The paper counterpart proved to be unpopular with motorists and other customers, and following a public consultation in 2004, legislation was introduced in the Road Safety Act 2006 that will allow it to be abolished. In order to do this by 2015, an electronic system is currently being developed to provide electronic access to relevant stakeholders and drivers themselves.
Currently it is possible to use an expensive phone number to contact DVLA on licencing issues, but they will not divulge information about another persons licence without them being present and giving permission.
DSA will have to have a scheme in place to check a candidate’s licence before the start of a practical test. Whether this is just a bar code scanner or some other device we don’t know at the present.
So maybe after the removal of the paper part we either make a expensive phone call, take the pupil to the test centre or have access via a computer to check the pupils entitlement to drive. Which ever way this goes it will mean the instructor will incur costs.
This change, when it happens could result in problems for driving instructors. Failure to check properly will mean your insurance is void, and could lead to the instructor being prosecuted; this will then mean the Registrar will get involved, so it’s a vicious circle.
What is your association doing about it?