DVLA share code when abroad?

Box Brownie

Box Brownie

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I have so far read conflicting info on this subject, no issue getting a code but I am curious if anyone hiring, as in my case Portugal with Enterprise, has needed to give a code???

I say conflicting because there are old refs when the paper counterpart was ceased that said all hire companies anywhere would likely request the code. The only company site I found it mentioned on was Europcar and they say explicitly only required in UK or RoI !

But cannot find any similar mention even on the UK site of Enterprise?

I intend to phone 'them' but just wondered what others experience was with this requirement.

TIA :)
 
As it is free, only takes two minutes of your time, and can be done online from anywhere in the world; why not just cover your backside and just get the code?
 
I've rented in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland as well as inside UK since paper counterpart ceased. I've generated the code for every rental and have never been asked for it.

As "Sir will do" said, it only takes 2 minutes online. It's valid for 3 weeks.
 
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I have only hired in the UK but both Enterprise and Arnold Clark requested the code.

The purpose of the code in the absence of the paper part is to check endorsements so surely if they dont request the code they are not fulfilling their duty to check.

As had been said above, it takes minutes to do it and doesnt cost a bean. Hell you dont even need to print the code off (just save the PDF to your phone).
 
Ring up and check with the hire company. A couple of weeks ago I had a hire car* from Enterprise (in the UK) and all they needed was the photo card. Last time I was added to the hire policy in Germany (my wife drives when we hire on the continent), which I think was with Europcar, they also only needed the photo card. The scheme should be in place for the major hire companies to access the information they need without the validation code.

Any old references/information from when the scheme first changed will be out-of-date. The system for hire companies to be authorised to check for themselves based on the photo card was not available at the change over and several features of the system have changed since it started (e.g. the period of validity of the code).

IMPORTANT - Whatever you do, do not give the hire company your NI number. They do not need this to check your license and with it they have more access to your license than you may realise. And on a related note, do not authorise your employer to use your NI code to confirm your license if you drive for business. If your employer is doing this they're breaking data protection laws (however they wouldn't be alone, I've come across several doing this).


* well technically it was a hire car, but I ended up with the best deal ever - upgraded vehicle, free hire, free insurance upgrades to the max and free fuel..
 
stupar said:
I thought they were only valid for 21 days.....according to the government website anyway?
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Sorry, my bad. I remembered it wrongly. It's indeed 21 days. It used to be even shorter, I recall they increased it, mixed up 3 weeks and months.
 
wuyanxu said:
Sorry, my bad. I remembered it wrongly. It's indeed 21 days. It used to be even shorter, I recall they increased it, mixed up 3 weeks and months.
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Easy done. Im sure when it was first implimented it was only a few days....clearly not long enough.
 
I think you are right, I recall it to have been about 5 days or so. In the UK it was ok as they can just call the DVLA to check, but oversees car hire companies found that harder but as said before I've never been asked they just don't care. Heck in Cyprus they didn't even want a credit card deposite or anything, just cash :)

As said before, just do it online - checking whether you need it by phone call takes longer than just getting your download via the website.
 
never got asked in greece a few months back.
 
dejongj said:
I think you are right, I recall it to have been about 5 days or so. In the UK it was ok as they can just call the DVLA to check, but oversees car hire companies found that harder but as said before I've never been asked they just don't care. Heck in Cyprus they didn't even want a credit card deposite or anything, just cash :)

As said before, just do it online - checking whether you need it by phone call takes longer than just getting your download via the website.
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Same in Crete. Paid in cash and only showed our photo cards.
 
I always get one and have never been asked. France, Spain and Italy.

When it was first introduced it was for 48 hours, IIRC, and quickly changed.
 
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