Changes To Driving Licences Announced

Thursday, 11. August 2011

The Department for Transport is about to make us all paperless when it comes to our driving licences. In 2014 the paper part of the latest driving licences will be scrapped, which isn’t a bad thing as most people manage to lose them anyway. The old style licences will be scrapped soon after to be replaced with the photocard versions. The DVLA is improving its efficiency by moving all its driver records onto an online database within 3 years. This will enable the police to check to see if a driver has points on their licence immediately via the web without the need to see the licence counterpart.

Employers and insurers will also be able to check endorsements as long as they have your permission to do so. As a perceived logical next step the DfT will recall paper driving licences shortly after.

There are still 12 million old style licences in circulation, in fact I have one of them! This means that a quarter of all motorists will have to change their licences but as the new licences have a renewal date I will of course leave it till the last minute. By Graham Hill