I was just wondering how the ministry enforces the licensing of apparition. If they would be notified by illegal apparition, wouldnt they be able to tell a licensed from an unlicensed apparition, thus in a way registering all apparition that happens?
Any ideas or clues from the book are welcome.

 

Well...Harry apparated illegally with Dumbledore at the end of HBP and he wasn't sent a letter from Hopkirk or anything. So, I don't think that they really can enforce it. However, it could be argued that as long as someone licensed is with you, you can apparate as much as you want.

 

I'd have to read that part again, I see now, I remembered it as side-along.

 

On the way there, it was side-along, but on the way back, he did it himself.

 

The easiest solution would be to say they do random checks for some paperwork, but that doesnt suit. It's too much a muggle concept to fit in.

DarthBill: I checked it, he took AD side-along.

 

I don't think they can tell if someone is apparating. Even if they could, it would be too much work to oversee this all, since thousands are apparating every day. Now, there's the possibility that all magical signatures with a license aren't shown. But why didn't Harry get an owl from the ministry? I think they have a few guys from the DMLE at some apparition points (Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade) watching over the crowd and do random checks. And just because it's a muggle concept doesn't mean they don't use it.

 

I think that if someone illegaly apparrated and splinched, then the ministry would get on thier backs.

 

I think they're pretty clearly intended to be analogous to driving licenses IRL, suggesting they use similar methods of enforcement. Random checks would be pretty invasive--more likely they just check anybody that looks suspiciously young to apparate, or when they think somebody is committing another crime they use the pretext of checking his apparition license to do a stop and frisk.

Magical Law Enforcement in general has got to be ridiculously difficult, given the low population scattered through such great distances. Then again, it is a 100% armed society, so there might be more of a Wild West ethos going on...

 

Well it is said in book six that the ministry cant track individually done magic either. So maybe it's the same for apparition, they keep track until you have learnt and then forget about it

 

I think when you mess up the apparition is when they usually check, since people who don't have a license are usually the ones likely to do so. I think Mr. Weasley mentioned it in the fourth book somewhere.

 

I would imagine they jsut have folk at apparation points in major areas who keep watch for anyone who looks to be too young. I would think that they only really come down on folk who fuck it up when they apparate and splinch themselves without a license.

 

Yeah when people fuck up they have to call the ministry to put them together and they get fined

 

I think that the apparition license are only for show, giving proof that the person passed the test, who are less likely to screw up and really knows how to apparate.

Those who don't have the license are assumed doesn't know how to and are fined if they splinch themselves for wasting ministry officials’ time, after all they have to be put together and the possibility of the need for Obliviators if there are muggle witnesses.

For those who have apparition license, but splinch themselves are more likely to have a better reason for the accident other than lack of training.