Three Year Driving Licence!

[Libby3781]

I have recently notified dvla that I have been put onto insulin.

I received a letter back yesterday stating I must return my full license in order to now be issued with a three year one. The letter also states my license must be returned within 14 working days otherwise it will automatically be cancelled.

In my personal opinion the letter is not clear whether you can continue to drive on the basis of sending your licence back! Obviously, during this time you do not have a physical licence you can produce should you need to!

What’s your experience of notifying dvla when put onto insulin????

 

[EllieM]

I was diagnosed at 8, so my driving license was always 3 years. An inconvenience, but not unreasonable. Once you're on insulin you're at risk of hypoglycaemia, and if you get hypo while driving you're at serious risk of crashing the car.

Get used to testing your blood sugar before you drive. As regards the logistics of handing in your license, I'd probably photocopy it together with your form that you're using to apply for the new one, and just carry that.

From the DVLA website on whether you can drive when you're applying for a replacement license after losing the old one

Providing that you have applied for a replacement driving licence and are not disqualified from driving for any reason, you can continue to drive whilst you wait for your new driving licence to be sent out. In order for your replacement driving licence application to be deemed valid you need to make sure that you have filled out the application accurately and have complied with the necessary medical enquiries.

And it looks like you have to return your license if you're renewing a ten year one, so I can't see why you wouldn't be allowed to drive....
Having said that, never expect bureaucracy to act logically.

 

[sharron59]

I have recently notified dvla that I have been put onto insulin.

I received a letter back yesterday stating I must return my full license in order to now be issued with a three year one. The letter also states my license must be returned within 14 working days otherwise it will automatically be cancelled.

In my personal opinion the letter is not clear whether you can continue to drive on the basis of sending your licence back! Obviously, during this time you do not have a physical licence you can produce should you need to!

What’s your experience of notifying dvla when put onto insulin????

Hi Libby.

I was diagnosed at 8, so my driving license was always 3 years. An inconvenience, but not unreasonable. Once you're on insulin you're at risk of hypoglycaemia, and if you get hypo while driving you're at serious risk of crashing the car.

Get used to testing your blood sugar before you drive. As regards the logistics of handing in your license, I'd probably photocopy it together with your form that you're using to apply for the new one, and just carry that.

From the DVLA website on whether you can drive when you're applying for a replacement license after losing the old one

Providing that you have applied for a replacement driving licence and are not disqualified from driving for any reason, you can continue to drive whilst you wait for your new driving licence to be sent out. In order for your replacement driving licence application to be deemed valid you need to make sure that you have filled out the application accurately and have complied with the necessary medical enquiries.

And it looks like you have to return your license if you're renewing a ten year one, so I can't see why you wouldn't be allowed to drive....
Having said that, never expect bureaucracy to act logically.

hi Libby. I too have recently gone onto insulin and had my license changed to the 3yr medical one. It was a very quick update and had it back within ten days. I was advised by my insurance which is through mobility that you can continue to drive but keep a copy of your licence and keep with the dvla letter asking for its return together with the recommend proof showing when you sent back. That way if you get stopped, god forbid or they say you haven't returned it and cancel, you will have proof of return etc .it's just a case of putting amother class marking on the back and changing date so quick turn around. Hope that helps x

 

[KK123]

I have recently notified dvla that I have been put onto insulin.

I received a letter back yesterday stating I must return my full license in order to now be issued with a three year one. The letter also states my license must be returned within 14 working days otherwise it will automatically be cancelled.

In my personal opinion the letter is not clear whether you can continue to drive on the basis of sending your licence back! Obviously, during this time you do not have a physical licence you can produce should you need to!

What’s your experience of notifying dvla when put onto insulin????

Yes, you can continue to drive. It's the same as having to send a licence back for a change of address or photo or to get penalty points(!). If you are required to produce it before it comes back to you then the Police would simply check the relevant database.

 

[Oldvatr]

I am not using insulin, but I have reached that golden age, and had to return my licence. That was 3 months ago, and I still do not have a decision, and my medical history is being thoroughly checked,

During this time, I had to renew my car insurance, and this presented a difficulty since I had no formal proof of driving permission that covered the period of the renewal.

I contacted the DVLA by phone, and this triggered a letter giving me permission under Section 88, which I was able to offer as proof. A neighbour in a similar predicament did not do this, and consequently the police clamped her vehicle, then towed it away since her insurance had elapsed.

You will need the number for the Medical section of DVLA, which is in a different building in Swansea. Google will give you this since you do not have a letter yet from the MD1 section with their tel no. You will need the licence details from your old licence since you have not got a letter from them with your formal Driver Number as a reference.

Apparently ( and I have been advised by DVLA) my application can take 12 months or more to resolve, and so there is an automatic cutoff at the annual anniversary, at which point my application becomes invalid, and it is my responsibility to apply for a new licence (with associated driving test result and medical history etc) as if I was a virgin driver again. I am smelling a fish here.

Edit to give update: Well it is 31/Aug/2018, almost 5 months to the day when I posted my licence bck to DVLA with my DIAB1 form and photo, and today my post included a plastic card that is valid for 3 years. Its arrived........

 

[sharron59]

I am not using insulin, but I have reached that golden age, and had to return my licence. That was 3 months ago, and I still do not have a decision, and my medical history is being thoroughly checked,

During this time, I had to renew my car insurance, and this presented a difficulty since I had no formal proof of driving permission that covered the period of the renewal.

I contacted the DVLA by phone, and this triggered a letter giving me permission under Section 88, which I was able to offer as proof. A neighbour in a similar predicament did not do this, and consequently the police clamped her vehicle, then towed it away since her insurance had elapsed.

You will need the number for the Medical section of DVLA, which is in a different building in Swansea. Google will give you this since you do not have a letter yet from the MD1 section with their tel no. You will need the licence details from your old licence since you have not got a letter from them with your formal Driver Number as a reference.

Apparently ( and I have been advised by DVLA) my application can take 12 months or more to resolve, and so there is an automatic cutoff at the annual anniversary, at which point my application becomes invalid, and it is my responsibility to apply for a new licence (with associated driving test result and medical history etc) as if I was a virgin driver again. I am smelling a fish here.

That happened to me last year. Although this time was because I had gone onto insulin at the beginning of last year they had my license back to make check on my arthritic knees as to whether safe to drive for emergency stops etc all because of the way I worded something on my diabetic bit. Took them six months of medical checks, physio, docs etc then got back automatic only with hand controls. I had visions of taking ages again but not so long this time around when notified of the insulin, been much quicker..

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I have recently notified dvla that I have been put onto insulin.

I received a letter back yesterday stating I must return my full license in order to now be issued with a three year one. The letter also states my license must be returned within 14 working days otherwise it will automatically be cancelled.

In my personal opinion the letter is not clear whether you can continue to drive on the basis of sending your licence back! Obviously, during this time you do not have a physical licence you can produce should you need to!

What’s your experience of notifying dvla when put onto insulin????

Hi @Libby3781 I have had a 3 year licence from when I passed in 1988, because I was Type 1. Even though I have not been on insulin since 2013, they still renew it every 3 years! As said elsewhere, fishy, illogical etc. All I can say is that my last licence was renewed 13 months late and the DVLA issued 2 covering letters in that time, the second being advised by the local Police. I would strongly advise anybody in your shoes to keep copies of every piece of correspondence, both theirs and yours, together with copies of reports from GPs, hospital clinics and Eye Screening Services. - it saved me no end of trouble when I needed to cross swords! Best of luck

 

[searley]

You can under section 88 for upto 1 year while they make a decision

I have recently notified dvla that I have been put onto insulin.

I received a letter back yesterday stating I must return my full license in order to now be issued with a three year one. The letter also states my license must be returned within 14 working days otherwise it will automatically be cancelled.

In my personal opinion the letter is not clear whether you can continue to drive on the basis of sending your licence back! Obviously, during this time you do not have a physical licence you can produce should you need to!

What’s your experience of notifying dvla when put onto insulin????