so anyone wanting to hire a car more than three days into their trip may need to generate a new code while they are abroad. For those who do not have internet access, a phone number will also be made available. However, the code is not an official requirement and it will depend on the individual hire company's terms whether or not it is required. The RAC said many drivers were unaware of the changes. "Our research shows that with just over a month to go before the paper counterpart to the photo-card licence disappears, 55% of drivers are not aware of the planned change," said RAC spokesman Simon Williams. 'Belt and braces' The DVLA recommends destroying paper counterparts after 8 June. However the AA is advising people to hang on to the document, in case some hire companies are unaware of the new arrangements. "Not all car rental companies, or indeed traffic police abroad, will be aware of the changes, so a 'belt and braces' approach of also taking the counterpart might help," said AA president Edmund King. But the AA also said that hiring a car abroad without a paper counterpart is not always a problem. Just as some car hire companies do not currently ask for a counterpart, not all will ask for a code after 8 June. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) said the situation still was not clear. "Due to the short notice provided by the DVLA and the need to thoroughly test the new system, many car rental companies are still finalising their plans for the UK and abroad," said a BVRLA spokesperson. The old-style paper licences, issued before the photo card was introduced in 1998, will remain valid, but holders will still need a code to fully validate them. To view a record of their convictions, motorists can log on to the View My Driving licence page of the government website. They will need their driving licence number, their national insurance number and their postcode. The changes do not apply to driving licences issued by the DVA in Northern Ireland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 My OH renewed his licence earlier this year (over 70) He was issued with a new paper licence, so would assume this should be OK? Going away next week, so may perhaps hire a car in Spain, will be interesting to find out. We will still be there in June! PJay PS forgot to say , this was published in the Mail!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Your paper counterparts are not going to mysteriously disintigrate at midnight so why all the panic. Foreign car rental companies don't listen to or operate under the guidance of the British rental watchdog or whatever they're called and most never even ask for the paper counterpart in my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks1061 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Not clear to me why this is going to be a problem for anyone, I don´t know of anywhere else in Europe who uses a paper part of a license, they all use credit card sized licenses, I´ve hired all over europe using my Finnish license, it has no details of any endorcements or points on it and never needed to produce anything other than my license even when renting in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Hi I`ve Hired all over Europe and the USA. So far I have NEVER been asked for the paper part. I once produced it in Spain and was told "not necessary". I`ve even hired with my Texas Licence!!! (I had left the UK in the Hotel and it meant going back for it!!) Suggestion, IF you still have the paper part. carry it?. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 In the UK I've had to produce paper part for truck hire, nobody abroad seems to worry about it I hope this doesn't change things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Probably the most absurd piece of legislation I have ever heard of. I would expect that most rental companies; even in the UK will ignore it completely. You would be advised to carry your NI number with you so that if necessary you can log into the DVLA website and call up your online driving convictions record and show it to the rental firm. Why they need to make it complicated I have no idea! Nick A few years ago i was on holiday in Cyprus. There was a car hire desk in the hotel and i fancied hiring a jeep for a few days. I did not have my licence with me. No problem. Filled out the forms and made a number up. They didn't care! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I expect the habit of checking the paper part of the licence arose because the paper part became available as a way of checking for endorsements but I expect that insurers will stop bothering once they get used to the disappearance. Do car rental companies actually charge extra or refuse hire if drivers have too many points? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Generally they charge extra for absolutely whatever they can. Cynic? Me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 And the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Sounds as effective as the French breathalyser law. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellyro Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Something else to note that some rental firms are charging the excess to your credit card rather than a pre- authorisation. Just returned from Malaga and noted that 1200 euros had been charged to my account and of course was also charged for a currency conversion £27. Excess was refunded a couple of days after the rental was complete. This could cause some issues if you are not aware and extra costs for the rental and transaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 donna miller - 2015-04-30 6:17 PM Your paper counterparts are not going to mysteriously disintigrate at midnight so why all the panic. Foreign car rental companies don't listen to or operate under the guidance of the British rental watchdog or whatever they're called and most never even ask for the paper counterpart in my experience. There is a good reason for that (bib).......authorities in all european countries haven't a clue what the hell that paper counterpart is about. The ONLY licence they want to see is a photo id card. I take my counterpart with me in the van, but have never been asked for it. I've been asked what it is and Police/Border controls give me a strange look when i tell them. Who can blame them? :D :D Sparks1061 - 2015-04-30 7:42 PM Not clear to me why this is going to be a problem for anyone, I don´t know of anywhere else in Europe who uses a paper part of a license, they all use credit card sized licenses, I´ve hired all over europe using my Finnish license, it has no details of any endorcements or points on it and never needed to produce anything other than my license even when renting in the UK. BIB.....we are UK though and we are all a bit strange here! We do very odd things! You wouldn't believe the fuss when photo id licences were first introduced here. Most people thought that would be the end of the paper counterpart but Nooooooo......we had to keep it!! So effectively we had two driving licences (i told you we are a bit odd!) The other thing many folk got caught out on was the photo on the id card style licence has to be renewed every 10 years....at a cost of £20.....which made it a "nice little earner" for UK Government! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markh1 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Just renewed mine, it's only £14 not £20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 markh1 - 2015-05-02 8:26 AM Just renewed mine, it's only £14 not £20 Wow......a mind blowing six quid drop! I wonder when that got reduced? Probably another pre-election 'sweetener'! *-) Of course the 'old' licence was 'free for life'.......until Government realised they could introduce yet another stealth tax with photo id licences! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Bulletguy - 2015-05-02 6:12 PM markh1 - 2015-05-02 8:26 AM Just renewed mine, it's only £14 not £20 Wow......a mind blowing six quid drop! I wonder when that got reduced? Probably another pre-election 'sweetener'! *-) Of course the 'old' licence was 'free for life'.......until Government realised they could introduce yet another stealth tax with photo id licences! AND that the over 70`s in general are a licence to print money!! (Higher rates for everything/anything you can name!!!!) Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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