Driving Licence updates in the news again.

Iceweasel

More changes coming next year when the paper counterpart bit is phased out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20968886

What will the folks with the even older paper-only ones do?

bsms1147

Article is from nearly two years ago so nothing new.

From the Telegraph and a bit more recent;

But what does this mean for the 46 million motorists in Britain, particularly for those who only have the paper component of the licence?

The DVLA says you do not need to take any action. The paper licence will continue to be valid - at least until it needs to renewed.

"Those who have an old style paper driving licence issued before the photocard was introduced in 1998, this change won't affect you, and you should keep your licence.

"The next time you need to update your name, address or renew your licence, you will be issued with a photocard only."

agrinnall

Yes, I saw it as an entry in the BBC Most Popular list but spotted that it was an old story. I've complained before to them that they should display the date in the list, and I did see one example where they tried something to warn people of out of date stories, but that seems to have disappeared.

Mind you, I tried to get something similar done here but that didn't work either.

Oblivion

Yes, and a lot of the comments in the BBC's Have Your Say section are only adding to the confusion yet again. I have an old paper licence which does not expire until 2019 when I am 70 and I have no intention of getting a photo licence before then.

AdrianC

I guess it's because this article's popped up, but this discussion seems to be going on in several places at the moment. Somebody's said there's an authoritative 2033 date for old paper licences becoming invalid - by which time, they'll almost all have been phased out, since anybody who's had any kind of replacement licence from DVLA since 1998 will have a photocard. So that'll be people between 52 and 69, who've not moved in 35 years, and who've managed to keep the piece of paper immaculate...

Iceweasel

This helps to clarify the situation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes

Aretnap

AdrianC wrote: »

I guess it's because this article's popped up, but this discussion seems to be going on in several places at the moment. Somebody's said there's an authoritative 2033 date for old paper licences becoming invalid - by which time, they'll almost all have been phased out, since anybody who's had any kind of replacement licence from DVLA since 1998 will have a photocard. So that'll be people between 52 and 69, who've not moved in 35 years, and who've managed to keep the piece of paper immaculate...

An EU directive mandates that all licences must be in the form of a photocard by 2033, so that's the last date by which the government can withdraw the remaining paper licences. There's legislation on the statute books which allows them to be recalled at any time, but the DfT have said that there are no current plans to implement it. Still, a lot can change before 2033 so it's quite possible that paper licences will get the chop sooner than that - perhaps whenever the number of them has dwindled to the point where (a) the DVLA will be able to cope with the task of replacing them all in a short period and (b) the political fallout will be minimal as there won't be many paper licence holders left to complain about it.

molerat

I have had my paper licence since 1990 and it expires in 2024. I need to wear white cotton gloves to remove it from its protective case

corbyboy

As somebody who is relatively young so only knows of the card licence, can anybody tell me why many older people are so absolutely hysterical about the idea that somebody might tell them they have to give up their paper-only licence? I have never known a piece of paper that so many people are willing to fight to the death for to protect.

Iceweasel

I would hazard a guess that it possibly/probably has something to do with the fact that it has a photo on it.

Some folks hate ID cards and see a Photocard Licence as an ID card by the back door.

Hanging on like grim death to a scrap of worn paper creates no end of bother with foreign police and car-hire.

The categories on the old-style licence are not easily understood and do not equate to most other European countries.

The latest Groups on our card licence are exactly the same as the other EU countries - that may be a part of the reason for some folks not wanting one of course.

jimjames

corbyboy wrote: »

As somebody who is relatively young so only knows of the card licence, can anybody tell me why many older people are so absolutely hysterical about the idea that somebody might tell them they have to give up their paper-only licence? I have never known a piece of paper that so many people are willing to fight to the death for to protect.

Maybe the cost? If you'd taken a photocard in 1998 you'd already have had to renew it once with another renewal in 2018. With paper only you'd have a lot more pounds still in your pocket.