Can you use a UK paper license counterpart in Australia?
A few weeks ago I lost my card UK driver's license somewhere in Arizona/Nevada.
In November I will be in Australia. My new license may not make it here in time.
However I still have the paper counterpart of my UK license.
I've been told you can drive/rent cars with the paper part + passport? Is this accurate, or do I need something additional to be legal to drive in Australia?
Best Answer
As of June 2015 the paper counterpart for the UK photocard driving licence was abolished and no longer has any legal status, the government advice stating that the document should be destroyed.
Based on this, I wouldn't rely on the possession of the counterpart itself being taken as sufficient proof of entitlement for a number of reasons, for example, it no longer proves that your licence has not been revoked (because the government is no longer requiring it's surrender), or may not show that you have a recent serious driving conviction (because it is no longer being updated and re-issued following conviction).
Instead of the paper counterpart there is a new on-line system which you can use to provide your current licence details to relevant third parties such as hire companies.
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Is a UK paper driving licence valid in Australia?
Road travel. You can drive in Australia using your UK driving licence as long as you remain a temporary overseas visitor; your UK licence is valid; you haven't been disqualified from driving anywhere; and your licence is not suspended or cancelled, or your visiting driving privileges withdrawn.Can you drive with paper counterpart?
What to do with your paper counterpart. The paper counterpart to a driving licence has had no legal status since 8 June 2015. You should destroy yours if you have one, but keep your photocard driving licence.Are paper driving licences still valid abroad?
Paper licences issued before 1998 are also still valid, although they will not be updated with the recent information about your driving record. If yours was issued after 1998, you can, of course, hold on to the paper part, although the government advises that you destroy it.Does a UK driving licence have a paper counterpart?
That paper driving licence counterpart is being abolished in June 2015, so a UK driving licence will consist of only the photocard from that date. Information about category entitlements will be displayed on the card, while data about convictions will be held by the DVLA and available on request.How to get your driving license in Australia |Convert overseas license to Australian
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