Car hire and British Driving Licence

Lanark Lass · Post by **Lanark Lass** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 11:36

From June 8th the paper part of a British Driving licence becomes obsolete so holders wishing to hire a car abroad will have to apply for a passcode before hire. This code is only valid for 72 hours.Could this affect you or your guests?[/b]

neil mitchell · Post by **neil mitchell** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 13:35

You know there is a government office someplace in England (I think it is in Wandsworth). It employs over 200 civil servants and its sole function is to think of ways of making things difficult for everyone. This is a classic, seemingly innoccous, but will ruin the holidays of thousands of UK citizens, they must be twitching with gleeful anticipation.

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 14:46

Does anyone know the situation for Brits hiring in UK with UK licence

Helen · Post by **Helen** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 16:14

The only time I've ever been asked for the paper part of the licence was when hiring within the UK - in France and in Spain, it's never been asked for, as far as I can recall.

Colin L · Post by **Colin L** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 20:58

Lanark Lass wrote:From June 8th the paper part of a British Driving licence becomes obsolete so holders wishing to hire a car abroad will have to apply for a passcode before hire. This code is only valid for 72 hours.Could this affect you or your guests?[/b]

Apply to whom?

Helen · Post by **Helen** » Tue 28 Apr 2015 21:45

The DVLA!

More info here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trave ... anges.html

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Wed 29 Apr 2015 09:27

What if you do not have a computer and have no idea how to operate one? What if the computer has crashed at home and you have no access to internet facilities. What if the car hire system has crashed on the day you arrive or come to that the DVLA system.

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Wed 29 Apr 2015 09:30

What about Brits living abroad do they have to get a code when returning to UK and hiring a car. Many problems ahead

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Wed 29 Apr 2015 10:41

I read on the DVLA site that the old paper-only licence which has a record of penalty points will still be valid. This is what I still have (excluding penalty points of course). So presumably I can hire a car as always.

However, one day I will want to exchange my UK licence for a French one, and for that I need a UK photo-card licence, or so I read on gouv.fr so unless anyone knows different, I must sooner or later apply for a UK photo-card licence (and perhaps also hang on to my old paper one)

Hopefully by then DVLA will have sorted themselves out

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Wed 29 Apr 2015 11:14

If you have the old original paper licence Sue and no Card ID then yes it is still valid. It is people like me who have the card ID + paper licence that are affected. They are doing away with our paper licence leaving just the Card ID. All our points (if any) will then be stored on a computer hence the need for a code when hiring a car.

Lanark Lass · Post by **Lanark Lass** » Wed 29 Apr 2015 17:49

Even with an old paper licence a code from the DVLA is required. This is because any penalty points incurred in fuure will not be recorded on the old licence document - only the computer database will be updated. So....anyone looking att your paper licence will not know whether you have any more points o your name.

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