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

powwaslave666

Will this affect driving in the USA (abroad)

vekma

why is everything is this country pertaining to motoring made as complicated as possible. ?

eDicky

vekma wrote: »

why is everything is this country pertaining to motoring made as complicated as possible. ?

Why indeed! A driving licence is supposed to be proof that the holder is legally entitled to drive. In any other country a driver has to surrender his licence when disqualified, but in the UK this does not always happen. The disqualification is only recorded on the famous paper counterpart, which is now to be superseded by an electronic system. Hence the need for this ridiculous procedure to prove UK licence validity to car hire companies.

So the specific question is - why are disqualified UK drivers allowed to retain possession of their licence, so that a UK driving licence on its own is not proof of legal driving entitlement..?

nzseries1

What a lot of bo!!ocks.
That's all I have to say about that.

xHannahx

Those saying that hire company's may not have Internet, or able to access websites.
The code will be useless to them, as they have to input it to a DVLA website specifically for hire companies to check the details.

The only time I've ever shown my paper bit was to an English man working a car hire desk in Tenerife. When dealt with "locals" working the desks, they have only ever looked at the photocard. A Greek chap even turned round and asked me "what's this"

eDicky

nzseries1 wrote: »

What a lot of bo!!ocks.
That's all I have to say about that.

If you refer to my post, I would welcome anyone's constructive correction. All disqualified UK drivers do have their licence confiscated? Some other country has a paper counterpart system? A different reason behind the need for the DVLA code?

theloft

Is the DVLA going to be open 24 hrs.per day/365 days per year? It almost certainly will have to be an automatic system and who is going to pay for that? Surely not the already highly taxed motorist!

Boltonlass

eDicky wrote: »

If you refer to my post, I would welcome anyone's constructive correction. All disqualified UK drivers do have their licence confiscated? Some other country has a paper counterpart system? A different reason behind the need for the DVLA code?

I may be wrong but I read it as the code system is a load of b********, not your post!

EssexExile

eDicky wrote: »

In any other country a driver has to surrender his licence when disqualified, but in the UK this does not always happen.

For very short bans the licence isn't taken but for anything more than a few weeks it is normal to ask the driver to hand their licence to the court. It is also fairly normal for him to claim he can't find it & only a little less normal for him not even to turn up at court to be banned, despite being asked very nicely.

The old paper part that is being discontinued was about as much use as a chocolate teapot for similar reasons, there was no way of knowing if it was up to date.

Having said all that I always take my paper part away with me & have never had to show it.

Gmac11

Can anyone confirm that this is not required if your Driving License was issued in Northern Ireland - from what I gather this is the case but just wanted to double check.