Good morning everybody I have just telephoned DVLA to remind them that HGV/PSV is up for renewal in June this year as i have to do this every year being a diabetic,
She says ok and that the forms will be sent out on the 5th April but as anyone knows it takes forever to get your licences back last year it took 3 months so I asked for covering letter so that i can keep driving she says they used to give these letters out automatically now they don’t you have to ask for it
ok I did now I said because i drive over the water does this letter apply she says no it does not you have to apply in advance to the countries that you will be visiting to allow you drive so i asked how to go about it she could’nt tell me and didnt know how to.
So I have come on here hoping that i may get a answer.
I am afraid I cannot offer anything positive but I hope somebody can as I had a similar thing happen to me. My licence with the HGV entitlement took ages to come back after a medical whilst they were “considering”. They told me, and I got one of those letters, so that I could drive in UK. Unfortunately, although I did not at that time need to drive a HGV in europe, I did need to hire a car. Without a licence I could not. I did drive my own car in France with a photocopy of my licence before it was sent to the DVLA but I was not stopped so cannot tell you whether the gendarmes would find that acceptable or not. I suspect not in general. I am probably preaching to the converted, but do make sure you copy / scan every single thing before you send it to the DVLA.
Again I can’t give you any answers but I do feel your pain as I’m on annual renewal as well and have been since 2007. The record longest time on a cover note to date has been 9 months for me, and this year they’re on to beat that. The whole thing’s a farce, frankly - let’s face it, if there was a problem and they said they wouldn’t review, they have let me dangerously drive around on a cover note for months first, completely defeating the object of annual renewal!!! facepalm
I renewed my licence this year and the process has been improved considerably. Filled in the initial form and made the appointment with the independent Consultant. Licence was back three weeks after the appointment. My Company asked for the letter but I never requested one and photocopied the initial form which said on the back that you could continue to drive. I will ask next year as when you check online it says you have no entitlement.
thank you for your posts i know what holds mine up its the panel of do gooders at DVLA who when they get my letters back from my diabetic doctor after he has done one of my medicals i’m sure they pick through looking for faults then they send out another medical form so you have to the be passed by a independant doctor i have to do this ■■■■ every year thats why it takes so long the only good thing from this that your licences dont start till the day the have been granted so you may gain a month the first time i did it i gained three month still does’nt get any easier
when renewing your licence ( do not send it to dvla ) there is a box on the forms to do this ( as you need it for work ) ask for the letter of confirmation, carry that in europe, along with your licence, should be no problem. The reason the letter is valid in the uk is because anyone wanting to check it, can do so via their website, when abroad they do not have access to the dvla database…but you do.
DVLA have had my licence since last October but did send me a letter in December saying that they were still reviewing it and to show this to anyone official who questions my lack of a licence. I called them again this week, “Still reviewing things but no problem, you can keep driving for now” so they will provide a covering letter if asked.
that’s fantastic I will keep it until my new one comes thank you that makes feel a whole lot better i had visions of losing my job and staying in the uk.
