photocard driving licence

I recently received my first photocard licence.

It is a credit sized card, so it looks like it should be kept in the
wallet. Yet it says that the paper licence and the card should be kept
together. So, is it meant to carry, or leave at home with the paper
licence?

I was also surprised at how small my signature appears on the card. I
know its reduced, but its difficult to read. The paper signature
although small is much more readable (obtained from the same source).
Have you had this experience as well?

Best wishes.

Sp

 

The government planned it so bound to be f------ up

 

I travelled 20 miles to hire a van using my card licence, and was refused,
told I needed the paper licence, so the whole thing seems a bit of a waste
of time to me,

Neil

 

Thanks for responding

Can either of you read your signatures on the card (or see them properly)

SP.

 

It's a typical government agency cum freedom of information cum civil
liberties balls up. The information on the paper licence was supposed
to be on a magnetic stripe on the photocard.[1] But as you couldn't
read what it says there they have kept the paper licence as the
repository for all the endorsements so you (and the hire firms) can
read them. All the photocard does is show what you looked like when
you applied for it, a bit like a passport, which I keep with my paper
licence since I don't have a photocard yet.

[1] there is a space for the stripe on the back but it wasn't put on.
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/pol_look.htm

 

You're meant to keep the two parts together in the wallet provided. Whether
you carry this around with you or leave it at home is up to you, but neither
part is valid without the other.

Pretty obviously the card part can't show details of any endorsements and by
itself is therefore no use to police officers, car hire firms, etc. It's
purpose is to provide visual confirmation that you are the holder of the
license and to meet EU requirements (also removing the need for an IDP for
some countries/circumstances). The address and signature do not need to be
larger as anybody needing this info gets it from the paper part.

It's also pretty useful to carry as general ID, although carrying it around
in a back pocket wallet for any length of time causes the paper part either
to adhere to the plastic, or to come apart at the seams, or both!

 

Thanks for the response.

The DVLA no longer supply plastic wallets.

All the best

Sp.