DVLA changes affecting car hire

[scooby]

Just got back from a week in the UK. Turned up at the Avis desk at Gatwick on 23rd last week with the `DVLA check code' in my procession.
Staff asked me for license, passport and credit card before handing over keys and paperwork for hire car.
I told them that I had come prepared with this (probably many million pound taxpayer funded) check code, only to be told that they had scrapped the necessity to get one.
Is this a record for the incompetent UK rule makers ? - 2 weeks ?

I guess you produced your paper counterpart? I think any hire company will want to know if you have drink driving conviction for example.

[Hudson]

I hired a car from Budget at Gatwick on the 24 th and all they wanted was driving license and credit card.
They did not ask for passport nor paperpart of license.
No problem

[peebee]

I guess you produced your paper counterpart?

Nope - still sitting in the draw here.

Who is "they"? DVLA or Avis?

No idea - didn't ask, as I generally can't be ar$ed to know the reason behind everything on the planet.
I was just told that is not needed, as it is all done through the driving license.

[Kilkis]

...No idea - didn't ask, as I generally can't be ar$ed to know the reason behind everything on the planet.
I was just told that is not needed, as it is all done through the driving license.

It wasn't a trivial question. I tend to post experiences on here in case other people can deduce useful information from them. If DVLA have changed their procedure then it would affect everybody trying to hire a car in the UK with a UK licence. If AVIS have changed their procedure then it would only affect people hiring from AVIS.

Since you don't know I checked on the DVLA web site. The methodology of how to get a Driving Licence Check Code and how a company can use a Driving Licence Check Code are still there. It might be wise for people to still get their code if they are going back to the UK to hire a car in case the company they use still requires it. See https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... cence-code

Warwick

PS Personally I want to know the reason behind everything that happens in the universe. I would never restrict my curiosity purely to this planet.

[peebee]

PS Personally I want to know the reason behind everything that happens in the universe. I would never restrict my curiosity purely to this planet.

You sound like a closet girlie

[bobscott]

Just received this from my Cyprus contact:

"DVLA has just announced that from the 10th July 2015 the original Driving Licence Check Code validity of 72 hours has been extended to 21 days!

I think it became patently obvious to the 'powers that be' that 72 hours was often unworkable!"

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-check-code-extended-from-72-hours-to-21-days

[Kilkis]

Note the paragraph: "If you are hiring a car, make sure you check with your car hire company to see whether you need to generate a code". It is clear that DVLA is providing a mechanism to replace the paper part of the licence so that hire car companies are able to check for endorsements. It is up to hire car companies, and presumably their relationship with their insurers, whether they make use of this service. Differnet companies will behave differently.

Warwick

[bobscott]

I guess the obvious answer is get the code and use it if necessary. At least it will save a phone call or an e-mail message.