Driving Licences

[Guest peter2b2002]

just seen paper licences will no longer be valid next month as the dvla is stopping sending them out

peter2b

[Guest Howtightpet]

And don't forget if you want to hire a car abroad you need to ask dvla for a code and it only lasts 3 days

Bloody stupid I hire cars abroad all the time mind that said have only once been asked for the paper side

[kevin the chicken]

My employer has insisted on seeing my licence to check for any points I might have. As I had lost my old one I applied for a new one, got it after about four days which I thought was good but no paper part so no list of convictions. Not that I have any. Nowadays you have to look online to see any bodies driving record. Just like I told them but nobody listens. You would think that a firm with as many drivers as royal mail would keep up to date with this sort of thing.

[Guest 2b cruising]

Just like the post.

S L. O. W

[Guest red7]

I'm just back from a trip to Majorca. Hired a car no bother at all last week. No request for stupid codes etc.

[Bob Tucker]

The Spanish economy is so bad, the

only code they look for is €

[Guest Tim Norman]

I still have the original old paper copy i got in 1982! And thats in 4 pieces and a lot of sticky tape. I might get round to sending it off for a new one soon, but I doubt it.

[Guest Gargoil]

If most of the UK are not aware of the changes, it's not going to be a priorty in Spain or any other country. If we are in Europe, why don't we have European driving licenses?

Emphasis on "if"..........

[alanh65]

What does EU mean ... England Undecided??

 

Any better definitions?

 

[cb750]

I understand that the paper copies the DVLA refer to are for the paper counterpart of the photo ID licences. The original old style (like mine) are still valid and must not be destroyed. Mine was issued in 1978 and replaced the red "booklet" style which I've still got some where! Problem is it expires in December 2015 and I have to apply again, I need to watch they don't remove the motorcycle category as this has apparently been happening - don't want to take my test again!

[theduck]

Make sure you take a copy of your current license before you return it for the new one.

[Guest Bazwaz]

 

 

Make sure you make a copy of your paper licence before sending it back. I didn't and my new one came back minus my bike category. Ended up having to retake my test which I previously passed in 1976!

I also know someone who got theirs back with full bike entitlement yet had never taken a test.

Baz

[kevin the chicken]

When I got my licence back after losing it through illness it had the reduced weight towing on it and no 7.5 ton entitlement or HGV. I knew the HGV was going to be lost for 10 years but nobody could explain why the other two things had gone. The only way I could get them back was to retake the tests which I refused to do, I was Ill for gods sake not inept. This hit us quite hard as we did a lot of towing, taking various tractors to shows and moving machinery around. Taking a second look at the licence showed the tractor entitlement was still on there with no restrictions so I went out and bought a four ton unimog which with an air braked trailer can tow twenty tons behind.

Even better as it says agricultural machine on the logbook it doesn't need an annual test and road tax is free.

Interestingly recently I heard that if you passed your HGV on a bin lorry or fire engine which had an automatic box you can now apply to have it upgraded to manual as we'll as DVLA now consider that if you drive a manual car you should be able to cope with manual lorry too, a couple of the drivers from our station have done this.