At the age of nearly 51 I'm giving up doctoring on health grounds, taking a medical retirement and then will look for a low stress job.
I actually enjoy driving and even in a city environment I still find it relaxing, so this is the area I will be looking for work.
Employers ask for a "clean driving licence". Does this mean no prosecutions showing from any point in time or just no current prosecutions? I ask because I still have my old pink licence and I have speeding prosecutions from 1991 and May 2003. I don't know whether it would be worth getting a new photocard licence after May this year or if I should just stick to the old pink licence.
There's no rush as I don't need work just now but will in the near future to stop me going bonkers from boredom.
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I've always taken it to mean no current points (ie. 3 years after a 'normal' 3 point offence).
After a further year you're allowed to apply to DVLA to have the points wiped off the licence so I guess some people could mean then.
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from a legal stand point unlike where an employer can ask for details of convictions for any criminal offence spent or unspent with drivers licenses the term 'clean' refers to the license's current state.
i.e points that have been wiped are no longer relevant. the reason that an employer requires a clean driving license is not a legal one it is a commonsense approach you dont want to hire someone into a position where their job requires alot of driving if that person is prone to speeding and you could be forced to let them go a few months down the line when they get banned for accumulating too many points.
Edited by welshlad on 04/04/2008 at 09:33
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I'd have thought the same, unless there is a rider question on the form which asks for a longer time period.
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Back about 5 years ago I was involved in an accident and had to give a statement. At the station I produced my license which had some expired points on it but I never had them removed. The officer, on tape, look at the license and said it was clean.
So I guess expired points don't count for the police and therefore the license is to all intents and purposes clean. The points from 2000 are still on there.
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I would assume that they only want to know about 'active' points - points which still count for totting up purposes.
However, they could for insurance reasons want to know of any driving convictions/fines within the past 5 years. In that case, they might still want to know of your May 2003 one until it expires in a couple of months.
The 1991 one is done and dusted!
It's an ambiguous question - only they can really tell you what they want.
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I employ 5 drivers and to me a clean license means no current points.
However and Im not alone in this most dealers will now accept 3 points on an employee's license without blinking due to the fact that its so easy to get 3 points these days.
What I wont accept is previous convictions for drink driving ... no insurance .. TWOC .. banned under a totting up .. no matter how far they go back (assuming they're still shown on the license) .... may be a little harsh but if one of our drivers gets up to no good / accident then it can cost ££££££££££££'s
If you want a drivers job then just drop 10 CV's off at your local dealers and Im sure you will have at least 3 offers.
One question to ask at interview is along the lines of how do I get back from a job ? (as you dont want to be thumbing a lift at side of motorway !!)
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A 'clean' licence is where you leave your licence in your back pocket and put it through the wash ;-).
On the date of expiry of all the points then the licence is 'clean'. A Drink Drive conviction will last 10 years.
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On the date of expiry of all the points then the licence is 'clean'. A Drink Drive conviction will last 10 years.
a drink drive stays on the licence for 11 years but the ban can range from 12 months upwards so after the ban finishes isnt the licence clean then?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 04/04/2008 at 13:48
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Many thanks for all your comments.
I do want to keep hold of my pink licence and you have all reassured me that I can do so.
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It means no points within the last 5 years, as this is how long they stay on the license for, even if they no longer count them for the purposes of totting-up after 3 years.
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4, not 5 for staying "active". 3 for totting up.
5 years is the usual insurance question even though in theory they are spent.
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"a drink drive stays on the licence for 11 years but the ban can range from 12 months upwards so after the ban finishes isnt the licence clean then?"
No. A ban under totting up will clean your licence. A drink drive conviction with ban will stay. Reason being a second offence within 10 years will incurr a much heavier penalty.
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but any offence over 5 years old doesnt have to be disclosed to your insurer?
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3 day turn around online for a photocard - you keep your old licence (for later return). All you need for this to happen is a current passport for them to "retrieve" your photo and signature.
Brilliantly simple (even in my rather complex situation)
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I count my own licence as clean because its never had any points on it in nearly 36 years (touch wood).
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but any offence over 5 years old doesn't have to be disclosed to your insurer?
I think it depends on the question asked. They seem to be able to get around the "spent" aspect of motoring convictions. It looks like they have the option of judging a risk by a 5 year old speeding ticket. (although most ignore the first and more commonly the second).
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One the last occasion I hired a car I was asked whether I had ever been convicted of a motoring offence. Even though my points had expired I fessed up. Need I have done?
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i hired a luton van and the guy who was hiring out only just accepted my licence , his minimum is 6 years clear after a conviction...his vans his rules i suppose
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but any offence over 5 years old doesnt have to be disclosed to your insurer?
Drink Driving is 10 years IIRC
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>> but any offence over 5 years old doesnt have to be disclosed to your insurer? >> Drink Driving is 10 years IIRC
iv'e just filled in a couple of on-line insurance quotes and not one has asked for any "previous" longer than 5 years old
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My insurers asked for 5 years as well, but wanted a photocopy of my licence which shows a DD conviction from 10 years ago (when I was barely old enough to drink, I wouldn't even consider it now).
They didn't seem to have a problem with this (I even pointed it out in a cover letter, and noted that I hadn't disclosed it due to the 5 year question) and they didn't seem to have a problem. I renewed with them again the next year so all seems OK.
I'm surprised that insurers are even allowed to ask about convictions up to 5 years old though - given that the Rehabilitation of Offenders act means that the 5 year period could include 'spent' convictions (including my old DD conviction).
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I'm surprised that insurers are even allowed to ask about convictions up to 5 years old though - given that the Rehabilitation of Offenders act means that the 5 year period could include 'spent' convictions (including my old DD conviction).
The Rehab of Offenders Act gives the offender the right not to mention a spent conviction, it doesn't stop anyone asking a question.
Have you any convictions? No, you reply, knowing fine well that daft shoplifting offence you did as a kid during the lunch break at school is long since spent.
However, the question: Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence, spent or not? is a bit harder to answer.
I've seen it used on forms for so-called sensitive posts such as a prison visitor.
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