well done DLVA

[lurker]

My driving licence is up for renewal, got a letter in the post on Saturday.

BUT (here is the clever bit) I was able to do it all on line by refering them to my passport (which coincidentally I renewed last month) where they can access my photo thus saving lots of mucking around posting stuff. Nice to see a bit of joined up government for once.

I suppose they could still cock it up and I will regret my optimism

 

[Fitzroy]

I had the same experience, it was smooth and simple, amazingly! Just wish my taxes had been the same.

I moved house and forgot to change address with HMRC. The year I moved they asked me to start submitting self assessments, four years later they wrote to me at my new address, ended up with lots of paperwork, back taxes and £5k in fines. Appreciate it was my fault but when asked how they knew my new address they said my employer had updated their section of the system, the same year I moved! So they had my new address as soon as I moved, just wish the system had been clever enough to flag the discrepancy, ho hum.

F.

 

[sunnybob]

Did you make sure to ask for ALL the categories to be transferred?
A while back I knew many people who lost their motorcycle license because they thought it would automaticaly be transfered and it wasnt.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, even a police motorcyclist lost his.

 

[Lons]

It has got better. I usually buy pre registered cars or very recent demo models and in the past had to wait at least a couple of weeks for the V5 then the proicess of taking my reg off the old car and transfering to the new took weeks, now you can take a reg off the car in minutes on line and the same once you have the V5 for the new one.

Completed the whole process in 6 days when I last changed in November.

 

[delboy47]

I am in the process of renewing my licence now. I tried the online system and after inputting the required information, had a message saying I was ineligible to use this on -line service. So back to the manual system. Photos done (ugh) and was on the point of getting the form filled in to post off when I was told that if I want to retain all the present categories (I need minibus), I need to get a form which has to be filled in by my Doctor or Optician. Got the form, b****y Hell, it is some form. It is currently with my GP surgery awaiting the next step.
The form also refers to being eligible to drive lorries and asks when I first had this eligibility. I don't want to drive lorries, I just want to retain the categories I have at present.
I honestly believe that as a country we have completely lost the ability to anything well and smoothly. So many things are now a problem whereas they should be straightforward.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Cor, the things you learn on 'ere!

I'll have to check that mine still has the bike and minibus stuff now, but I renewed the picture about five years ago.

What's the law on this - if they've taken away your entitlement unnecessarily, can you still ride/drive legally while it's being sorted out?

 

[delboy47]

I've also been told that if you are over 70, you have to renew every three years but DVLA do not issue reminders about this.

 

[rafezetter]

Glad you had such an easy time.. I sent my driving license to be changed from provisional to full 21st december by recorded post. got there 23rd according to tracking. 5 weeks later still no licence, so I call them, they said they had no record of receiving it.

I referred them to my tracking info, on hold for 10 minutes and the story changed to "we can't find it".

I had to make another full application, it's only by my foresight to photocopy all the relevant documents (in case I got pulled over to prove I had an application in the post) that I was able to do so.

got my licence back 3 days ago, 9 weeks later.

 

[monkeybiter]

Still got my paper licence, no piccy, no renewal.

 

[RogerS]

I try and avoid having any sort of telephonic communication with the DVLA as I find them, almost without exception, to be dogmatic little numpties. In complete contrast, I found the folk at HMRC helpful and very reasonable whenever I called them.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Quite agree on HMRC - had serious problems with my elderly dad sheepishly admitting he hadn't done his paper tax return last year (and the deadline had passed). He wasn't capable of doing it really, although he is still compos mentis. Setting-up an 87-year-old for the on-line system is tough, when it's designed for people in their twenties. He's too old and his tax affairs are the wrong "shape" for the system to cope. I bought software (necessary, apparently) and helped him get it done but the whole mess dragged on for weeks.

The tax people were, however, excellently helpful, when I eventually found the right ones to talk to.

Finding that department (and then finding it again, later) was a different matter, however... :-(

E.

 

[MusicMan]

I've also been told that if you are over 70, you have to renew every three years but DVLA do not issue reminders about this.

No, my wife and I have had appropriately-timed reminders every three years since we turned 70, and again you can do it simply on line.

Keith

 

[Gary]

It works well, I've managed to get two digital tacho cards without sending them a photo.

 

[lurker]

Update: new card arrived in the post yesterday and it appears to be fine.

 

[Gary]

Update: new card arrived in the post yesterday and it appears to be fine.

Just double check you've still got all your entitlements.

 

[lurker]

Update: new card arrived in the post yesterday and it appears to be fine.

Just double check you've still got all your entitlements.

There are actualy far more than on the previous one.
I have no intention of becoming a motor bike rider ( or donors as the nhs call them) seems mad I could jump on a high powered bike with no previous experience.