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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can bouncers take a passport off you?

68 replies

seesw · 15/12/2023 07:30

I'm going out with my younger sister who's only 17. She uses my old driving license it's in my old name. And has a different photo

If they notice can they take my passport off me?

OP posts:
Anisette · 15/12/2023 09:08

You could always avoid the problem by waiting till your sister is 18.

Cas112 · 15/12/2023 09:11

When I was younger they did retain the IDs and the rightful owners was the ones who had to collect them

Wasn't aware they wasn't allowed to do that though

LyingLikeACheapCarpet · 15/12/2023 09:14

MrsJackRackam · 15/12/2023 08:48

If the police/ licensing authority do a spot check (which they frequently do this time of year) and your sister gets caught drinking underage then it's the barstaff who served her will be fined £5000. That'll be a nice Christmas present for them.

No they wouldn't.

They have to take reasonable steps to prevent underage drinking. Asking for a valid ID, which it is, and matching the picture to the sister, which is reasonable as I assume they are similar looking, is reasonable steps. The venue won't be punished because someone was devious.

gotomomo · 15/12/2023 09:17

No but how about not risking it, using a fake id is always a bad idea.

Divebar2021 · 15/12/2023 09:18

Oh how things have changed. I was drinking in pubs at 15 and never had to show ID in my life ( other than the US)

Trevorton · 15/12/2023 09:19

QueSyrahSyrah · 15/12/2023 08:43

Do you mean you're using your passport and she's using your driving licence, so both in the same name? I know bouncers have a reputation but they're not completely brain dead....

Literally, right there in the very limited text from the OP she says the driving licence is in a different name (her old name).

shearwater2 · 15/12/2023 09:20

Benibidibici · 15/12/2023 08:11

No but they will kick you both out.

It is really annoying when people do this. An over 18s bar is that age limit for a reason, the adults there don't really want it full of younger teenagers. Your sister can go when she's old enough.

It is more strict these days but we used to go out and drink from Y11 (age 15/16) onwards if we could get served.

Mrsttcno1 · 15/12/2023 09:32

If they suspect the ID’s are not you, they can take it off you yes. Or at least they do here! They keep them and either pass to police for you to collect or they keep them and you can go collect them the following day with proof of ID, so you can get it back either way it’s not gone forever.

QueSyrahSyrah · 15/12/2023 09:34

@Trevorton But the same date of birth presumably, which is what a bouncer is looking for.

Original poster
seesw · 15/12/2023 09:35

@Sugarsun it's the same first name but the photos don't look alike my driving one is a photo from 16 so close in age to my sister and we get told we're similar looking

Then my passport which was new last year is a brand new photo I don't think the photos are close

Only thing is first name and date of birth

OP posts:
Original poster
seesw · 15/12/2023 09:37

@CheeseWisely one of my best friends has the same birthday and year as me so same date of birth and it's never questioned

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 15/12/2023 09:39

Honestly OP I wouldn’t worry about it, worst case scenario if the bouncers believe the ID is not you/her they take them and you can then get it back from either the venue or the police. I’m the oldest sister and also the oldest of the cousins so most of them have been “me” for a night out at some point! X

Nineteendays · 15/12/2023 09:45

I don’t know- my sister once used my driving license. Got it taken off her by bouncers and passed on to police. I had to retrieve it from the police station the following day.

QueSyrahSyrah · 15/12/2023 09:47

seesw · 15/12/2023 09:37

@CheeseWisely one of my best friends has the same birthday and year as me so same date of birth and it's never questioned

Do you have the same first name and similar faces though, and if you go out together are you using one valid passport and one expired driving licence between you? I'm sure they wouldn't question two valid passports with the same DOB, or two driving licences. People don't usually have two of each.

PropertyManager · 15/12/2023 09:49

A bouncer has no rights greater than a normal citizen. If they have reason to believe you have committed a crime they can perform a citizens arrest and take reasonable steps to detain you until the police arrive (although they really need to be careful doing this)

They can call the police, they can stop you entering and ask you to leave/escort you off the premises.

They cannot take anything from you, that would be theft, if they did you simply call the police. If you don't have a right to the item (ie its someone elses licence/passport) they can perform citizens arrest and call the police.

If they did take a passport, and it was later proved to be yours, they would be in court for theft.

puncheur · 15/12/2023 09:52

Divebar2021 · 15/12/2023 09:18

Oh how things have changed. I was drinking in pubs at 15 and never had to show ID in my life ( other than the US)

Same here. Friday lunchtimes in sixth form we would go to the pub in uniform. Sixth formers in the bar, teachers were all in the lounge. Everyone smoking their heads off. First time I got asked for ID was aged 25 in the US - I was incredulous.

Quartz2208 · 15/12/2023 09:52

seesw · 15/12/2023 09:37

@CheeseWisely one of my best friends has the same birthday and year as me so same date of birth and it's never questioned

No because you have different first names and don’t look alike!

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 15/12/2023 09:55

Divebar2021 · 15/12/2023 09:18

Oh how things have changed. I was drinking in pubs at 15 and never had to show ID in my life ( other than the US)

Me too and I’m not even an alcoholic or anything. Not strictly relevant but I do wonder if the moral panic we seem to have imported from the USA about underage drinking is really justified

Sugarsun · 15/12/2023 10:15

Quartz2208 · 15/12/2023 09:52

No because you have different first names and don’t look alike!

Show quote history

Exactly.

You’ve got one that says ‘Miss Katie Brown’ and one that says ‘Mrs Katie Phillips’.

And both have the exact same DOB and similar photos.

Siblings wouldn’t be called the same first name, so if she looks like you it would be even weirder.

I would try it but she would need to go in before you and then you go in say 30mins later depending on how busy it is.
You don’t want to go in first in case she can’t get it.

Can you post both of the photos so we can tell you if we think they’re the same person or not?

bananamangoes · 15/12/2023 10:16

No. They would laugh at you and turn you away

YouveGotAFastCar · 15/12/2023 10:22

I'd imagine they'd not bother them and would just give me a warning etc

It's probably very location-dependent, but they'd phone the police where I am - our community police are really engaged with local venues. This is a somewhat small town, though; and it might be different elsewhere.

I suspect trying to enter with your sister, on an ID with the same first name and DOB, is more likely to fail than succeed.

Original poster
seesw · 15/12/2023 10:25

@Sugarsun aw they are horrid photos haha but at 16 I had bleach blonde hair and it isn't a super clear photos, my passport one my hairs pull off my face and is dark and very clear photo

OP posts:
Original poster
seesw · 15/12/2023 10:29

@YouveGotAFastCar a lot of the places we are going are restaurants too /cocktails so no ID on the door if they come to the table asking I'll say I left mine and drink soft drinks until the next place

The first place is nc64 (I think that's it's name) a gaming place where you do have to be 18 but no one is looking at the door so it's just getting drinks

OP posts:
harriettenightingale · 15/12/2023 10:29

As someone suggested, she tries to go in first, if she can't get in then no issues you just go home. If she gets in ok then wait a short time and you go in with your passport, which I imagine will be fine.

Dbank · 15/12/2023 10:29

Just be aware that she's committing "fraudulent misrepresentation", and you're assisting her, which may be a criminal offence.

Either way it's not a good example to set.