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DVLA website crashes on launch day leaving motorists facing car hire fiasco
New site to view driving licence records online - now an essential service to hire a car after "paper counterparts" were scrapped - collapses as thousands go online
British holidaymakers' plans have been left in chaos after a new Government website which provides essential information for overseas car hire crashed on the day of its official launch.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) site - set up following the scrapping of the paper counterpart to driving licences - appeared to suffer a complete technical breakdown, meaning many Britons will be unable to hire cars abroad.
Motorists who attempted to get a copy of a DVLA code which must be handed to car hire companies received an online error message.
As of midnight on Sunday the paper counterparts which accompanied credit-card size picture driving licences have been abolished and have no legal status at home and abroad.
Although the site began to recover later in the day it is expected to face similar demand in around six weeks’ time at the start of the school holidays, prompting fears of another collapse.
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “A lot of people will be checking the site at the same time as soon as the schools break up, as they hit the road for the ferries.
“The worry is that it may overload the site in the summer when people desperately need it.”
Drivers expressed their frustration online.
Elra Desmond commented on Twitter: "Tut tut @DVLAgovuk pretty hopeless website you've got there."
While Iain Dooley asked: "Be honest, did anyone really think the new online DVLA licence service would actually work?"
It is not the first time the DVLA has suffered technical problems linked with its efforts to move towards "paperless" technology.
In October last year thousands of motorists were left open to potential prosecution for failing to have valid road tax when part of the agency's website crashed following the abolition of paper tax discs.
Amid the latest chaos, motoring groups warned that people could be refused hire cars if they follow official advice and tear up the the paper counterparts, which show drivers' records and any offences.
Oliver Morley, chief executive of the DVLA, earlier acknowledged that motorists would need their National Insurance number in order to access the specific code - valid for just 72 hours - that rental companies will now require to access their records online.
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"It's very, very cheap to just do a quick check online to get the code," he said.
Reminded that a National Insurance number was required, he added: "One of the things about the National Insurance number is it's anywhere you're paid or you need to pay the governent.
"It's on a pension slip or a payslip, it's pretty easy to get hold of."
On its website, the DVLA tells motorists to "destroy" the papers from June 8, as they are no longer needed.
Letters advising customers to rip up the documents have also been sent to more than two million drivers who have applied for an updated or replacement licence since March.
An image of the website's appearance before it suffered technical difficulties
However, motoring organisations advised drivers to retain their paper copies for the time being.
The paper counterpart to the driving licence displays details that cannot be included on a photocard, such as endorsements or penalty points.
As part of the efforts to move Government records to digital forms this information will only be stored electronically by the DVLA from now on.
When customers collect cars from rental desks, hire companies must instead access an online database to check the driver's details.
To do so, they need a driving licence number, National Insurance number, postcode and the new code from the DVLA, which should be downloaded before travel to avoid problems.
"You should destroy your paper counterpart after this date but you still need to keep your current photocard driving licence."
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Europcar is one of the few companies that has said British travellers renting abroad will not need a paper counterpart, code or printed forms.
By contrast, Hertz has said that drivers will require evidence of their endorsements for rentals collected in Austria, the Balearics, Canaries, Croatia, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia.
It will accept a printed copy of a driver's licence summary, which can be found at gov.uk/view-driving-licence.
A DVLA spokesman said: “We’re seeing high demand for our View Driving Licence service.
“Drivers may experience access issues. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.”
The changes do not apply to old-style paper licences issued before 1998, which remain valid.