12 January 2001

HUNDREDS OF DOWNPATRICK DRIVERS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW SERVICE

Hundreds of drivers in the Downpatrick area will benefit from the DOE's Driver Vehicle and Licensing NI (DVLNI) decision to extend its drivers' licences identity checking service to the Downpatrick Motor Tax Office.

The scheme currently operates at three motor tax offices in Belfast, Ballymena and Enniskillen and has been used by some 1700 drivers in the past six months.

Brendan Magee, DVLNI Chief Executive, said: "Many of our customers worry about sending their passports to us by post, in case the passport might get lost, particularly when they might be about to go on holiday. The extension of this new service to Downpatrick will allow them to have their identity checked over the counter at any one of the four participating offices and the passport will be handed back to them. The local office staff will also take the fee and check that the application form has been properly completed before sending the application to Coleraine for processing. We hope to eventually extend the service to our other local offices."

From April 1999 all applications for a Northern Ireland driving licence must be accompanied by documents to confirm the applicant's identity. This applies to all drivers even those who have held a driving licence before. The preferred document is a valid passport. Applicants for a new photocard driving licence, who hold a current UK or Irish passport, can take the application form, photograph, driving licence fee (if applicable) and passport to Downpatrick or one of the other participating motor tax offices.

The applicant's identity will be checked over the counter and the passport handed back. In addition the application form will be checked, the fee taken and the application will be sent to Coleraine for processing and the issue of the licence.

Full details of the identity checking requirements are contained in the new driving licence application form (DL 1). Anyone applying for a new licence should ensure that they use the new application form which is pink and blue and not the old grey and blue forms.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The European Commission now requires member states to take action to prevent driving licence fraud so drivers applying for new licences are required to prove their identity.
2. The preferred document is a valid passport. All drivers are required to prove their identity regardless of how long they have held a driving licence.
3. New style Northern Ireland photocard driving licences have been issued in Northern Ireland since 1 April 1999. These are similar to photocard licences, which have been issued in GB since July 1998.
4. Identity checking was introduced in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1999 at licence application or renewal stage following the introduction of similar identity checking in the rest of the UK from July 1998.
5. Any applicants, particularly those who may need new licences in a hurry e.g. going on holiday have been reluctant to send their passports to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI), Coleraine because of potential postal problems. The new service will allow them to have their identity checked over the counter in any of the four participating motor tax offices and the passport handed back to them. The application form will also be checked to ensure that it has been correctly completed in order to avoid delays in the processing of the application.
6. The new credit-card size licences are light blue in colour for provisional licences and pink in colour for full licences and are designed to fit into a driver's purse or wallet. They contain a copy of the driver's signature and a colour photograph as well as other personal details such as name, address, date of birth etc.
7. The new licences show driving entitlements on the reverse and are accompanied by a paper document which will indicate the different vehicles a driver can learn to drive, any valid endorsements and/or penalty points which the driver has, as well as other driving history. The driver has a choice as to whether he/she wishes to carry both documents at all times but the driver must be able to produce the paper document to the police or courts immediately if required.
8. Key points about driving licences
9. Northern Ireland has had photographs as part of the driving licence since the late 1920s. GB has only begun to put photographs on licences since July 1998.
10. Up until 1984 Northern Ireland licences were in the form of a small hard backed booklet, valid for three years, which contained a photograph of the driver. These were converted to EU style 10 year licences between 1984 and 1987.
11. Since 1984 Northern Ireland has had a two part driving licence, a paper part (the licence) accompanied by a plastic counterpart containing a black and white photograph of the driver and a sample signature.
12. The 2nd EC Directive, introduced in the UK on 1 January 1997, has further standardised the format of driving licences throughout the EU. All member states are required from July 2001 to have a photograph of the driver on the licence. The UK has decided to issue plastic photocard licences that can be upgraded to include a microchip at a later date as an alternative to the established paper licence.
13. Photocard driving licences, accompanied by identity checking, were introduced in GB in July 1998.
14. Identity checking at application stage was being introduced both in GB and in NI in order to combat driving licence fraud.
15. Driving licences issued prior to 1 April 1999 will continue to be valid until they expire. An estimated 130,000 licences p.a. are processed by DVLNI headquarters in Coleraine.
16. Driving licences in Northern Ireland are generally valid for 10 years. Prior to 1984 they were valid for 3 years. These 3 year licences were converted to 10 year licences between 1984 and 1987. These fell due for renewal during 1994 to 1997 and some 500,000 NI drivers had their licences renewed during this period. All these licences will continue to be valid after 1 April 1999 until the expiry date shown on the licences.
17. Further information, Paddy Murphy, DOE Press Office, telephone. 028 9054 0014.