A report on the BBC News website is warning UK drivers that after 8 June they will need a special code in order to hire a car when travelling abroad.
The paper counterpart of UK driving licences, which records endorsements and fines, is being computerised, and after 8 June UK drivers wanting to hire a car abroad will need a code to show any convictions.
The code will be available from the DVLA website but will only be valid for 72 hours, so anyone wanting to hire a car more than three days into their trip will need to generate a new code while abroad.
While the DVLA recommends destroying paper counterparts after 8 June, the AA is advising people not to do so in case some hire companies are unaware of the new arrangements.
Edmund King, AA president, told BBC News: "Not all car rental companies, or indeed traffic police abroad, will be aware of the changes, so a ‘belt and braces’ approach of also taking the counterpart might help."
The AA said hiring a car abroad without a paper counterpart is not always a problem, as some car hire companies do not currently ask for a counterpart, and not all will ask for a code after 8 June.
Drivers can view a record of their convictions by logging onto the GOV.UK website.
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