UK Paper License

Robert,

Age 70 is for cars and motorbikes, not Lorries and Busses.

The offence is 'Driving otherwise than in accordance with a license' covering a range of rules to do with driving licenses and those that have been revolked.

The date for the counterpart to be discontinued is 8th June 2015 but no automated system has currently been developed for checking but a 'compliance' industry is springing up.

And yes, keep your license up to date and there are quite a few issues for people who do not have an establised base in a single country due to their lifestyle or work.

This thread has gone around a bit now and all very interesting but again highlights to me the mentality of many Brits abroad (I won’t go into this but could be a good subject for another thread)

The point on the original post was in relation to being charged by a hire car company to make a phone call to check the validity of a UK DL as he did not have the paper counterpart.

Bottom line is (until June anyway) the UK photo card DL consists of 2 parts and if you do not have both parts when hiring a car then you are in the wrong and NOT the hire company whether they charge you to check or not.Remember they do not have to check they coudl just simply refuse

If you think by being charged the hire company is ripping you off or taking advantage tough – always take both parts when you travel otherwise you are only taking half of a document and leaving yoruslef open to being ruppied off or even refused a car hire, if you have both parts then no prpbalem and the paper part is not exactly big or bulky -  simple really!

Right so you have the UK  plastic photo license with the green paper part, you go to rent a car with these two items, what does the rental person look at when they look at your license? The plastic bit or the paper bit or both.

I ask because I don't have these but the old style paper one, which when I hand this over folded up as it has always been, they don't even Un-fold it to check what looks like anything much at all, seems they give a quick glance at the front then give it back, sometimes even hardly looking at it at all, one girl didn't even bother to do that.

baz

what does it matter what they look at? if they are content that you have the right paper work then so what

If something is missing or wrong they may look closer

the old paper style is still valid on its own

the new style photocard has 2 parts (for now) without one of them you may be asked and they may check and you  may get charged if they make a phone call to check

individual hire car companies and individual assitants may do different things, many have had different experiences

my point is if you have ALL the correct paperwork be it old style paper licence or the 2 parts of the photcard licence you will not have a problem. I repeat it is not diffculty to carry 2 parts of the photocard licence and it is YOUR responsibility NOT the hire car companies to produce the relevant proof of your valid DL.

what does it matter what they look at? if they are content that you have the right paper work then so what

Doesn't matter to me one bit, I was curious because as I don't have this type and wont yet I wondered what bit they were really interested in, but I note all your comments even though they don't apply to me. Doesn't matter anymore.

In reply to the questions what does it matter what they look at will be answered if the person looking at it rejects it if they don't understand it.

The issue is going to be how are the hire companies going to check that the license has not been endorsed of they wish to do so. If the new systems involves a cost that will be passed on.

On one web site that I was looking at there was a suggestion from the DVLA that if you are travelling you should have  new format license, not an old paper license. Your choice.

Reminds me of stories about Sri Lankans when i was working out in Saudi. The driving license truncated their long names so they would get arrested as the license did not match the name on their residence permits.