Car hire without driving licence paper counterpart

The paper counterpart to the driving licence has recently been scrapped, but because it's the part that showed driving offences, car hire companies now check to see if you have penalty points by viewing online records stored by the DVLA. If you hire a car in Britain or abroad, you may need to give the hire company a code which allows them temporary access to these records.

How do I get the driving licence check code for a car hire company?

To see if you have endorsements on your licence, a car hire company needs your permission in the form of a code. To obtain the licence check code, visit www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk or call 0300 083 0013.

To get a licence check code, you will need your:

• National Insurance number (you can find this on your NI card, payslip, P60, benefits information or tax return)
• Driving licence number (section 5 of your driving licence photocard)
• Postcode

The code remain active for 72 hours. In other words, if you are hiring a car abroad do not request the code too far in advance. if the code expires, you will need to request another one. With your permission, the car hire company can call the DVLA on your behalf

How much does it cost to get a driving licence check code?

Getting a driving licence check code is free. If you are hiring a car abroad, and haven't provided a check code in advance, the car hire company will wait until you arrive to pick up the car before phoning the DVLA. This can be time-consuming and you may be charged for the international call.

Can I still hire a car without the code?

Yes. The code simply allows car hire companies to save time by checking your driving history before you arrive to pick up the vehicle. If you do not have the code, the car hire company can call the DVLA to do a driver check over the phone. If you are one of the 8 million drivers who still have a paper-only driving licence you won't have to go through any of this rigmarole.

www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk

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