When the paper component of the the UK Driving Licence was made obsolete back in the middle of 2015 there was, shall we say, a fair amount of confusion when it came to hiring a car with the paperless driving licence and driving abroad.
We’d have hoped by now that procedures and policies would have been standardised but with a little bit of research (that is, investigating the help sections in car hire firms websites) it seems that there’s still a way to go. It’s widely accepted that the DVLA didn’t exactly communicate what was going on when they stopped issuing the paper part of the UK driving licence and if you still have a paper licence issued before 1988 that’s still valid – but if you have the photocard and the paper component, the recommendation by the DVLA is that you destroy the paper part.
However, if you’re hiring a car from some companies and read the small print on their websites, along with other documents that prove who you are (these vary from company to company, check what yours says), you’re required to take the paper part when you hire a car. Either they haven’t updated their website (shame on them…!) or you do still need both sections.
So what should you do if you need to check your license or want to hire a car/drive abroad with just your photocard?
Firstly you need to visit the DVLA website and their View or Share your Licence. From there you’ll be able to generate a ‘check code’ to share with whoever needs it – a car hire company or to take abroad with you if you’re going away. The code is valid for 21 days and you’ll need your Driving Licence number, the postcode on your Driving Licence and your National Insurance number.
So if you’re planning a trip away or need to hire a car, make sure you both generate the code and, if you’ve still got it, take the paper part of your licence with you when you prove your identity – it might just make things a whole lot easier.