Changes To Driving Licence

[SandyCat]

From January 2015 the paper part of the driving licence will officially disappear as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) continues its aim to digitise motorists' records.

Last October, the Department for Transport launched a review into how to make the DVLA "deliver better services and save money for the taxpayer".

Stephen Hammond, roads minister, concluded in a report that one of the main reforms would be to "remove the driving licence paper counterpart."

But what does this mean for the 46 million motorists in Britain, particularly for those who only have the paper component of the licence?

The DVLA says you do not need to take any action. The paper licence will continue to be valid - at least until it needs to renewed.

"Those who have an old style paper driving licence issued before the photocard was introduced in 1998, this change won't affect you, and you should keep your licence.

"The next time you need to update your name, address or renew your licence, you will be issued with a photocard only."

Those who have the photocard should continue using it, remembering to renew it when necessary ( gov.uk/renew-driving-licence ). Motorists could face a £1,000 fine if they are caught with an invalid licence.

The DVLA confirmed that there would be no charge for changing an old style paper licence to a photocard licence with a change of details.

However, once the motorist has the photocard licence, they will have to pay £20 each time it is renewed (every 10 years). Paper licences do not need to be renewed.

Anyone over the age of 70 will need to renew their licence every three years, updating it with any medical conditions. "If a driver updated their licence with a change of address, name or notified a medical conditions then the updated licence issued will be a photocard licence," the DVLA said.

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My advice to anyone who gets points on their licence is to keep a separate record of the date of offence, date of conviction, points and fine.

You will need these for insurance purposes but may not be able to access the information when needed.

Eventually, insurers will be able to access the DVLA through your licence number in real time but this may not progress fast enough with all insurers so having the information in advance could help.

[Fusion_Driver72]

maybe the UK government goes to far "digitizing" everything ?

And If the police stops you, how can you show them your "non-existing" driving license ?

I have a Dutch creditcard-format driving license, and I carry it in my wallet, very handy.

In Holland it can also be used for identification purposes.

In Holland we have to pay EUR 38,00 for the renewal of a driving license, which is valid for 10 years.

[bensambrook]

So its the paper counterpart to the card that is being phased out?

[SandyCat]

The traffic police are wired into central computer databases over here. They no longer rely on paper documents. They carry finger print devices and check everything against central computers. This is great when it works but they often still have to make phone calls to verify stuff.

Ben....yes.

[SeanW]

maybe the UK government goes to far "digitizing" everything ?

And If the police stops you, how can you show them your "non-existing" driving license ?

I have a Dutch creditcard-format driving license, and I carry it in my wallet, very handy.

In Holland it can also be used for identification purposes.

In Holland we have to pay EUR 38,00 for the renewal of a driving license, which is valid for 10 years.

Same here - except we (currently) have a paper document to accompany it. This part is being phased out - leaving us with just the credit card sized plastic card

[Brycie]

It's a good thing IMHO, one less thing to lose. Tax discs are on their way out at the end of the month due to ANPR cameras being able to catch people more comprehensively than the Police are able to (with funding cuts reducing the number of Police cars on the roads).

I reckon the whole thing will end up digital in the end, with your licence being carried digitally in your phone. Just like airport check-in documents can now be carried on your phone.

[mixmasterlooney]

It's a good thing, they should put some time and money into weeding out the rip off insurance companies too

[Brycie]

With more ANPR cameras around, you'd think that more untaxed cars would be caught & therefore more difficult for people to get away with driving untaxed/uninsured drivers to get away with it, having a knock on effect to insurance premiums.

Ideally when an untaxed car is spotted by an ANPR camera, an automatic alert would be sent to a local squad car to give them the chance of catching them, in case it's a stolen car. That's no use if there aren't enough blues & twos to cover the area though.

[mixmasterlooney]

That's a good point, the other point is that ANPR doesn't spot the difference with a swapped number plate like an actual cop doing a number plate check would do. It's an improvement but I don't think the average Joe will see or gain any real benefits from it since drivers licence still need to be renewed and that cost money

[Philf1]

Because getting a letter saying an ANPR spotted you driving without tax is going to make pay up all of a sudden. I don't think so not even with a fine. All they will do is not register the car to themselves in the first place.

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[Brycie]

At some point, the fine for driving an untaxed car will be followed up, resulting in a trip to the local Magistrates Court & possible loss of licence, or at least points & a fine. So I believe it will be a deterrent.

As mixmasterlooney says though, ANPR systems won't be able to use common sense in seeing that a plate registered to a Jag XF is showing up on a Subaru for instance - which is why we need more patrol cars. Or if the car is stolen, it doesn't matter how many fines drop through the letterbox of the legal owner, it ain't going to help catch the driver - which is why automatic alerts have to go straight to a local squad car, to try to catch them in the act of driving the stolen car.

I do agree in a way Philf1, but it's a step in the right direction to have more ANPR.

On a slight tangent (sorry for going off topic), do you guys flash oncoming motorists to tell them a camera van is ahead? I used to consider doing it, until it was pointed out to me that I may be helping people who were driving untaxed/insured cars to get away with it.

[SeanW]

There is/was talk of introducing RFID tags to plates - can't remember what program it was on - but I think it was VAG who were pushing forward with the R and D

[Stoney871]

On a slight tangent (sorry for going off topic), do you guys flash oncoming motorists to tell them a camera van is ahead? I used to consider doing it, until it was pointed out to me that I may be helping people who were driving untaxed/insured cars to get away with it.

Police take a very dim view of that as it's seen as abetting.

All good decent law abiding drivers should be supportive of speed traps as they help to keep roads safer, punish dangerous drivers and help reduce the insurance premiums of drivers that get hit by speed demons.

Contrary to popular belief we don't fund our christmas booze-up with the fines, apart from running costs your local Safer Roads Partnership get the lions share to pay for courses, signs, literature, and such like.

[Brycie]

There is/was talk of introducing RFID tags to plates - can't remember what program it was on - but I think it was VAG who were pushing forward with the R and D

Great idea. Another step towards making it harder for them to get away with it. I know there'll be ways around it & the thieves will just get smarter, but at least it's a move in the right direction.

Police take a very dim view of that as it's seen as abetting.

All good decent law abiding drivers should be supportive of speed traps as they help to keep roads safer, punish dangerous drivers and help reduce the insurance premiums of drivers that get hit by speed demons.

Contrary to popular belief we don't fund our christmas booze-up with the fines, apart from running costs your local Safer Roads Partnership get the lions share to pay for courses, signs, literature, and such like.

On one of my speed awareness courses the instructor asked how many of us had been caught going downhill & I'd estimate at least 80% of us put our hands up. For me, I'd just let the speed creep over 30 & hadn't reined it in quick enough. No school, houses or even businesses in the area. The trap was there as a result of the locals requesting something be done about people speeding through the village - so you'd have thought they'd have sat IN the village near the houses & school. But no, they went slightly outside of the village where they could catch people leaving, as it's down a hill & more people will be caught.

My point though was actually to encourage people not to flash, because they're helping drivers who aren't taxed & insured to get away with it.

[Stoney871]

My point though was actually to encourage people not to flash, because they're helping drivers who aren't taxed & insured to get away with it.

Totally agree, If someone deserves to be caught then leave them to their fate.

[Philf1]

I agree totally that if you don't pay your dues and speed (I never, honest officer!) or other offences you should face the full force of the law, after all if I can pay so can they. I just think the ones that don't pay will get around it I suspect a sudden increase in anti-flash spray off eBay is occurring as we speak. Some folks just don't want to pay and will fail to register cars to themselves as well.

As for flashing others I actually thought it was an offence and if caught you would be prosecuted for aid and abetting.

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[Stoney871]

Police take a very dim view of that as it's seen as abetting.

Ahem :p

[Brycie]

I remember seeing recently on one of those Police Interceptors/Polica Camera Action type programmes, a guy waiting to fill up a a petrol station. Police car pulls into same garage to full up & one of the officers just happened to noticed that this guy's reg plate looked funny in one of their cameras. It was because it was sprayed with that stuff. If he hadn't tried to be sneaky & spray it, the Police wouldn't have taken a blind bit of notice to him. Made me chuckle.

[Philf1]

Ahem :p

Note to self: remember what was said earlier in the thread before replying!

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[Philf1]

I remember seeing recently on one of those Police Interceptors/Polica Camera Action type programmes, a guy waiting to fill up a a petrol station. Police car pulls into same garage to full up & one of the officers just happened to noticed that this guy's reg plate looked funny in one of their cameras. It was because it was sprayed with that stuff. If he hadn't tried to be sneaky & spray it, the Police wouldn't have taken a blind bit of notice to him. Made me chuckle.

What else did they get him for?

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[Brycie]

What else did they get him for?

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Iirc the only thing he'd done wrong was disguise his plate with this stuff. Everything else checked out. That's what made me laugh, the thing he bought specifically to get him out of trouble (with speed cameras presumably) is the one thing that got him in trouble.