Caught by laser, counterpart missing

[nickandrews]

Got pulled doing 45 in a 30 yesterday, and I cant find my counterpart!! I've got another 6 days to find it, but is there anything I can do if i cant find it in time?

[JonRB]

Personally, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence (there is a fee though) and then contact the station requesting to see your licence and explain the situation. At least that way you can show that you've taken reasonably steps to rectify the situation.

Alternatively, why not just contact the station requesting to see the licence and ask for their advice?

[iaint]

The rules for getting a replacement are mad - if you lose the card or counterpart but not both you have to fill in a form and return the remaining piece (with fee) to get a replacement.

If you lose BOTH you can get a replacement issued over the phone and it'll be with you in 3 or 4 days.

1st time I called I'd lost the counterpart. 3 minutes later (and speaking to the same girl) the photo card had also gone missing so could be replaced over the phone.

I'd reccomend losing both not one or the other.

[nonegreen]

yep just call em up on the phone and tell em you lost both down a deep well in Corsica or some such crap. They will send you a new one in the post today. Best was to deal with Blairs Britain, just lie your arse off. Nobody cares...

[Fats25]

or better that this....... (although no use in this instance) - I managed to lose wallet with photo licence in it.

Approx two months later I moved house, so sent off counterpart to DVLA as a change of address (no fee), I expected to get a letter back saying that I need to provide photo licence, but within a couple of weeks I had a counterpart with new address, and a free photocard! Felt like I had won the lottery with the way they normally rip you off for any fee.

May work the other way round........ but not in the timeframe you are looking for.

[Zod]

iaint said:

The rules for getting a replacement are mad - if you lose the card or counterpart but not both you have to fill in a form and return the remaining piece (with fee) to get a replacement. If you lose BOTH you can get a replacement issued over the phone and it'll be with you in 3 or 4 days. 1st time I called I'd lost the counterpart. 3 minutes later (and speaking to the same girl) the photo card had also gone missing so could be replaced over the phone. I'd reccomend losing both not one or the other.

FUnnily enough, exactly the same thing happened to me. It's such a coincidence that I ended up losing the photocard too, just when I was about to have to go out to the post office to get the form. Of course, I would never for a moment consider carrying the old photocard with me on the continent to hand over to Monsieur le Plod if he stopped me for speeding. That would be bad.

>> Edited by Zod on Thursday 17th November 13:33

[iaint]

Zod said:

Of course, I would never for a moment consider carrying the old photocard with me on the continent to hand over to Monsieur le Plod if he stopped me for speeding. That would be bad.

You're a very clever chap - what a great idea of what one wouldn't do

[Dwight VanDriver]

Whatever you do Nick if you cannot find the counterpart before the 7 days are up speak to Plod at the elected station for production and explain your problem. They won't be able to give you a FPN until it is handed in and you should escape a failing to produce charge.

dvd

[jenkinsd]

Replacement policy has got a bit strange. I live in Italy, the Italians refuse to 'swap' my licence as it is no longer necessary. Thought I had lost my counterpart and contacted DVLA they said I would have to claim both parts were lost, I asked can they not just print another paper part, answer was that no as then there would be two different numbers on the licence (?).

ME: OK can I ask for a replacement
DVLA: yes sure we will send it to you after you fill in the form and pay some dosh
ME: I live in Italy can you send it to me there if I pay the postage
DVLA: Oh sorry, we cannot replace a licence for a non resident
ME: So how do I obtain a complete driving licence
DVLA: Ask the Italians
ME: I did and they refused as it is now not necessary
DVLA: Ask them again
ME: Do you expect them to change their minds
DVLA: Sorry we cannot help you
ME: OK I will use a friends address in the UK and get the licence sent there
DVLA: OK

Barmy or what?

Oh I found the counterpart in a jeacket I had not worn for a while.

[bigdods]

This is all new info to me. Whats a counterpart ? thought maybe you were trying to describe your sidekick batman and robin style for a while there ! So this isnt actually a spare person you keep in the car to take the rap for offences but some kind of legal document to go with your driving licence. Well you learn something new every day. And yes I still have a nice big foldy out paper licence which explains why I have no clue what you are talking about ;-)

[planetdave]

The latest style licence comes in two parts - a 'credit card' with yer photo and a small amount of info and a whopping big piece of paper for all the points you accumulate (the counterpart). Now you have two pieces that can get lost

[bigdods]

It'll never catch on. Next thing you'll be telling me the government are going to introduce identity cards...

[jared_m]

Question: If you lose your counterpart license and you have endoresements on it, will the replacement also have the endorsements on it?

[JoolzB]

This happened to me, I turned up at the cop shop with all docs including my photocard license and was allowed an extra 6 days to find it, which I couldn't. Even with all this documentation and the use of computers to check my details I ended up with 2 bonus points for not being able to produce it. Nice.

[Dwight VanDriver]

jared_m said:

Question: If you lose your counterpart license and you have endoresements on it, will the replacement also have the endorsements on it?

YES

dvd

[JonRB]

bigdods said:

It'll never catch on. Next thing you'll be telling me the government are going to introduce identity cards...

Ah, you have spotted the government's "cunning plan" and the whole reason behind the new-style licences.

This is what gets me. The photocard is worthless as anything other than an ID card because anyone who needs to see your licence to drive, including car hire firms, requires both parts. Ergo, the photocard is nothing more than a back-door (leave it, vixpy) identity card.

>> Edited by JonRB on Friday 18th November 15:03

[purpleheadedcerb]

JoolzB said:

This happened to me, I turned up at the cop shop with all docs including my photocard license and was allowed an extra 6 days to find it, which I couldn't. Even with all this documentation and the use of computers to check my details I ended up with 2 bonus points for not being able to produce it. Nice.

I've seen people produce it at court having failed to produce at the Police Station and not have any penalty. If DVLA did a next day delivery on counterparts that have been lost then I would say that it was your own fault but AFAIK, they don't and the inertia in the system is always going to mean that 7+ the extra 6 days they gave you, would be insufficient.

Scott

[bigdods]

ANd of course it would be too much trouble to let the plod at the local station have a computer they could use to access the DVLA records and check your counterpart saving everyone the need to have one in the first place....

And no one is going anywhere via my back door lol

[JoolzB]

purpleheadedcerb said:

JoolzB said: This happened to me, I turned up at the cop shop with all docs including my photocard license and was allowed an extra 6 days to find it, which I couldn't. Even with all this documentation and the use of computers to check my details I ended up with 2 bonus points for not being able to produce it. Nice. I've seen people produce it at court having failed to produce at the Police Station and not have any penalty. If DVLA did a next day delivery on counterparts that have been lost then I would say that it was your own fault but AFAIK, they don't and the inertia in the system is always going to mean that 7+ the extra 6 days they gave you, would be insufficient. Scott

Sorry the 6+ days weren't extra days, I turned up with the docs the next morning so still had 6 days left. The cop who was very understanding told me to apply for a replacement one straight away if I couldn't find it but said I'd then have to produce it at court. I didn't go but sent the replacement in with an explaination and now wish I had because of the 2 extra points, oh well just another 2 years til they drop off.

[funkyrobot]

Still on the old paper licence, am i supposed to have changed it???