Production of driving documents

It is a matter of good practice to carry your driving documents with you. However for various reasons (i.e fear of theft of documents from your vehicle or loss of documents) not everyone does.

It is an offence not to produce your documents to a police officer upon request. However, you are allowed to:

• produce the documents within seven days at a police station specified at the time the producer (HO/RT1) was given; or
• produce the documents at the specified station as soon as is reasonably practicable. The length of time this means will be taken on a case by case basis.

So in the above situation you should make every effort to produce the required documents as soon as possible. There is no guarantee however that your reasons for non-production will be accepted and you will then be reported for citation.

An Endorsable Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty issued in Scotland should be paid at Justice of the Peace Court nominated on the actual Fixed penalty Ticket (however following Scottish Court Unification a payment can be made at any Sheriff or Justice of the Peace Court in Scotland).

Many Courts, if you pay the offer in person, will endorse your licence immediately and return it to you at that time.

You may contact the Scottish Court Service for guidance if you need your licence quickly to ascertain their 'turnaround' times.

NO EXTENSIONS ARE GRANTED WITH REGARDS CONDITIONAL OFFERS OF FIXED PENALTIES.

It is an offence not to produce your driving licence, certificate of insurance and MOT certificate when requested to do so by a police officer. However the usual action is that the police officer will issue a HO/RT1 form requiring you to produce the documents at a police station of your choice within 7 days. If this is done and they are in order, then that is the end of the matter.

If you do not produce your documents you will be reported for failing to have the documents at the time of the request for production (so that extra time is not spent re-visiting you at home if you do not produce). If you fail to produce the documents within the 7 day period or they are not in order, you will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and may be cited to attend court.

From a crime prevention point of view it is better never to leave your driving documents in your car and produce them within the 7 day period.

You need to contact the Central Ticket Office (sometimes called Central Process Bureau or similar) of the force concerned and in most circumstances you will be issued with another copy.

If it was a conditional offer and you have failed to pay, you will be given another opportunity to pay the ticket so you will eventually receive more paperwork.

If it was a citation you must re contact the Central Ticket Office as a failure to appear at court could lead to a warrant for your arrest being issued.

Do not delay. There are time limits on these processes and they can get more expensive (or even lead to your arrest) if you do nothing.