Driving licence changes
On 8th of June 2015 the DVLA abolished the paper counterpart of the UK driving licence. Clearly this matter concerns every driver in the UK.

DVLA website struggles with new rules on hiring a car
As a result of the abolition of the paper counterpart, all evidence of driving licence information, including endorsements and convictions, will now only be held online. Motorists are being asked to log on to the DVLA website, and obtain a code, which they may be asked for when they go to hire a car, either in the UK or abroad. However, the code is only valid for three days, raising the possibility that those going on holiday may have to find internet access.

A BBC report said a number of customers complained to the BBC that they had been unable to access parts of the GOV.UK website on Monday 8th June 2015. One car hire firm in Bristol said it had a queue of 20 people waiting, as staff struggled to access their details online. "The DVLA system has fallen over a dozen times this morning," said Richard Stock from U-drive. "Another operator nearby had a queue of customers out of the door."

The DVLA told the BBC that there had been "exceptionally high demand" on its website, and it was urgently investigating the issue. The car hire industry has accused the DVLA of bringing in the system too quickly. "The project's being rushed through. It's not brilliant," said Gerry Keaney, the chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).

The RAC has previously warned that many people were unaware of the new rules. A more recent survey by the website money.co.uk suggested that 73% of drivers didn't know they had to produce a code when hiring a car. And the AA has advised motorists to take their paper counterpart with them, even though it is no longer valid. But the DVLA denied that using the system is complicated. "It's very easy to view and share your driving record. Just go to gov.uk and search for 'view driving licence'," said Oliver Morley, the DVLA's chief executive. 150608
See the BBC report

Posted: 150609
From 8th June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by DVLA. The counterpart was introduced to display driving licence details that could not be included on the photocard. These details include some vehicle categories you are entitled to drive and any endorsement/penalty points. From 8th June 2015 new penalty points (endorsements) will only be recorded electronically by the DVLA, and will not be printed or written on either photocard licences or on paper driving licences. From this date, if you commit a motoring offence you will still have to pay any applicable fine and submit your licence to the court but the way the court deals with the paperwork will change. The electronic DVLA record for your driving licence will be updated. As a result of the
abolition of the paper counterpart, from 8th June 2015 all evidence of driving licence information, including endorsements and convictions, will now only be held online.

Drivers in the UK currently have one of two forms of driving licence:
> Photo card licence
If you have a photo card licence then at present you will have a paper counterpart with information on any current driving endorsements and driving entitlements. From 8th June this information will be kept on the DVLA’s database and with internet access you will allow you to view your driving licence information. You will be able to print off a copy. However for most pruposes that information will only remains valid for up to 72 hours so any paper version (much like a counterpart) will not be acceptable evidence of your driving licence information after this period.

> Paper licence
If you have a paper licence then nothing will change. It will remain legal until you send the paper licence back to the DVLA if you require changes to be made, in which case you’ll need to replace the paper licence with a photo card licence.

When might you need to produce current driving licence information?
If you should need to present this information to a third party, for example your car insurers may need to have proof of your driving licence and evidence of any driving endorsements or you may need to hire a car, then you will need to provide your current driving licence information. To access the information you will, as a driving licence holder, have to access the DVLA's new online service.


How do I access the DVLA's online driving licence information service?
You will simply login to the DVLA’s current service which will include a “share your licence information” option. You will be able to view you information and if you require a copy for a third party you can then generate a one-time use access code so that your (as the licence holder) may then pass the code to your insurer or car hire company as the case may be. The insurer or car hire staff can then view any relevant information regarding your driving licence.

To view your driving licence information you have to visit the "View your driving licence information" section of the GOV.UK website and enter your driving licence number, your UK National Insurance number and your postcode. The result of a search is alongside. The report has four options in the bar above the information panel:

> Your details - this is the initial information page shown alongside.

> Vehicles you can drive - this shows the categories you can drive, for example C and D.

> Penalties and disqualifications - those that are current are shown, it seems expired details are not shown whereas they do remain on the paper versions of the licence.

> Share your licence information - this is where you create an access code which will be valid for 72 hours and can be given to a third party so they can check your licence information.
You can print off copies of each of those reports: your details, the vehicle categories you can drive and penalties and disqualifications although technically they only remain valid for 72 hours they are a useful record nonetheless.