driving license copy?

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#596689 18-Mar-2012 09:41

SpookyAwol: Theres a difference between acceptable and legal.

As mentioned before - you need to carry your original licence as a legal document
A photocopy may be acceptable as it at least identifies you and gives the cop something to work with. However if you chose to carry no form of ID at all, they have the right to detain you to prove identity.

Smart devices are now being used by police that scan your licence to provide an immediate ID. If you dont have your licence, prepare for a longer wait.

These devices don't yet have the capability to pull photo's across so the roadside cop cannot yet see if the person driving is indeed who they say they are.*

Aside from this, police do not have general access to the LTNZ drivers licence photo database, so are only able to view (at a police station) photo's of people who have been arrested. If a driver has never been arrested before, police cannot see a photo of him/her, except on their drivers licence.

EDIT: *mentioned this in light of a combination of mattwnz's and SpookyAwol's post

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#596691 18-Mar-2012 09:44

How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

johnr

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#596692 18-Mar-2012 09:45

freitasm: How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

Difficult for some as noted in this thread

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#596695 18-Mar-2012 10:02

Land Transport Act 1998, Section 5, subsection 4:

(4)A person driving a motor vehicle must produce without delay his or her driver licence for inspection whenever required to do so by an enforcement officer.

Land Transport Act 1998, Section 31, subsection 1 (c):

31. Contravention of sections 5(1)(a), 5(1)(b), 5(4), 30(2), 30(3), or 30(4A)

(1) A person commits an offence if the person?

(c)is the driver of a motor vehicle and fails to produce his or her driver licence for inspection without delay after being required to do so by an enforcement officer

RunningMan

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#596715 18-Mar-2012 11:45

codyc1515: Its kinda ridiculous that you get a $55 fine for nothing (ie. revenue collecting). They can lookup your drivers license based on the number and verify it just as if you had it on your person.

What happens then if I get stopped by the Police, and I give codyc1515's name?

Yeah, people lie from time to time - they had one on Police 10/7 the other night where a driver gave someone else's details.

Putting aside it being a legal requirement to produce it, without the officer being able to see the photo and confirm who you are, you could just say you were Santa Claus when being stopped.

OK, I'm being a bit over the top, but essentially, it's just to prove you are who you say you are - they can look up the licence details on the computer, but that doesn't confirm that the person giving the details is the same person. The plastic licences are like paper money - designed to be pretty hard to copy, so they are a reliable form of ID.

As for the OP's question regarding a copy I guess that while technically not legal, it would depend on the exact circumstances in which you were required to produce it - being stopped at a checkpoint might be different to if you were involved in a crash, or picked up driving drunk...

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#596722 18-Mar-2012 12:15

RunningMan:
codyc1515: Its kinda ridiculous that you get a $55 fine for nothing (ie. revenue collecting). They can lookup your drivers license based on the number and verify it just as if you had it on your person.

What happens then if I get stopped by the Police, and I give codyc1515's name?

Yeah, people lie from time to time - they had one on Police 10/7 the other night where a driver gave someone else's details.

Putting aside it being a legal requirement to produce it, without the officer being able to see the photo and confirm who you are, you could just say you were Santa Claus when being stopped.

OK, I'm being a bit over the top, but essentially, it's just to prove you are who you say you are - they can look up the licence details on the computer, but that doesn't confirm that the person giving the details is the same person. The plastic licences are like paper money - designed to be pretty hard to copy, so they are a reliable form of ID.

As for the OP's question regarding a copy I guess that while technically not legal, it would depend on the exact circumstances in which you were required to produce it - being stopped at a checkpoint might be different to if you were involved in a crash, or picked up driving drunk...

If an officer has doubts as to your identity they can often use other bits of information in an attempt to confirm it. Last criminal charge/history; scars, marks, tattoos; demerit history; desc of photo; current or previous addresses etc, or they can place you under arrest until your identity can be confirmed. As others have mentioned you may get away without carrying your license but you will end up spending a lot more time at the roadside (especially if Comms is busy) or even time in custody.

The smart devices are great but currently they can only provide a basic snapshot of info, officers can't see photos, read any info more than 1 level down or view specific details on warrents etc. That functionality will come with time. Until than carry your photo drivers license or don't plan on being anywhere in a hurry.

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#596787 18-Mar-2012 16:17

freitasm: How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

it is not that hard. i found it a nuisance lately when you have to swap cars (prior to this i left my driving license in the car)

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#596831 18-Mar-2012 17:37

nakedmolerat:
freitasm: How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

it is not that hard. i found it a nuisance lately when you have to swap cars (prior to this i left my driving license in the car)

I just keep mine in my wallet and that solves that issue as I'm never without my wallet.

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#596833 18-Mar-2012 17:42

nakedmolerat:
freitasm: How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

it is not that hard. i found it a nuisance lately when you have to swap cars (prior to this i left my driving license in the car)

Its so simple keep it in your wallet

Chainsaw

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#597064 19-Mar-2012 12:10

freitasm: How hard is to someone to just have the licence in a wallet and grab it when taking the car keys?

That can actually be quite tricky. I may drive as many 3 different cars in a day, and also change trousers if I'm going our in the field. Having to remember to swap my licence over is a pita, and I do often forget.

I like the photocopy idea, simply because it's better than nothing. i would still try to remember the licence, but use the copy as backup.

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#597068 19-Mar-2012 12:20

We used to have two cars... But only one wallet.

SpookyAwol

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#597074 19-Mar-2012 12:33

Keep a photo of it on your phone :-)

johnr

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#597076 19-Mar-2012 12:40

SpookyAwol: Keep a photo of it on your phone :-)

Are you kidding? If you can remember your phone you can remember your wallet

keewee01

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#597093 19-Mar-2012 13:01

johnr:
SpookyAwol: Keep a photo of it on your phone :-)

Are you kidding? If you can remember your phone you can remember your wallet

+1

I wonder if they would allow you to have multiple licenses (all the same), for a fee, or if it is one of those things that you can only ever have one "live" one associated with a person?

scuwp

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#597094 19-Mar-2012 13:04

keewee01:
johnr:
SpookyAwol: Keep a photo of it on your phone :-)

Are you kidding? If you can remember your phone you can remember your wallet

+1

I wonder if they would allow you to have multiple licenses (all the same), for a fee, or if it is one of those things that you can only ever have one "live" one associated with a person?

You can only have 1. Each issue has a 'version' number with previous versions cancelled.

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