As of 8th June 2015 the paper counterpart to UK photocard driving licences issued in Great Britain is no longer valid. Licences issued by DVA in Northern Ireland will not be affected.
Note, this change is not to be confused with paper driving licences issued before 1998, which will stay valid.
But how does this change affect you when it comes to renting a car? Take a look below for some answers:
How does this change renting a car from Hertz if I hold a UK driving licence issued in Great Britain?
All that has changed is that you and any additional drivers will each need to bring a copy of your Licence Summary, or unique code, obtained from the DVLA, when renting a car with us in Great Britain, with any other countries to be advised below.
This is required for both photocard driving licences as well as paper driving licences issued before 1998.
In which countries will Hertz require me to provide the Licence Summary?
The Licence Summary is required for car hire in the UK, Angola, Bahrain, Balearics, Botswana, Canaries, Croatia, Namibia, Oman, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden and Tunisia.
The Licence Summary/Unique Code is NOT required for the US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, rest of Africa, rest of Middle East, and rest of Europe.
How do I gain access to my driving licence summary?
To save time at the counter please bring a printout of your Licence Summary.
To obtain your Licence Summary visit the View your driving licence information page on GOV.UK which will provide you a PDF that you can print out. You will need to have your driving licence number to hand, as well as your National Insurance number and the postcode displayed on your photocard driving licence.
Hertz will accept a printout of your Licence Summary up to 30 days from the Date Generated shown on your Summary.
What if I don’t have a printer?
If you do not have access to a printer, you can obtain a Unique Code online from the View your driving licence information page or by calling 0300 083 0013.
Note the code must be requested within 21 days of pickup. (Bear in mind that a code lasts for 21 days before expiring and we need to see the code while it is still valid.) These codes are case sensitive, so remember to write it down exactly as it is shown – we need this to be able to view your licence summary online. Please allow a little extra time at the counter for this process.
What do I need to bring with me when picking up my hire car?
You will need to bring following items to pick up your hire car.
- Reservation details (including the reservation number, rental vouchers if applicable, and the address and telephone number of the location where you are collecting your car).
- Full valid driving licence and additional driver permits.
- A credit card in your name.
- Another form of ID such as your current passport or a utility bill, with your name and address shown.
- Licence summary printout with the Date Generated less than 30 days to pick up or unique code generated 21 days before pick up.
- If more than one of you will be renting the car, make sure the others bring their full driving licence, Licence Summary, and additional ID.
Where can I get more information?
If you need any more information on the changes being made to UK driving licences issued in Great Britain, and how they may affect you as a hire car driver, take a look at our complete vehicle guide.