Licence renewal 16 wks plus..this is just getting ridiculous

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

A few days short of 16 weeks and still no licence or any signs on the DVLA that it is renewed

What are other drivers doing I wonder.

Fed up with phone calls and email I wrote the following to the CEO of the DVLA Will it have any effect or just offend I wonder?

julie.lennard@dvla.gov.uk

Dear Madam,

My freedom to hire a vehicle for leisure and my freedom to change jobs for the new opportunities provided by brexit are severely being held up by the inaction of the DVLA

I’m a member of the trucknet forum and I can see through that medium that there are thousands od HGV drivers like me and even worse many who cannot get any work all thanks to the DVLA

I NEED HELP please!!

I am a hgv driver who needs (due to age) to renew his licence every year. I drive long distance for the Royal Mail in a full time capacity.

My licence ran out on the 12th of September and I made my D4 application with successful medical (on 14/8/21) sent on the 16/8/21 by recorded delivery

I received confirmation of my renewal application on the 1/9/21 at 2:21pm. Since then nothing has been received at all

I have phoned (often) and get fobbed off by a message that I’m in a queue followed by a message claiming that due to covid operators are busy, please try again

Exasperated and getting close to 8 weeks in; I wrote to the DVLA on 2/11/21 to receive a reply saying there was a 6-10 week delay.

I have called many times since and still I’m being fobbed off by your phone system, I have followed your web site instructions and it just replies with the same.

IT IS NOW APPROACHING 16 WEEKS!!! for goodness sake. The DVLA have acknowledged they have received my application The examining doctor has no problems with it. But I am left to drive under section 88 with an expired licence I cannot hire a vehicle, I cannot even change jobs for better pay. All because the DVLA have fallen behind with applications and will not communicate with its customers beyond a patronising response via “do not reply” emails

Short of writing to my MP, the transport secretary and the press, what is it that I and thousands of other HGV driver need to do to galvanise your organisation into doing your job?

Please help me

Sincerely

J Dalton

Licence no (blanked out for confidentiality) Nat ins no (blanked out) Post code NN7 4SF

2

I was in the same boat as you, medical done on 12/6/2, posted 13/6/21, recorded delivery, licence renewed 18/10/21, got it back a few days later.
Some people have been lucky and got theirs a lot sooner.

3

Last time I renewed mine it took them 7 months and that was emailing them and phoning them every week and personally delivering all my documents and forms.
But don’t worry as they have all the complaints procedures in place culminating in you contacting your local M.P, nothing seemed to work, well for me anyway.
N.B send everything recorded delivery to Swansea because if you don’t they’ll tell you “we haven’t received them”

4

I’m very lucky then, had a medical and photo renewal, 2 week wait for the medical, put it all in the same envelope and 2 weeks later got it back, licence renewed for another 5 years and sporting the new photo. Sent end of November received early December.

5

Do the dvla still send you the D47P form prior to your licence expiry/renewal??

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6

polytrotter:
Do the dvla still send you the D47P form prior to your licence expiry/renewal??

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Yes they did about 4 weeks before due date

7

jcfd55:

polytrotter:
Do the dvla still send you the D47P form prior to your licence expiry/renewal??

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Yes they did about 4 weeks before due date

[emoji106] mine runs out in feb but I’ve already got the d4 form as medical is booked for early Jan [emoji1696]

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8

You dont need to wait for it to come back unless you have a new medical condition, you can carry on driving

9

chaversdad:
You dont need to wait for it to come back unless you have a new medical condition, you can carry on driving

That’s wonderful (old) news of course: especially if your a beancounter in the DVLA or elsewhere. their tardiness is covered by the fact they will alow you to keep driving.

But:- try explaining that wonderful fact when you want to go away and hire a car (and I do in feb, and have in sept!!) They will just turn it away because I could quite easily be lying and presenting an expired licence.
Their insurance wont give a fig about section 88

Maybe I would like to change jobs to take advantage of all this better pay as I previously expressed, guess what the agency or new employer will say, even though they ought to know about it. why would they take a risk on a HGV driver based on his/her heresay about the medical?

After all I can’t prove section 88 as the DVLA have my medical report, which is only valid for 4 months (16 week)

So see what I mean…So yeah, I really do need to wait for it to come back imho

10

You can still hire a car, its only the hgv entitlement thats expired

11

chaversdad:
You can still hire a car, its only the hgv entitlement thats expired

How does that work when you turn up at the hire desk in Torremolinos and you don’t wish to illegally pass off one of your old replaced licences?

12

stu675:

chaversdad:
You can still hire a car, its only the hgv entitlement thats expired

How does that work when you turn up at the hire desk in Torremolinos and you don’t wish to illegally pass off one of your old replaced licences?

You go online and create an access code for them to check your licence online and do a print out as well and take that as a backup as well.

Sent from my CPH2173 using Tapatalk

13

I waited four months before getting a reply, which was they were not happy about my blood pressure and that I had to go to my doctors for three seperate readings that must be under 180/100. These were sent off but, what I did not know was that they included one of 158/100.Three weeks later, Christmas Eve, I was told I had failed and licence revoked. This has taken six months. Back on the grind now of more checks and then the waiting for God knows how long and all for one point on the reading.

14

I sent mine off on Dec 16th, got it back today, 14 days exactly!! ( New look card) . I’ve renewed every year since 2012 when I turned 65, I’ve never waited more than three weeks. I’ve always had a bit of concern about posting at the busiest season but it’s never been a problem. Regards Kev.

15

Medical 12th November, sent off 13th, returned 20th November

16

Got a new digi card two days after applying for it so I guess some departments are functioning.

17

Absolute ■■■■■■■ joke, tells you a lot, when the message says they will terminate the call if any abuse is forthcoming.

18

Morning
With these random delays of upto 16 weeks is there an earliest opportunity to apply for a renewal at all ■■
Mine is due end of April so I was wondering what’s the earliest date I could get started on booking a medical / eye test and get everything recorded in the post for DVLA

Take care and stay safe

19

The gas man:
Morning
With these random delays of upto 16 weeks is there an earliest opportunity to apply for a renewal at all ■■
Mine is due end of April so I was wondering what’s the earliest date I could get started on booking a medical / eye test and get everything recorded in the post for DVLA

Take care and stay safe

I wouldn’t do it yet especially if you’re over 65 and on a yearly licence. I made the mistake a few years ago of sending off early as my licence was due over the Xmas period. I lost a month on my entitlement as they didn’t run it from my due date. Ok, a month is not a lot to lose, except when you are renewing on a yearly basis. Now I only send it off a couple of weeks before the due date.
I send it on a signed for received so I have proof it’s been delivered, it’s never taken more than three weeks to be processed. Regards Kev.

20

kevmac47:
[. Now I only send it off a couple of weeks before the due date.
it’s never taken more than three weeks to be processed. Regards Kev.

So would you get an extra week each year in that case? Or do they run it from last expiry?