Why did I have to send my licence off

[HTP99]

I recently; well actually at the end of last year, received my first ever NIP for speeding, I eek'd everything out so I only ended up paying it at the end of February, I paid the fine but failed to send off my licence, I just forgot!

Anyway I received a letter stating that I'd not sent it and to send it within the next 7 days; which I did, on Monday I received it back with the slip of paper that you fill in and send off with it all stamped in red stating "processed", however my licence (battered paper one), came back in exactly the same battered state that it went off in; nothing written on it about the offence.

What purpose did it serve for me to post it off to them, surely as everything is digital now it is easy to see, online if I actually have a licence, it just seems a bit odd and pointless?

[grumpy52]

To check that the records are updated against the correct licence, number , name and other details.

[speedking31]

grumpy52 said:

To check that the records are updated against the correct licence, number , name and other details.

Are they not held on the database? If not it would be easy to add a couple of extra fields, even an image of both sides of the licence if necessary.

[4rephill]

HTP99 said:

I recently; well actually at the end of last year, received my first ever NIP for speeding, I eek'd everything out so I only ended up paying it at the end of February, I paid the fine but failed to send off my licence, I just forgot!

Anyway I received a letter stating that I'd not sent it and to send it within the next 7 days; which I did, on Monday I received it back with the slip of paper that you fill in and send off with it all stamped in red stating "processed", however my licence (battered paper one), came back in exactly the same battered state that it went off in; nothing written on it about the offence.......

The authorities stopped writing offences on licences when the system went fully digital, and most people had switched to photo-card licences.

HTP99 said:

......What purpose did it serve for me to post it off to them, surely as everything is digital now it is easy to see, online if I actually have a licence, it just seems a bit odd and pointless?

You have to send your licence in because legislation states you have to - It serves no other purpose than to comply with the Law.

The Police do not require your licence, the courts do not require your licence, the DVLA do not require your licence.

When the new legislation was written, the part about handing your licence in, was not removed, and so you are still required to send your licence off.

Attempts to modify the legislation, to remove the need to hand your licence in, have been made, but they have got caught up in Parliamentary red tape, and stalled, so the requirement to hand in the licence still exists.

[HTP99]

^^^^

Thank you for the explanation.