From 8 June 2015 the paper counterpart driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by the DVLA. The paper counterpart is where any endorsements or penalties are recorded and this may impact if you are hiring a car overseas.
You can find out more about the DVLA changes here.
When hiring a vehicle you will need to prove your driving record. This can be done by obtaining a unique number through the DVLA ‘Share Driving License Service’. This number, combined with digits from your driving licence, can be shared with car hire companies. The ‘check code’ will be valid for 21 days.