by constructaquote - 1 June 2016
As the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) continues to digitalise it’s records; from the 8th of June 2015 the paper counterpart license will be no more.
The digital transition commenced in the final quarter of 2014 when the DVLA announced the end of the Tax Disc.
The abolition of the counterpart licence is a result of the government’s Red Tape Challenge and the DVLA’s Strategic Plan committed to simplifying it’s services.
As of the 8th of June 2015, the paper licence counterpart will no longer be issued by the DVLA and it will have no legal status.
However, paper licences issued prior to the introduction of the photocard licence in 1998, will still be valid as a UK driving licence.
What happens to endorsements and penalty points?
Penalty points will no longer be added to driving licences, but any driving offences will still result in any payable fine due, and the licence will still be required to be sent to court, however the way this paperwork is dealt with will change.
Photo licences: when both parts of the licence are sent to the court, they will retain the paper counterpart and only return the photocard.
Paper licences: those with paper licences (obtained before 1998) will have their licence returned by the court, however, there will no longer be printed or written details of the offence contained on the document.
Neither the photo licence or the paper licence will have an accurate account of any points or endorsements on your licence. This information will be held on the driver records by the DVLA and can be checked online.
How can I check my licence details?
When you need to check details on your licence, this can be done via the View My Licence service. Here’s where you will be able access details in relation to the type of vehicles you are licenced to drive (i.e HGV). You will also be able to see whether you have any penalties or endorsements against your licence.
If you drive for a living or regularly hire vehicles and have to provide evidence of your driving history, you can do this online via the View My Licence programme.
This programme can be used by both paper and photocard licence holders and will allow you to download, print and share a summary of your licence record.
You can also contact the DVLA via telephone and give verbal permission to allow a nominated person to obtain personal details regarding your licence.
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