Anyone having trouble with the DVLA getting things done properly recently?
I sent my licence away Oct 07 to get Provisional C & D added. No problem there and it was quick.
Passed C, returned it to add and it came back with C, but an 01 eyesight correction code across all categories. (should have only been on C&D as per provisional).
Pass C & D, returned it to correct 01 code error and got it back with that sorted, but now B1,C1,D1 doesn’t show. Is this right? They were there last time.
I understand that B covers B1, C covers C1 and a D covers D1, but why only remove the B1/C1/D1 and leave the C1E & D1E?
Also noticed that my C1E which doesn’t have an eyesight restriction and the D1E does. Eh?
Also my entitlement for B1 started on the wrong day (should be aligned to B, not A) and the entitlement for D started a week late. Some of it is only small mistakes, but I worry when they can’t get the simple things right.
Looks like I’ll have to send it back again (after getting some work) to get the 3 sub-groups put back on as the entitlements for those lasted until my 70th under grandfather rights.
How correct does your licence look?
(First picture is of licence upon adding provisional C&D. Second is how it is presently - still not right)
LOL apparently on mine Im ok to drive an artic without my specs on but anything else I must wear then.
Still been wearing then solid (bar sleep) for 30 years!
Well something wierd going on, every category on mine has 01 after it. I’d assume that the 01 code is only applicable when you have passed a test and they can’t ‘retro fit it’ so to speak?
That’s what they did to me the second time after sending to get my C pass added. They 01 coded all the categories. 1st phone call they claimed I must have ticked a box on the form. What form? I only sent the photocard / counterpart / pass certificate!
My sight is up to Group 1 vehicle standards (cars,etc.) without glasses.
My sight is up to Group 2 vehicle standards (vocational) with glasses.
macplaxton, it is correct.
You passed your B test prior to 97 and have certain E entitlements. If you pass the LGV test, the LGV entitlement is listed differently due to the differing ‘To’ dates., whereas the entitlements you got when passing your B test will be there until your 70th birthday.
I am a bit tired with a mancold so excuse if not making sense
I presumed when you done the eye test on a medical and/or an eye test with an optician they where one and the same? I.e you can either read a number plate at x amount of yards or you can’t?
Rog, It might be broadly right, but it doesn’t make sense to me as my C1 & D1 were LONGER (2044) than my new C & D. (2019)
Also where did the B1 go? That’s been there on every update since I passed my motorcycle test. How the B1 entitlement can start AFTER I already had B is daft too.
On top of all that, why is there NO 01 eyesight restriction on my C1E?
FWIW I passed my cat D on the 13th Dec, so the start date is wrong on that too.
Mike-C No, there are two standards - a higher one for vocational licences.
Years ago I remember something about car test standard for number plate reading being 67ft and then metricated to 20.5m. (and you can get away with only having one eye, like our old friend Maurice) This was reduced slightly when the narrower font on plates is used to 20m.
For a vocational licence and driving instructors the distance was much further, at 27.5m. Now it specifies:
“New applicants are barred in law if the visual acuity, using corrective lenses if necessary, is worse than 6/9 in the better eye or 6/12 in the other eye. Also, the uncorrected acuity in each eye MUST be at least 3/60.” (may be subject to Grandfather Rights)
From that you could have perfect vision and not require glasses for either group. You could have my case, where you need glasses for lorries and buses, but not cars/motorcycles. Or you could be a bit of a Mr Magoo and be able to drive a car, but not a lorry or bus.
Make sure you all check your licences every time you have to remew them. The DVLA have been known to lose a cetain entitlement and if you don’t notify them within a certain time (6 months I think), tough, it’s gone.
A police motorcyclist ‘lost’ his bike entitlement , didn’t notice for a while and was told he had to retake his test. Even a letter from the C C telling them that he was a police motorcycle TRAINER didn’t move them.
macplaxton: Rog, It might be broadly right, but it doesn’t make sense to me as my C1 & D1 were LONGER (2044) than my new C & D. (2019) correct - you got C1 & D1 with B before the 97 cut off date so they are the same time length as B
Also where did the B1 go? That’s been there on every update since I passed my motorcycle test. How the B1 entitlement can start AFTER I already had B is daft too. Dont worry - B is higher than B1
On top of all that, why is there NO 01 eyesight restriction on my C1E? It is classed as being in the same section as the B as you passed before 97
FWIW I passed my cat D on the 13th Dec, so the start date is wrong on that too.
Mike-C No, there are two standards - a higher one for vocational licences.
Years ago I remember something about car test standard for number plate reading being 67ft and then metricated to 20.5m. (and you can get away with only having one eye, like our old friend Maurice) This was reduced slightly when the narrower font on plates is used to 20m.
For a vocational licence and driving instructors the distance was much further, at 27.5m. Now it specifies:
“New applicants are barred in law if the visual acuity, using corrective lenses if necessary, is worse than 6/9 in the better eye or 6/12 in the other eye. Also, the uncorrected acuity in each eye MUST be at least 3/60.” (may be subject to Grandfather Rights)
From that you could have perfect vision and not require glasses for either group. You could have my case, where you need glasses for lorries and buses, but not cars/motorcycles. Or you could be a bit of a Mr Magoo and be able to drive a car, but not a lorry or bus.
These are the descriptions of information codes which appear on your driving licences.
Code
1 Eyesight correction
2 Hearing / communication aid
10 Modified transmission
15 Modified clutch
20 Modified braking systems
25 Modified accelerator systems
30 Combined braking and accelerator systems
35 Modified control layouts
40 Modified steering
42 Modified rear - view mirror(s)
43 Modified driving seats
44 Modifications to motorcycles. (1) single opertaed brake. (2) (adjusted) hand operated brake (front wheel). (3) (adjusted) foot operated brake (back wheel). (4) (adjusted) accelerator handle. (5) (adjusted) manual transmission and manual clutch. (6) (adjusted) rear-view mirror(s). (7) (adjusted) commands (direction indicators, brake light, etc.). (8) seat height allowing the driver, in sitting position to have two feet on the road at the same time.
45 Motorcycle only with sidecar
70 Exchange of licence
71 Duplicate of licence
78 Restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
79 Restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets
101 Not for hire or reward
102 Drawbar trailers only
103 Subject to certificate of competence
105 Not more than 5.5m long
106 Restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
107 Not more than 8250kg
108 Subject to minimum age requirements
110 Limited to invalid carriages
111 Limited to 16 passenger seats
113 Limited to 16 passenger seats except for automatics
114 With any special controls required for safe driving
115 Organ donor
118 Start date is for earliest entitlement
119 Weight limit does not apply
120 Complies with health standard for category D1
121 Restricted to conditions specified in the Secretary of State’s notice.
122 Valid on successful completion: Basic Moped Training Course
You have the same as me - an eyesight restriction on the upgraded sections only but not on the original entitlement.
Must be nice to have a birthday on the last day in June and only be 35 years old - you whippersnapper
Did you find it easy doing C & CE so close together?
I cannot see what is wrong with your current licence unless you have not got an eyesight prob which you should have been told of when you did your medical for C
Okay, I know the codes - two digit ones are pan-Euro / three digit ones are national.
ROG:
macplaxton: Rog, It might be broadly right, but it doesn’t make sense to me as my C1 & D1 were LONGER (2044) than my new C & D. (2019) correct - you got C1 & D1 with B before the 97 cut off date so they are the same time length as B
Aye, so why not mark C1 and D1 on the licence with the later expiry date?
ROG:
macplaxton:
Also where did the B1 go? That’s been there on every update since I passed my motorcycle test. How the B1 entitlement can start AFTER I already had B is daft too. Dont worry - B is higher than B1
I’m not worried about that so much, it just seems odd that only now it has fallen off. Either it shouldn’t have been there when I passed my motorcycle test, or the start date should have coincided with my B test pass, not my A test pass.
ROG:
macplaxton:
On top of all that, why is there NO 01 eyesight restriction on my C1E? It is classed as being in the same section as the B as you passed before 97
Ok, if that’s the case, the why do I have an 01 on my D1E that came with the B? And why is that entitlement shorter? If it’s okay to mark C1E D1E without C1 or D1, then why not mark just CE and DE without C & D?
If I don’t have it marked now, what would happen to my C1/D1 on expiry of my C/D?
Ok, if that’s the case, the why do I have an 01 on my D1E that came with the B? And why is that entitlement shorter?
Now for HIRE & REWADRD it was not before - they must think that it is more dangerous to drive it with passengers than without
Aye, so why not mark C1 and D1 on the licence with the later expiry date?
I have a feeling that it is due to the space available on the card and as C & D have replaced C1 & D1, the aforementioned being the higher catagory. I would summise that IF you lost the higher catagory for some reason, they would re-appear with the later date shown.
Might be worth asking DVLA for a print out of your entitlements with all the relevant end dates etc.
ROG:
copied your licence pics - hope you don’t mind
You have the same as me - an eyesight restriction on the upgraded sections only but not on the original entitlement.
Must be nice to have a birthday on the last day in June and only be 35 years old - you whippersnapper
Did you find it easy doing C & CE so close together?
I cannot see what is wrong with your current licence unless you have not got an eyesight prob which you should have been told of when you did your medical for C
Don’t mind at all.
Just a bit of a lazy left eye.
Cheeky git! I’m 33 and the birthday is the second day of the month! I found it easy, whilst fresh in the DSA ways, to do C then 3 weeks later do D & CE back to back. Note though the DATE I passed my B test.
I don’t think I’m a great driver by any means. I’m competent. I’m best on two wheels for which I’ve done the most miles on without ever breaking or fracturing any bones. I can bit a little nervous on tests, but I won’t let it get to me and go to pieces and just do it. Quite a calm driver and just very methodical about things.
Cheeky git! I’m 33 and the birthday is the second day of the month! I found it easy, whilst fresh in the DSA ways, to do C then 3 weeks later do D & CE back to back. Note though the DATE I passed my B test.
SORRY my maths is well out - I blame my mancold
3 weeks approx after you were 17 or is my maths out again
Out every day for practice. Around about 15 hours with instructor. Learnt in 3 cars: Ford Fiesta mk3 1.1 Ghia (5 speed); Volvo 240 Estate (Auto); Austin 1100 (4 speed, crash first). Got quite good at double de-clutching into 1st.
I booked my test at the end of May before the price went up. Spent plenty of time reading the (then current) Department of Transport book on Driving (the ancient one with the brown cover telling you when reversing to watch out for kids on hobby-horses, etc - must have been first published in the early '70s)
I don’t think I’m a great driver by any means. I’m competent. I’m best on two wheels for which I’ve done the most miles on without ever breaking or fracturing any bones. I can bit a little nervous on tests, but I won’t let it get to me and go to pieces and just do it. Quite a calm driver and just very methodical about things.
sounds like you want to take your driving to a higher level - If yes, how about a ROSPA or IAM advanced course for around £100 either Bike. car or lorry or all 3
PS for £13 you could get ‘Mind Driving’ by Stephen Haley - very good IMO
so excuse if not making sense
- I blame my mancold 
- If yes, how about a ROSPA or IAM advanced course for around £100 either Bike. car or lorry or all 3