Just booked a holiday in the Algarve next Thursday, including hire car - and have now realised that my paper counterpart seems to have disappeared.
James Villas documentation states quite firmly that the paper bit is needed too, and that a photocopy will not be accepted (so complete lack seems unlikely to impress).
Hertz site also says it's needed to prove endorsements (which I don't quite get, since their rental set up didn't even ask for what endorsements I had).
Jenny has hers, but isn't at all confident about driving abroad.
Direct.gov site reckons 3 weeks to get a replacement.
Any suggestions?
|
|
When on holiday without the paper part of licence the hire company has said they can phone DVLA (cost?). So might be okay. I sent off licence because of a house move and got the new one within 4 working days. Not an option here because I guess. You can order a replacement over the phone but not likely to arrive in time.
|
4 working days wouldn't do it, but it's close! The site says three weeks so I wasn't even going to try.
I think I will give the DVLA a ring tomorrow.
I have also, on a load of searching, found sites which say they can ring the DVLA to confirm licence details - but we'll be arriving outside of office hours, which might stop that working. The other idea I've had is to ring Hertz tomorrow and see if I can get them to do this confirming ahead of time, and have the office at Faro airport already informed.
Having difficulty even finding a phone number for their head office though.
|
>> have also, on a load of searching, found sites which say they can ring the DVLA to confirm
>> licence details - but we'll be arriving outside of office hours
Could be a problem then? Keep looking for the licence?!!?
|
>> >> have also, on a load of searching, found sites which say they can ring
>> the DVLA to confirm
>> >> licence details - but we'll be arriving outside of office hours
>>
>> Could be a problem then? Keep looking for the licence?!!?
>>
Not sure how clear I was there - outside of DVLA office hours, not Hertz office hours.
I have just rung the DVLA, and spoke to a very nice gentleman who sounded exactly like Rob Brydon. He has arranged for a new licence, and says that while he can't guarantee anything, he thinks it should get to me in time. He also confirmed that they can fax out confirmations to rental firms, and it's done quite often. Seems unlikely then that a firm as big as Hertz wouldn't know of it.
Obviously the office hours thing is the main problem on this, so I'll try to contact Hertz now and see if they are willing to 'pre-approve' me, so to speak.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, got me thinking down the right paths!
|
We are going to be renting a car with Budget in Canada, and have been told that we can have multiple drivers, but that only the main driver needs to show their licence at pick up. I think it is the same price for us both to be covered, but they only want to see the main driver's documentation.
Not sure if it will be the same with Hertz in the Algarve, but I wonder if it could be an option for Jenny to be down as the main driver, show her licence at pick up and then you just do the driving on yours.
|
|
Never ever been asked for the paper bit.
|
No - we went to the USA for a driving holiday a few years back, and as we got to the rental dek I realised that I'd only got the photocard. I had got my insurance elsewhere (removing most of their profit) so the clerk was desperately searching (as in looked through our paperwork for 30 minutes) for an excuse to not hire to us, and I was really sweating. Without a car, we had no holiday at all that time!
But on that occasion we were fine - I don't think they even knew there was supposed to be one. But the paperwork I've been given is very clear that it will be needed this time.
|
|
That's certainly the route we will have to try out if nothing else works. Nothing I can find is entirely clear on that point.
|
|
I hired a car from Hertz in France a while back and only needed the plastic bit, the paper bit was not offered or asked for. (I did have it with me though). Same in Australia.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 19 Jun 10 at 09:04
|
Never been asked for the paper bit.
If they do, get the wife to hire the car and drive it out of the airport. Next day phone up the hire company and ask to put a named driver on the hire, give them your credit card details and Driver number. This is what I did in Madeira when I lost my driving license before we arrived there. They never asked her for the paper bit.
Bingo.
(in truth Nicole could only get the car 150 metres round the next bend before she started driving n the wrong side of the road, SO to save our lives I drove it till I came up with the super wheeze above.)
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 19 Jun 10 at 09:50
|
|
I do not know of any other country which has plastic driving licences and in addition a piece of paper to go with it. As a result, waving the card in front of the noses of hire car offices is all you need to do. They are totally ignorant as to the peculiar UK system.
|
"They are totally ignorant as to the peculiar UK system."
Apart form the man at the Hertz desk at Funchal airport who asked for mine in February.
First time ever anywhere outside UK though.
|
|
Eurocar at Funchal didnt ask for one last September. Yours is the first I have ever heard of.
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 19 Jun 10 at 18:57
|
|
Was surprised myself since have hired cars all over Europe including Madeira without being asked before. Off to Canada soon - will be interesting to see what they require.
|
|
Hertz at Carcassonne (France) have declined several people, until DVLA could confirm on the next day, (2008). Gets expensive for taxis and accommodation for a family overnight!
|
|
Dollar at Newark, NY, have wanted to see the paper counterpart the last two times I've hired from them (most recently on Tues).
|
|
No questions asked in the US when I only showed the plastic part. The rest of the world has done away with the paper side anyway.
|
Pleased to report the new licence arrived this morning.
Thank you anonymous DVLA man!
|
Drivers licence paper counterpart missing - rtj70
