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Problem renewing driving license

JaneC

JaneC

Well-Known Member
Messages
210
Location
Oxfordshire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I sent off my 3yr driving license renewal by post ( didn’t succeed in navigating on-line form) to DVLA on 9th Sept, current license expired 20th Oct but haven’t received new license back yet and DVLA totally uncontactable by phone. Face to face hospital consult in Sept, all good and passed all medical & optical requirements so have presumed all fine to continue to drive but has anyone else had these problems or any ideas to actually get hold of a license?
 
JaneC said:
I sent off my 3yr driving license renewal by post ( didn’t succeed in navigating on-line form) to DVLA on 9th Sept, current license expired 20th Oct but haven’t received new license back yet and DVLA totally uncontactable by phone. Face to face hospital consult in Sept, all good and passed all medical & optical requirements so have presumed all fine to continue to drive but has anyone else had these problems or any ideas to actually get hold of a license?
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Hi @JaneC
Take a look at this webpage - it explains the current DVLA timescales and delays. It's pretty horrendous.
 
urbanracer said:
Hi @JaneC
Take a look at this webpage - it explains the current DVLA timescales and delays. It's pretty horrendous.
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Thanks Urbanracer and yes I'd seen most of that, I'm fine to just wait and see I guess, I'm pretty confident my health hasn’t changed anything that would effect me driving safely. Was just wondering if anyone else has had a license renewed over the last two months.
 
JaneC said:
Thanks Urbanracer and yes I'd seen most of that, I'm fine to just wait and see I guess, I'm pretty confident my health hasn’t changed anything that would effect me driving safely. Was just wondering if anyone else has had a license renewed over the last two months.
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My licence is still renewed on a 3 yearly basis if I pass all medical targets. 2 years ago I had to wait 14 months to receive a licence, but at least was told to carry the DVLA's covering letter should I be stopped by the Police. I had a blowout in a T4 van in a highly dangerous situation, and as luck would have it, the Police arrived within minutes. They were not entirely convinced by the DVLA's claim, but gave me the benefit of the doubt. Have you had any notification to say that your old licence is still valid until they have processed your medical information? If not, I would arm yourself with something like a puzzle, magazine, ring the DVLA again and sit listening to the monotonous plastic music. It's worth it in the end. Good luck!
 
Hi. I last renewed my licence a couple of years ago before their delays. I recall their documents stating that your licence renewal is effective from the renewal date subject to you having submitted your renewal documentation and until it is either approved or declined. I would hope that’s still their position today.
 
Grant_Vicat said:
My licence is still renewed on a 3 yearly basis if I pass all medical targets. 2 years ago I had to wait 14 months to receive a licence, but at least was told to carry the DVLA's covering letter should I be stopped by the Police. I had a blowout in a T4 van in a highly dangerous situation, and as luck would have it, the Police arrived within minutes. They were not entirely convinced by the DVLA's claim, but gave me the benefit of the doubt. Have you had any notification to say that your old licence is still valid until they have processed your medical information? If not, I would arm yourself with something like a puzzle, magazine, ring the DVLA again and sit listening to the monotonous plastic music. It's worth it in the end. Good luck!
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Thanks Grant, absolutely no point in contacting DVLA again, the answer phone says no calls being answered due to too many calls! This has been the response for weeks now.
 
Dexta said:
Hi. I last renewed my licence a couple of years ago before their delays. I recall their documents stating that your licence renewal is effective from the renewal date subject to you having submitted your renewal documentation and until it is either approved or declined. I would hope that’s still their position today.
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I think it must be and that’s my assumption too until I hear otherwise!
 
probably a little late to help but for others suffering delays

so long as you can get DVLA to confirm receipt of your application you can continue to drive for upto 12 months on an expired license so long as you believe you will be granted a renewal you should also just contact your gp to ensure he see no reason why you shouldn't drive.. I have to do this every year

but it's no excuse for DVLA delays
 
JaneC said:
Thanks Urbanracer and yes I'd seen most of that, I'm fine to just wait and see I guess, I'm pretty confident my health hasn’t changed anything that would effect me driving safely. Was just wondering if anyone else has had a license renewed over the last two months.
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We applied for licence renewal on the 9th September. The backlog is not good. This is just an ordinary licence, not for medical reasons, but due to it needing to be renewed as 10 years old.
 
searley said:
probably a little late to help but for others suffering delays

so long as you can get DVLA to confirm receipt of your application you can continue to drive for upto 12 months on an expired license so long as you believe you will be granted a renewal you should also just contact your gp to ensure he see no reason why you shouldn't drive.. I have to do this every year

but it's no excuse for DVLA delays
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That’s useful but have had absolutely nowt since sending my application off on the 9th Sept and no way of being able to chase it up, my daughter received a car tax reminder from them today so someone must be there!
 
JaneC said:
That’s useful but have had absolutely nowt since sending my application off on the 9th Sept and no way of being able to chase it up, my daughter received a car tax reminder from them today so someone must be there!
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do you have the medical line phone number
 
I had this at the start of the pandemic. Type 1, medical cancelled when the GP stopped seeing everyone.

I got through on the phone by phoning one of the numbers for tax renewal, i.e a phone for collecting money and pretending I'd been given that number. I was transferred directly to renewals where the chap said not to worry and that I could continue to drive, made a note on my case file should the Police ring.

Long story short, I haven't had the medical but a nice new licence valid for 3 years popped through the door a couple of months ago...
 
jackois said:
I had this at the start of the pandemic. Type 1, medical cancelled when the GP stopped seeing everyone.

I got through on the phone by phoning one of the numbers for tax renewal, i.e a phone for collecting money and pretending I'd been given that number. I was transferred directly to renewals where the chap said not to worry and that I could continue to drive, made a note on my case file should the Police ring.

Long story short, I haven't had the medical but a nice new licence valid for 3 years popped through the door a couple of months ago...
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yes it's section 88 of the road traffic act that allows this.. I have a 12 month license.. I get renewal stuff about 60 days prior to expiry but it typically takes 4 months for the renewal so typically I'm on an expired license for 2 months
 
How do you get DVL A to confirm receipt of your application if you can't get through on the phone? Do you just email them? I'm coming up to renewing my licence, so please could you post the medical phone number. Thanks in advance.
 
Hopeful34 said:
How do you get DVL A to confirm receipt of your application if you can't get through on the phone? Do you just email them? I'm coming up to renewing my licence, so please could you post the medical phone number. Thanks in advance.
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if it's a medical restricted license the cover letter should have the medical team number on it and an email starting with. medical

you could use special delivery so that you have proof of delivery

you could email then the following day asking them to confirm receipt
 
Thank you. I'd normally have had my renewal letter by now, as my current licence runs out in January, so it would seem they're behind on that as well.
 
Hopeful34 said:
Thank you. I'd normally have had my renewal letter by now, as my current licence runs out in January, so it would seem they're behind on that as well.
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That surprises me as I would have thought it would be a computerised system spewing out letters at the appropriate time with no (or little) human intervention.
 
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