DVLA Moan.

[JLneonhug]

So.... "I've" misplaced my paper counterpart of my licence since most likely 1st month of having my licence, but no matter I wasnt lucky enough to aquire any points (woop). Anyway, thought I would get a replacement since I might want to go to events with a/the car (drifting/track days/supercar or rally days). Saw DVLA has pretty online form thing which you can do most of the leg work so that the post office etc etc wont need to. Before I set off and do the online thing I noticed there was an expiry date on my card part (next year). So I assumed since its nearly outdated it would prompt me to do the whole photo thing again. Finished the form, paid the moneys. I had confirmation email, but felt a bit strange why they didn't ask me anything about my photo renewal.

New documents arrived, quite promptly, and guess what? Expires next year ............ I've written them a complaint to sort this out but I fear I may not have leverage because I didn't specify I needed a replacement photo as there was no option to............. that's until I got a link confirmation email after I paid!

So instead of paying £20 for the paper back version and new photo on my card I would need to pay £20 for the replacement, AND £25 for an updated photo... Im not sure whether to applaud the geniuses of the people who wrote the system to rake in as much money as possible or shoot them because they're so dumb they cant put 2+2 together.

[matt_theforce]

I had something similar, We moved house less 10months ago and I sent both parts of my driving license off to have an address change (which is free) only to get a letter last month advising me my license was due to expire within 2 weeks of receiving the letter, the letter goes on to advise that a replacement could take upto 3 weeks :wonder: .note. it took 4 weeks for my new license to arrive and was advised by the DVLA (during a phone call to complain) that I couldn't drive during that time as I didn't have a license.

It is annoying why we have to pay to renew a photo card license that they introduced yet you can move house and replace both parts for free.

It's just another way to make money

[gac]

It's not all bad, I got a free photo change (and I think another 10 years on the expiry date) when I sent mine off to have 3 points removed. Obviously I was paying for the points removal anyway so not everything was free, but I got 2 things for the price of 1.

Also, you can still drive while your license is off with the DVLA in 99% of cases, specifically:

You can drive before you receive your licence as long as you:

have held a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence issued since 1 January 1976 or another exchangeable licence

aren't disqualified from driving

haven't been refused a licence for medical reasons or for failing to comply with medical enquiries

wouldn't be refused a licence for medical reasons - if in doubt, check with your doctor

keep to any special conditions that apply to your licence

[matt_theforce]

Also, you can still drive while your license is off with the DVLA in 99% of cases, specifically:

Quote

You can drive before you receive your licence as long as you:

have held a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence issued since 1 January 1976 or another exchangeable licence

aren't disqualified from driving

haven't been refused a licence for medical reasons or for failing to comply with medical enquiries

wouldn't be refused a licence for medical reasons - if in doubt, check with your doctor

keep to any special conditions that apply to your licence

In which case there was no need for me to get up at 4am todo a 20mile bike ride to start work at 6:30 and then do the same ride home getting me home at around 21:20 with a 12hour shift inbetween .

It just goes to show that some of the DVLA's staff are not properly trained, I wish I'd just said sod it and driven anyway

[gac]

Afraid not. Not according to DirectGov anyway, which is where that quote was pinched from. No one on the end of a phone anywhere is properly trained anymore, sadly. They're minimum wage monkeys just brought in to get bums on seats and given a script, as soon as you deviate from what's on it they're on their own and just make stuff up half the time.

IMO anyway, based on my experience of pretty much every time I speak to anyone in a call centre.

[Octoplus]

In which case there was no need for me to get up at 4am todo a 20mile bike ride to start work at 6:30 and then do the same ride home getting me home at around 21:20 with a 12hour shift inbetween .

It just goes to show that some of the DVLA's staff are not properly trained, I wish I'd just said sod it and driven anyway

Sorry but the advice here is plain wrong.

IF you are having a VALID license altered for any reason (other than medical review) then you can carry on driving while you wait for the replacement to arrive but where a license has EXPIRED you are not allowed to drive because you do not have a license until a new one is issued.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

My points just "fell off" my licence without me paying. I`v lost so many licences over the years I pretty much pay £20 a year However, its not a massive amount. I would have assumed you would need a current copy of your licence before you could update it, meaning you`d have to pay twice anyway

Matt

[keystonedriving]

Sorry but the advice here is plain wrong.

IF you are having a VALID license altered for any reason (other than medical review) then you can carry on driving while you wait for the replacement to arrive but where a license has EXPIRED you are not allowed to drive because you do not have a license until a new one is issued.

If the photocard has expired but your entitlement to drive has not (see the dates on the rear of the photocard), you are permitted to drive. There is a possible £1000 penalty which could be levied for failing to renew, but that would not normally be done.

The problems arise where a driver has to complete a regular medical declaration (when you are over 70, for instance) and in those cases the right to drive does expire with the validity of the photocard (the dates on the front and back are the same). In that case the medical declaration can be completed on line and, provided there have been no changes, you are permitted to drive as soon as the declaration has been completed.

This advice was received from a supervisor at the DVLA when I had a 74 year old on a speed awareness course who had a licence which had expired 18 months earlier! I have been presented with a photocard that was 4 years out of date - 'I haven't had a reminder' - well you wouldn't, seeing as how you haven't told them you've moved. (That's potentially £2000 for failing to notify a change of address and £1000 for not renewing your photocard.) They were still entitled to drive as the date on the back was still valid.

Rob.

[D15VRS]

For my Sins I drive an HGV which now has a White Plastic Drivers Card which is also the Tacograph. Replaced every 5 years. When I had my 50th Medical you have to send off for renewal. I had my Medical 1 month before and sent off my Card, which expired on my 50th Birthday. It was not back in time so had no Taco, DVLA said that I could not drive, (so no work)not happy with that I rang the FTA (freight transport ass) who informed me that I was quite leagally allowed to drive as it was the DVLA who has not returned my card in time. So the DVLA was not giving correct information and it seems correct to say they don't know what they are talking about. If you have allowed enough time and not been revoked you are allowed to carry on driving. FACT.