Driving licence changes - paper part to be scrapped

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From June 8 this year the paper part (counterpart) of the driving licence will officially disappear as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) continues its aim to digitise motorists' records.

In 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 that from June 8, drivers with a photocard driving licence should destroy their paper counterpart and only keep the photocard, remembering to renew it when necessary (http://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence). Motorists could face a £1,000 fine if they are caught with an invalid licence.

Old style paper driving licences issued before the photocard was introduced in 1998 will still be valid and should not be destroyed.

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).
Anyone over the age of 70 will need to renew their licence every three years, updating it with any medical conditions. This is free of charge. "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.
This change means that all licences, including the old style pre-1998 paper licences, will no longer be annotated with new driving convictions and penalty points. Instead, drivers will be able to share their licence details with third parties via a new digital service called "View Driving Licence". Motorists can go online to view their own driving record at http://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence.

This service allows drivers to see how many penalty points they have and what vehicles they can drive.
The DVLA said it was developing another service for those who need to check the driving record of an employee or customer.
A spokesman for the DVLA said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for motorists to access government services.
“Getting rid of needless bits of paper, making changes to free up drivers' time, while saving money for the taxpayer, is all part of our commitment to cut unnecessary red tape. That is why we are introducing new and easy to use digital services that will allow drivers and businesses to check driving entitlement and endorsements. This means there will no longer be a need for the paper counterpart of the driving licence which will save drivers over £5m every year."

Thanks to Daily Telegraph

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An article from Moneywise with further detail:

http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2015-05 ... -axed-june

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I don't think they've thought of all the implications of this change

New driving licence rule to affect holidaymakers

With the paper part of driving licences becoming invalid on 8 June 2015, consumer groups are warning that holidaymakers hiring cars may not be fully prepared.

The DVLA has now stopped issuing paper licences, meaning that if you need to update your name, address or renew your existing licence, you will be issued with a new photocard only - the paper counterpart will be retained.

However, the move means that all details of penalty points or convictions are now stored online only. In order to give car hire firms access to view this information, people must go to a government website and produce a temporary code.

The code lasts for up to 72 hours, can be used only once and will allow the hire companies to make any necessary checks. But this has led to fears that many holidaymakers may have to find internet access or risk being turned away by a car hire company.

Those potentially affected include people travelling abroad but who aren't collecting their hire vehicle as soon as they arrive.

Rushed project

Gerry Keaney, the chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), told the BBC: "The project's being rushed through. It's not brilliant."

The move is part of the government's aim to cut down on the amount of red tape. The purpose of the counterpart up until now has been to include licence details that couldn't be included on the photocard - such as penalty points or the types of vehicles your are allowed to drive.

Paper driving licences that were issued before the photocard was launched in 1998 will remain valid.

The free-to-use View Driving Licence service (gov.uk/view-driving-licence) will let you see what details are held about you. Those hiring a vehicle in the UK or overseas will be able to provide evidence of their driving record at the website.

You will need to enter your driver number, National Insurance number and the postcode shown on your current driving licence.

Alternatively, you can also request a code by calling 0300 083 0013. This also applies if you have a paper licence that was issued before 1998.