What has been changed so far?
It was announced on 1st January 2015 that from this day there will be no need for paper counterpart of your driving license. From 8th January 2015, the paper counterpart of your driving license was no more valid and no longer issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
You just need your photo card and be sure that the information/data provided on it are all updated and valid enough.
What if You Don’t Possess a Photo card license?
For the ones who have passed their driving license before the photo card got introduced in year 1998, then they may be having that old styled paper license. In this case, keep that paper driving license with yourself. This green paper license will be valid enough to reveal that all your provided information is valid and legal completely and that there is no need to exchange it for a photo card driving license.
However, if you think you should opt for a photo card driving license, then this will cost you approximately £20.00. But if you are changing your name, address or adding any driving entitlement, then in this case you won’t be charged. Note that all your driving license information is found at the back of your photo card driving license.
Your Driving License Information Available Online
The paper counterpart of your driving license carries all the important driving information like the number of penalty points you have, when the points will expire, type of vehicles you are permitted to drive, etc.
Well, now as there is no need of the paper4 counterpart of your license. Now you must be thinking where you can view your driving information now? Well, the photo card carries all the driving information on its back. But this is quite difficult and unclear to read from the back of the photo card. For this, the DVLA has created a service on its website that helps you view all the driving information online. The system helps you see the complete information which used to be hold by paper counterpart.
For viewing all this information online, you are asked to visit https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence. Here you are required to enter your driving license number (located somewhere on your photo card), your National Insurance number and the postcode on which your driving license is.
Another option is to send your information to DVLA through post method. You can either opt for sending a request form (available on DVLA website) or else opt for writing a letter that holds information like your name, address, driving license number and a cheque or postal order of £5.00 which is payable to DVLA Swansea.
Written requests should be sent to the above mentioned address:
Driver Licence Validation Service
DVRE 5
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1AJ
Who has got access to your driving license information?
Note that the driving license information can be accessed by the interested parties which include employees, car hire firms, etc. Previously, to view your driving information, interested parties used to ask for your paper counterpart. However, now these parties can easily view your driving license information online.
The online service by DVLA has now allowed the third parties to access your driving record anytime they need. But note that these parties will require permission from you for viewing your driving record.
Furthermore, the DVLA also serves you by reminding you when your driving license is about to expire, when your photo needs to be updates to ensure that all our information on the driving license is up to date and valid.
Previously, the driving license holders were required to send their paper counterpart for updating their personal details but now this is not the case as paper counterpart doesn’t exist anymore. Now the license holders are asked to use DVLA’s online service for updating their driving license information in order to avoid £1000 fine.
It’s so simple and straightforward
The new changes are quite simple and have made the process quite easier for you. Now you need not to panic at all. Just destroy that paper counterpart of your license if you have been issued with your own photo card. Make sure that all your driving license details are updated via using the online DVLA service.
Majority of drivers have welcomed these new changes and innovations by DVLA. The reason behind welcoming these changes is that this has minimized certain amounts of documents carried when traveling in both UK and outside UK.
Some Useful Tips For updating your driving license
Below we have listed some useful tips which you should follow in order to avoid any unexpected fines from DVLA. Make sure that all your provided details on the driving license are up to date and valid.
- Make sure that your place of residence is mentioned correctly on the license. If you are moving to some other residence, then update your address on your license no matter if you are moving to that residence for temporary time period.
- If you have married or divorced legally then don’t forget to update your complete name (with your surname) on your driving license.
- If you are undergoing some health related issues then your GP is recommended to report it to DVLA in order to prevent you from being fined.
- Make sure that you get your photo updates every 10 years on your driving license.
- If your driving license has been expired then make sure to apply it for renewal. This will cost you approximately £20.00 (for people who are aged 70 or above 70 years won’t be paying even a single penny for the renewal process).
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