My driving licence expires at the end of March but mindful of the reported Covid-related problems at DVLA, I applied for my new licence on 22 Feb - online. Easiest process ever, done in less than 10 minutes. New licence arrived this morning. Obviously posted on Friday so that's just 5 days to process. I am amazed! All credit to DVLA.
Driving Licence Renewal
- Thread starter JJay
- Start date
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I have to sort out my new driving licence as I will be 70 next month - it seems rather complicated as I need a photograph - my present licence is one of the old green ones - hopefully I can get it all sorted out in time, though I will probably not have anywhere to go even then.
eggyg
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
Mine expired last month, I applied, online, in December, arrived three days later! Considering the time of year and the global pandemic, I was well impressed. If only everything was so efficient.
eggyg
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
Do you have a valid passport Drummer? If so, if you renew online I am pretty certain they can use your passport photo. You have to verify your ID using your passport or driving licence etc and that stays on record and when doing any renewals all the relevant details are there, making it a very quick and efficient process. Go to www.gov.uk verify.
I posted the medical notification form on February 5th then received the letter saying they have completed their enquiries dated February 17th.
Thankfully I need to collect a prescription shortly, the only reason I am breaking shielding now I have one vaccine dose, so can post my old licence back within the 21 day limit. Although I assume they will make some allowance for the pandemic.
Though, having just checked, I still cannot register with either provider for GOV.UK VERIFY. I spent a month regularly trying before giving up and posting the paper notification form. I did complain to the VERIFY team, but they just dismissed that it does not work and said to keep trying. The "taking longer than expected" is now being measured in units of months.
Thankfully I need to collect a prescription shortly, the only reason I am breaking shielding now I have one vaccine dose, so can post my old licence back within the 21 day limit. Although I assume they will make some allowance for the pandemic.
Though, having just checked, I still cannot register with either provider for GOV.UK VERIFY. I spent a month regularly trying before giving up and posting the paper notification form. I did complain to the VERIFY team, but they just dismissed that it does not work and said to keep trying. The "taking longer than expected" is now being measured in units of months.
Anitram
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Seeing this thread reminded me that my licence expires on my 73rd birthday in May, so have just applied online to renew it. Wanted to give them as much time as possible to get it back to me but based on what people have posted I should expect to get it fairly soon.
Yes, they have used my passport photo again, even though it is nearly 9 years old! Though you can update the photo at any time if your appearance has changed significantly. Mine hasn't, or so I tell myself
All last year the pharmacy made a fuss about delivering despite me shielding, even though it is a service they have always advertised, and they are essentially at the end of my street. Then this afternoon they randomly turn up at my door with my latest prescriptions without being asked. So now I will have to make a special trip out just to post my licence. Which feels like a burden now, even though it means I can avoid the High Road and people.
Meanwhile, this thread reminded me I really needed to renew my bike insurance as it runs out this week. The meerkat web site does not work with medical licenses, so I just renewed directly with the insurer who do not care anyway.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
No, no passport. I am very much under the radar when it comes to official documents and ID - there were problems when I wanted to get clearance for teaching children dancing because of my lack of any 'footprints' and several changes of name - but many people must be in the same state. My acquisition of a bus pass has helped in recent years, but not with the driving licence, I need to get through the hoops one by one. I have got a print out of information from a bank account now, so the process has started.
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My bus pass has a photo!
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I had a swift response to my recent renewal too - and I went with the old fashioned paper form, so wondered if it might take a little longer, especially as the DVLA had been struggling recently... but it all came back very promptly
ColinUK
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hark at you posting in an online forum and revealing that you’re really a techno-Luddite!
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It was the not being able to use my .gov ID, and having to have a third party (eg the post office) authenticate me that put me off!
ColinUK
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
We’d validate you! Unless you’re not actually real. But how would we know?
It was the not being able to use my .gov ID, and having to have a third party (eg the post office) authenticate me that put me off!
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Anitram
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Applied to renew my licence online on Tuesday and my new licence arrived yesterday. Wow..!!
This morning I got a letter from the DVLA telling me my licence expires at the end of May but that I could apply to renew it now, and included a renewal form. The Civil Service at its worst.
This morning I got a letter from the DVLA telling me my licence expires at the end of May but that I could apply to renew it now, and included a renewal form. The Civil Service at its worst.
I'm STILL waiting for mine. They received it on 4th January but when i ring all i get told is that its waiting in a queue to be reviewed. Currently driving under Section 88 with GP's agreement but i wish they would hurry up. I can't understand how some people are having the licence back within days and others are not.