UK Drivers Licence conversion

[daveba]

Oh, and UK is scrapping the "paper counterpart" start of 2015. Tax disks got scrapped already. There was some talk of the DVLA being able to handle foreign addressess... Apparently the old hamster retired and the new one has a bigger wheel.

Yes noticed the tax disc change on the last visit. Didn't know about the paper counterpart. I guess the foreign address thing hasn't been picked up yet.

[Rosamunda]

Thanks for that information. That is really good news. I need to do that too.
Thanks for thinking to post on here

Hey no problem, your posts have always been helpful.

Just ordered my Certificate of Entitlement from the DVLA. Rang them this morning (I'm in the UK this week) and they are posting it to my home address in Finland. Then I'll head back to the poliisi in Espoo to attempt a new swap.
Price is still £5.

[keirfin]

Article 13 confirms that your paper licenses are still valid:

2. Any entitlement to drive granted before 19 January 2013 shall not be removed or in any way qualified by the provisions of this Directive.

[riku2]

Oh, and UK is scrapping the "paper counterpart" start of 2015. ... There was some talk of the DVLA being able to handle foreign addressess...

The UK paper counterpart finally finished this week, and car rental counters in the UK were plunged into chaos since many were using the paper counterpart to check if the person renting had convictions or even banned from driving. Now in the UK you supposedly have to get a code (valid for 3 days) from the DVLA which lets the car rental company access your details online and check that way. Quite why the code is needed is not clear (data security concerns probably).
I haven't shown my paper counterpart in the UK for years though when renting cars and most of the time don't even show the photocard licence (being registered already with Avis and Hetz in their frequent renter programmes).

Foreign addresses: I didn't hear anything about that. Supposedly your licence is valid in other EU countries but you cannot update the address to be a foreign address and the address should show your place of residence (so in a way the licence is not valid if you move abroad ... not that other countries seem to care about that point).

[rayoflight]

Oh, and UK is scrapping the "paper counterpart" start of 2015. ... There was some talk of the DVLA being able to handle foreign addressess...

The UK paper counterpart finally finished this week, and car rental counters in the UK were plunged into chaos since many were using the paper counterpart to check if the person renting had convictions or even banned from driving. Now in the UK you supposedly have to get a code (valid for 3 days) from the DVLA which lets the car rental company access your details online and check that way. Quite why the code is needed is not clear (data security concerns probably).
I haven't shown my paper counterpart in the UK for years though when renting cars and most of the time don't even show the photocard licence (being registered already with Avis and Hetz in their frequent renter programmes).

Foreign addresses: I didn't hear anything about that. Supposedly your licence is valid in other EU countries but you cannot update the address to be a foreign address and the address should show your place of residence (so in a way the licence is not valid if you move abroad ... not that other countries seem to care about that point).

No I guess the licence is still valid. The DVLA guy I called to get my certificate assured that even with expired photocard it is a valid licence, just that you can't renew it if you live abroad. Very strange arrangement.

[Querfeldein]

Foreign addresses: I didn't hear anything about that. Supposedly your licence is valid in other EU countries but you cannot update the address to be a foreign address and the address should show your place of residence (so in a way the licence is not valid if you move abroad

That is untrue. Your license remains valid until it expires. The residency criterion only applies at the time the license is issued or renewed. The rule that you cannot get a replacement (not even a like-for-like replacement up to the original expiry date) without residency is frankly bizarre, but it's the law:

"A replacement for a driving licence which has, for example, been lost or stolen may only be obtained from the competent authorities of the Member State in which the holder has his normal residence [...]"

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ ... 32006L0126

[riku2]

That is untrue. Your license remains valid until it expires. The residency criterion only applies at the time the license is issued or renewed.

well at least in the UK they are warning about a 1000 pound fine if you have an incorrect address on your photocard driving licence

http://www.yourmoney.com/insurance/mill ... g-license/

Millions of drivers have an old name or address on their driving licence, and while this won’t affect their car insurance cover, having incorrect information on their licence puts them at risk of a large fine if their licence is ever checked by the police. We urge motorists to ensure their licence information is up to date and that their licence is current