MSE News: Warning: You need a DVLA code to hire a car in UK or abroad

agarnett

Prompted by this article, for the first time I have used the gov.uk site to check my drivers license.

I am slightly concerned that there are no warnings for those of us who have C1 on our licenses to tell us that since last October I think, we can't use C1 privileges to drive a vehicle over 3500kg for work for example unless we have satisfied the requirements of an EU style Certificate of Competence.

Basically it is just a week in a classroom I think, and then we get wait for it, wait for it! ... not a paper license but a second piece of plastic with our ugly mug on it I think that looks like a driver license photocard.

Can anyone clarify?

To bring my enquiry slightly back to the original topic, I recall once moving myself by hiring a largish Ford Cargo truck from Ryder Truck Rental - can I still do that without paying for a week in the classroom?

farci

Let's ask the question the other way round.

All EU licences have the same format, so do UK car hire companies have the facility to check out visitors to this country for endorsements?

No - I didn't think so. The system is additional bureaucracy and of no value

wacko911

What's wrong with a unique code printed on the photo card that anyone can them enter with your driving licence number and instantly be able to check for any convictions? This 72hr code is a load of nonsense.

Boltonlass

Imagine the logistics of being on holiday and deciding ad hoc to hire a car for the day? Firstly find an internet connection then keep your fingers crossed that the DVLA site doesn't go down; finally hope that the DVLA gets your code to you in time to hire the car.
There has got to be an easier way.
I am rather hoping that it will go the same way as the French idea about everyone carrying 2 breathalysers in their car, i.e that they have a re-think and decide it's all a bit silly and totally impractical.

agarnett

To be honest I have driven hire cars in Europe more than once a year and I think the only outfits who ever want to see the paper part of the licence are UK hire desks.

Anyone ever been turned down in Europe for showing the plastic but not the paper?

We Brits do so easily get caught up in our own bureaucracy, especially when it is our interpretation of EU directives

PS have the breathalysers in France been dropped ? I think I got mine on the ferry a coupla years ago (the analysers not the breath!).

theloft

Does anyone know what happens if you need to hire a car in an emergency or at short notice ? I can just imagine the DVLA website being overwhelmed at times unless the issue of these codes are automatic.

Boltonlass

agarnett wrote: »

To be honest I have driven hire cars in Europe more than once a year and I think the only outfits who ever want to see the paper part of the licence are UK hire desks.

Anyone ever been turned down in Europe for showing the plastic but not the paper?

We Brits do so easily get caught up in our own bureaucracy, especially when it is our interpretation of EU directives

PS have the breathalysers in France been dropped ? I think I got mine on the ferry a coupla years ago (the analysers not the breath!).

There are no fines in France for not carrying breathalysers and therefore no necessity to take them!
I must admit to having taken my paper licence with me abroad on numerous occasions and not once having had to produce it, very annoying.

brewerdave

Boltonlass wrote: »

Imagine the logistics of being on holiday and deciding ad hoc to hire a car for the day? Firstly find an internet connection then keep your fingers crossed that the DVLA site doesn't go down; finally hope that the DVLA gets your code to you in time to hire the car.

...and you have to be able to print the code off from what I can ascertain!!:)

crittertog

Boltonlass wrote: »

1. Shouldn't think there are many car hire firms without internet connection!

You might be surprised ... there are parts of the UK where it is not possible to get any kind of internet connection (i.e. no ADSL, 3G/4G, or fibre coverage). Plus, corporate networks are typically locked-down, so the company's IT department may need to explicitly allow access to the DVLA's site...

wacko911 wrote: »

What's wrong with a unique code printed on the photo card that anyone can them enter with your driving licence number and instantly be able to check for any convictions?

Because it grants time-limited access to your details for an appropriate period of time. If your suggestion were implemented and the clerk had nefarious purposes and were to keep this code, it would give them permanent access to your details (assuming the code didn't change every time you had your licence updated, they'd be able to see your new address, etc).

benjus

IMO a better system would be a code that lasts indefinitely but gives access to a snapshot of the details as they were when the code was generated.