Driving license

[Mudball]

What is the rule on carrying your driving license while driving? After nearly 2 years of wfh, I sometimes forget to carry my wallet any where. With the phone now replacing the credit cards, the only use the wallet has is to carry the driving license around.


Was dropping off an American friend to Heathrow. Half way thru I realised I left my wallet at home. He started getting palpitations about what would happen if we got pulled over (probably shot if we’re in the US).

What is the rule in the U.K. many years ago, it used to optional to carry, but you should be able to produce it within x hours if needed.

 

[PJ87]

Still 7 days to produce

No need to carry

90% of time I have mine. Has my photo so easy for picking up parcels, or buying age restricted stuff

 

[Imurg]

DVLA are working on making licences digital so you can, effectively, have it on your phone..
With everything stored on your phone..Lord help anyone that loses it or breaks it......

 

[RichA]

No requirement to carry licence or proof of insurance in the UK.
With everything now being digitalised, you're unlikely to ever be asked to produce them, as long as you do actually have them and your identity is verifiable.
You're more likely to be asked for your driving licence by the Amazon delivery driver before he hands you your new potato peeler than by a cop.

 

[Mudball]

Pretty much aligned with what I was thinking. Agree with @Imurg .. god help if you lose your phone.

So if someone is pulled over for whatever reason - speeding, uninsured etc, how does the copper verify who the person is (assuming they don’t have an ID on them?)

 

[Hobbit]

Must carry your licence here in Spain. Caught not carrying it, they won’t let you drive away. And you must carry ID.

 

[GG26]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

 

[Slime]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

I do, as does Mrs Slime.

 

[Imurg]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

Mrs Imurg does....

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Has my photo so easy for picking up parcels, or buying age restricted stuff

 

[rulefan]

Pretty much aligned with what I was thinking. Agree with @Imurg .. god help if you lose your phone.

So if someone is pulled over for whatever reason - speeding, uninsured etc, how does the copper verify who the person is (assuming they don’t have an ID on them?)

If you’re stopped, the police can ask to see your driving licence, insurance certificate and/or MOT certificate.
If you do not have these documents with you, you have 7 days to take them to a police station of your choice.
You’re breaking the law if you do not show the requested documents within 7 days.

 

[Robster59]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

I carry my plastic one and my old paper one in a driving licence wallet that belonged to my grandad. It can be useful for things like picking up stuff from the Post Office as well.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Real problems at DVLA getting any form of vehicle licence out of them at the moment. A huge backlog, and it seems that as much has to be done by slow mail (sending in physical docs) there is a massive backlog of that and serious risk of important docs going missing. Try contacting DVLA these days…nightmare.

 

[Imurg]

To be fair it's only some areas of DVLA that are struggling.
One of my flock passed his test 2 weeks ago and had his new licence delivered in 5 days..I guess because it's probably completely automated.

 

[RichA]

If you’re stopped, the police can ask to see your driving licence, insurance certificate and/or MOT certificate.
If you do not have these documents with you, you have 7 days to take them to a police station of your choice.
You’re breaking the law if you do not show the requested documents within 7 days.

If you have a valid licence, insurance certificate and MOT, you're unlikely to be asked to physically produce them these days.
They'll be able to verify their existence at the roadside using technology that's been around for a couple of decades.

 

[larmen]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

German one with my 7.5t lorry allowance. But not got my letter from Boris.
The German government just changed the law last week letting the paper ones expire, I have to change mine by 2025.

I also carry a copy of my UK CBT with me as the instructor said that due to the DVLA backlog it might not be on the police system and some of his pupils where stopped. But that never happened to me, must have been past mine by the time I got the bike.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Checking if he is old enough to buy a packet of Werthers Original

 

[CliveW]

I don’t carry mine as I still have an old paper one. Does anyone else still have a paper licence?

Yes, I've still got mine in it's original plastic holder, in the bottom of a drawer. No endorsements or penalty points in almost 50 years of motoring and never been stopped by the polis. (I hope I'm not tempting fate!)

 

[fundy]

Real problems at DVLA getting any form of vehicle licence out of them at the moment. A huge backlog, and it seems that as much has to be done by slow mail (sending in physical docs) there is a massive backlog of that and serious risk of important docs going missing. Try contacting DVLA these days…nightmare.

did change of address with them recently and got a new license and new ownership docs within a few days

now the passport office is a whole different ball game........

 

[arnieboy]

did change of address with them recently and got a new license and new ownership docs within a few days

now the passport office is a whole different ball game........

On the other hand, I renewed my passport recently and received my shiny new blue one within ten days.