May 23, 2019

Driving Licence Check Code For Car Rental

The driving licence check code system has now been in place almost 3 years and we are pretty happy to report that the transition has been almost without issue.

One or two glitches with the system in the early days, which if you know anything about software or technology, you would expect to happen. So why are we writing an article on a 3 year old procedure that works? Well the one thing we have noticed is that the procedure only tends to fail if we, the soft human element do something wrong.

what Is A Driving Licence Rental Code?

The DVLA check code is something that will let you or someone else access and download your licence information from the DVLA. It allows car rental companies to find out if you have points or convictions on your licence. The driving licence rental code lasts 21 days.

Let me explain, to hire a car in the UK and Ireland you must be able to provide proof to the supplier that you have a good driving record. To do this, we used to have a bit of paper called the counterpart that the DVLA would list any points or convictions on. It was scrapped because the process wasn’t immediate and people were regularly losing them. The counterpart licence was replaced in 2015 by a live government database.

how To Get A Driving Licence Check For Car Hire (code)

If you arrive to pick up your hired car or a van without having a licence check code then you will need to get your check code from the DVLA.

Getting a code or print out for the hire company is easy.

You can access this database in order to get a hire car DVLA code at anytime providing you have an internet connection and 3 key pieces of information and follow these steps:

1. Go to the DVLA view driving licence page
2. Enter your UK Driving Licence Number, postcode & National insurance number
3. Click on the share your licence information button, which will then lead to “create a code” button
4. Pass this code to the car hire company

how Long Does A Dvla Check Code Last?

The DVLA check code will remain valid for 21 days, but it can only be used once.

dvla Access Code For Car Rental By Phone

Alternatively if you arrive without a code you can also call the DVLA hire car number which is on 0300 790 6801 which will allow you to give permissions to the nominated hire company to verbally check your driving record. Once you’ve done this you can call 0906 139 3837 which is another DVLA number to then check the details after permissions has been given.

It provides you with up to date information on your licence validation dates, what you are eligible to drive, any points you may have and when they expire. It also has a function for you to be able to generate a ‘Driving Licence Check Code‘ which are now valid for 21 days. They used to last only 3 days but it was decided that this was not enough time for a lot of travellers. This code is what you need to provide when you arrive to collect a hire car in the UK and Ireland, along with the last 8 digits of your licence number.

what Does The Car Hire Check Code Do?

This enables the hire company to see the same information outlined above and make an educated decision about lending a vehicle worth thousands of pounds to you. Many car hire suppliers will have different insurance policies. On the whole, if you have more than 6 penalty points or a major conviction such as an IN10 or DR10 they will be unable to provide a vehicle. Obviously it is important for them to be able to check this before allowing you to drive away.

If you do not log on to the government website and generate a dvla car hire code within 21 days prior to collecting your vehicle then you will not be able to hire a car in the UK and Ireland.

what If I Don’t Know My Ni Number?

If you do not know your National Insurance number you will not be able to login to the government gateway to perform a check. You have one other option, the DVLA offer telephone checks to car hire companies. This means the supplier calling a premium rate telephone number to check the details on your licence. This will be chargeable to you.

A telephone DVLA check can only be performed while the DVLA offices are open. YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR SUPPLIER AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS IN ADVANCE. If you leave it until the last minute you may miss out.

do I Need A Dvla Code For Van Hire?

Yes, it works exactly the same as hiring a car. If you cannot prove your eligibility to drive the vehicle then they will not hire to you.

driving Licence Check Code When Hiring Abroad

Car hire suppliers abroad do not tend to perform DVLA checks as it is not a worldwide system, however it won’t hurt to have a dvla car rental code ready just in case. They don’t cost anything, you are not limited on how many you can generate and it takes less than a minute. So if you are travelling and you may want to hire a car within 21 days, then log on and have one ready.

Suppliers outside of the UK will want to see your driving licence photo-card and passport and will expect the details on each to match. Some will also require a return flight ticket or proof of address. Always check your booking confirmation for a list of what you will need to provide on arrival to avoid any delays or even being turned away.

If you have any questions about driving licence check codes for hiring a car then please contact us and we will be happy to help. Our reservations team are experts when it comes to all things car hire both in the UK and abroad. You can call us on 0113 88 00 748, email [email protected] or chat with our team online.