They need the licence and the code to access the dvla database

 

I think @Truthmatters is simply asking 'why'.

Why not just get the details from the licence number?

OK.... sure, so if someone knows your driver's licence number they can check if you have points and your driving classes .... so what?

If you want to know what classes and endorsements I have, I'll tell you. Why is it a secret?

 

To check for endorsements.

 

If you have to give whoever the last 8 digits of your licence anyway what is the advantage over giving them the licence? I presume there must be one but is it worth it?

View attachment 205489

They can't rely on your license showing endorsements on it because you might not have sent it off to get them added. Or you may be banned but are still in possession of a license document. So it's a live database check for such stuff.

 

Plastic licences never showed endorsements - they were on the counterpart which was done away with, and endorsements are no longer recorded on old paper licences.
Advice for motorists with paper driving licences: how they’ll be affected when the counterpart’s abolished – Inside DVLA

You used to be able to 'lose' your clean paper licence, then get a replacement. So always had one to show the car hire if you got banned.

 

As above, you generate the code so giving access to it was your choice.
It's used to access all the details of the license including what can be driven/operated as well as endorsements.

I thought it was something which had dissapeared, not heard of it for a few years.

Gaz

 

You need the reference code when renting a car.

 

Strange thing is that I have rented many cars and never have I been asked for the code even though I had it in my pocket.

 

Do you need a code to take a car out on a test drive?

 

I never have

Gaz

 

If you have to give whoever the last 8 digits of your licence anyway what is the advantage over giving them the licence? I presume there must be one but is it worth it?

No one has answered your real question, perhaps I can :-
The whole licence number is too much info to give away, because it can be used as a fake ID to get loans/credit etc.
So you give just enough to be unique on the DVLA system.
Also, the whole licence number gives away your date of birth, again that's too "sensitive" in this day and age of data protection. E.g.
MORGA 753116 SM9IJ
Characters 1-5 = the first 5 letters of your surname / family name
6 and 11: the year of your birth (i.e. 1976)
9 & 10: the day of your birthday (i.e. 11th of a month)
7 & 8: the month of your birth, plus 50 if female (i.e. March)
12 & 13: Your initials (i.e. of Sarah Meredith)
14: the number 9 (or 8 if there is someone else with the same names and date of birth as you, or 7 if two people etc)
15 & 16: Random letters so you don't know the full driver number of your friends if you happen to know their name(s) and date of birth.
A brilliant system which has stood the test of time (50 years) to be unique enough. Well done to Mr Jones of Swansea (probably) who thought it up in 1974.
Another tweak is that Scottish people have the second letter of their surname left out, otherwise there would be too many people whose driver numbers begin with MACxx, so they begin MCxxx instead.
There, I've given away the DVLA's biggest secret, so I'll probably be in jail soon ....
If you've learned something reading this then please do a "like".

 

I knew most of that just from interpreting my own driver license number but it was interesting seeing it laid out and there was a couple of tweaks I did not know.

 

What a remarkable place this can be sometimes. I am much better informed, thank you all for your contributions towards it. Here's a coffee on me.

 

This is how I would programme the DVLA system for 'total security';-

"Enter Driver number"....
"Enter postcode on the licence"....
"Enter class of vehicle to be driven"... [X] {a list is offered to pick from}

That is it.

The computer then displays something like;-

"This licence is currently valid to drive class [X] on 19th Feb 2025.
This licence has one endorsement;
TS30; 2/3/2023; 3 points
"

That's it! What more security is needed than this?

 

Because YOU control the documentation that generates the code. YOU never have to give that information to another person.

You generate the code. You hand the car hire company your photocard licence and give them the check code.
They can now confirm that the licence is genuine, and also that you have the declared driving record / points, etc.

Don't forget, there are lots of fake driving licences going around. This means they are useless in trying to hire a car, as they will not match a check code.

 

Because YOU control the documentation that generates the code. YOU never have to give that information to another person.

You generate the code. You hand the car hire company your photocard licence and give them the check code.
They can now confirm that the licence is genuine, and also that you have the declared driving record / points, etc.

You are still missing the question. Why can't they just do that with the driving licence alone?

What 'data protection' does generating a code bring? Give me a scenario where it protects your data.

Don't forget, there are lots of fake driving licences going around. This means they are useless in trying to hire a car, as they will not match a check code.

No hire car company will hire a car to someone 'just because they have a check code'. They will be asking for other security, not that. That means nothing, as far as security goes.

 

The check code avoids the need to give over your NI number and other personal information.

 

But you wouldn't have to!!!!

You don't 'need' a check code to do that.

All that is needed is that you hand over your licence, they type in the number, the computer then asks for the post code, they type that it, the computer asks for the first name, they type that in, and, bingo, it tells you if the person is eligible to drive.

There is also a serial code in the bottom right of the licence. It could ask for that too. Unless you are actually holding the licence, you'd not know, and if you are holding the licence then you can just type that in.