UK driving licence - new rules

British drivers currently need to produce a plastic card and the paper "counterpart" when required, e.g. by an Official, or when renting a car.  Some people still carry the old original paper licence, but the Law changes on June 8th. dispensing with the paper counterpart altogether.

Life suddenly becomes more complicated for people renting a car on holiday abroad, as they may be refused without a (typically "civil service") requirement to contact DVLA before you go, with your Licence number and National Insurance number whereupon you will be given a magic code that enables the Rental Company to check your driving record for Penalties.  The code expires after 72 hours.

Still on the subject of DVLA, you no longer get a reminder when your tax disc runs out.  That could produce some red faces if people don't remember to renew on time.  Put it in your diary.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/dvla-driving-licence-paperless-change-could-mean-car-chaos-this-summer/ar-BBiEPsi

Ouch! Didn't realise I won't get a reminder to renew my tax disc - for many years this has been the only thing that kept me legal

(gets out diary)

I'm wrong on that. Reminders on Form V11 will continue to be sent out when the tax falls due. I was confused by having just read about people who had not received a reminder because it had been "lost in the post" or they had moved to a different address.

So it's anyway perhaps a good idea to have it in your diary.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/watch/range-rover-smashes-jaguar-for-blocking-the-road/vi-BBtpLSH

(Not even if Sandbanks is where you live)