Dvla paperless licence car hire changes

richardw

Sounds like a recipe for chaos

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/apr/25/dvla-driving-licence-paperless-car-hire

SW17

Obviously well thought through...

On the other hand, I have rarely been asked for the paper counterpart in several years of hiring cars regularly. I'm sure it happens, but not very often to me. I have always carried it up to now, just in case.

This is also the first I have heard of the abolition of the paper counterpart. A good idea, but seems to have pitiful execution and communication.

Moto2

There's another thread over on the motoring board

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5224663

peachyprice

General consensus seems to be that it's a storm in a teacup.

brewerdave

peachyprice wrote: »

General consensus seems to be that it's a storm in a teacup.

...not sure I agree - last time we were in Greece we hired a car for a few days from a small local firm-and they definitely insisted on seeing the paper counterpart -very much doubt whether a) they will have heard of this change b) will accept a "one time code"and c) will be willing to phone a UK premium rate number to check anyway - result will be either no hire or , more likely, a huge jump in the hire fee to cover themselves!:eek:

Further, in reply to post #2 -I hired a car from Europcar earlier in the year , actually had forgotten the paper counterpart, so had to produce before they actually released the car.

peachyprice

brewerdave wrote: »

...not sure I agree - last time we were in Greece we hired a car for a few days from a small local firm-and they definitely insisted on seeing the paper counterpart -very much doubt whether a) they will have heard of this change b) will accept a "one time code"and c) will be willing to phone a UK premium rate number to check anyway - result will be either no hire or , more likely, a huge jump in the hire fee to cover themselves!:eek:

Further, in reply to post #2 -I hired a car from Europcar earlier in the year , actually had forgotten the paper counterpart, so had to produce before they actually released the car.

Firstly, there is no premium rate number, the author of the original thread added that in error, no doubt for dramatic effect.

Secondly, car hire companies will have been told in advance of the new procedures and will rather implement them than turn customers away. But if you think you might be in a position where you'll be hiring a car in an out of the way place, just take your paper licence along. No biggie really.

Norman_Castle

Do licenses from other countries have a paper counterpart or online check?.

peachyprice

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Do licenses from other countries have a paper counterpart or online check?.

No. I wonder how on earth the car hire companies manage.

benjus

So car hire firms throughout the world are supposed to keep up to date with every country's process for handling endorsements? If a tourist turns up at a UK car hire firm with a Chinese driving licence does the car hire firm employee have to call up the Chinese equivalent of the DVLA and ask them in Mandarin if the customer has any endorsements? Or is he/she supposed to read the Chinese licence? (AFAIK the UK does not require the use of international driving permits)

Or do they just get bulletproof insurance cover that will allow anyone, with any kind of driving licence at all, to drive the cars?

I don't know how it works, but the former option sounds unlikely to me. I imagine that car hire firms abroad that deal a lot with British customers and are used to having counterparts might be a problem, but I can't see how it works in the more general case described above.

brewerdave

peachyprice wrote: »

Firstly, there is no premium rate number, the author of the original thread added that in error, no doubt for dramatic effect.

Secondly, car hire companies will have been told in advance of the new procedures and will rather implement them than turn customers away. But if you think you might be in a position where you'll be hiring a car in an out of the way place, just take your paper licence along. No biggie really.

I'm sure that the mainstream International hire companies are aware but anyone who has been on holiday to Spain,Greece,Portugal etc knows that every resort /village has a "Manos" or "Spiros" car hire place
I intend to keep my paper record anyway.
As an aside I had a look on Gov.UK website and I can't see any reference to a "one time code" ??

brewerdave

Even more confusion - this BBC article (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32481382)
SEEMS to suggest that people with the old style licences will have to get a one time code as well -and that it is only valid for 72 hours !! God knows what will happen if you are hiring a car in a 2nd week away.