Hi all
I let my licence slip when I turned 45,and didn’t renew it,i hadn’t driven for a few years before that anyway.
Due to work hassles,im considering returning to the fold,now im 52,so ive requested the forms from DVLA,but is it just a question of medical,and apply,or do I have to take the test again?
Lots of things will have changed,whats the story with the digitacho thingy,do I need training to use it or is it straight forward?
What else would I need to update myself on?
T.I.A
Hi
Welcome back! You will get your licence back on a medical. So, yes, you need D4 and D2. Vehicles registered from May 2006 are fitted with digital tachos. You will need a driver card to work with this. That’s £38 and you can download the form. Use of it isn’t rocket science but there’s quite a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding out there so be careful who you listen to. You will need to complete 35 hours of cpc periodic training before Sept 2014. I would suggest you use some of this learning about drivers’ hours and digital tacho. Many employers will not look at you unless you’ve completed at least 3 days (21hrs) of periodic training. You can also get credits for periodic training with some ADR courses, HIAB and Class One (CE) upgrades. But check with the training provider before you book as it’s not a given that all these courses are cpc approved.
Good luck with your return.
Pete S 
hi, i’d jacked driving heavies at 40.Like you i wondered how to get my licence back now that i’m 50.
Filled out the relevant parts of the D4 form and booked a medical with a local training centre who have a doc who comes in once a week to do medicals(half the price of an NHS doctor…£50 btw)
The doctor checks blood pressure/urine sample/eyesight and asks a few general questions.
The centre even posted the completed form for me with my licence.
1 week later licence came through with categories reinstated.
Fill out a D2 form for Digi card and send off with fee.
If you already have a photo licence your photo is on record with DVLA.
Takes about a week for it to come through.
Did a few shifts now on weekends and days off(as a taster)…fraid to say my blood has turned back to derv.
looking to go back full time.
Hi I am 55, like you when I was 45 I didn’t bother to do the medical since I have a degree and thought I would not be driving anymore 
Booked my medical online £53 (£120 with my own Doctor), sent away the D2 and D4 forms and paid £38 for my digicard. Licence came back with C+E 102 restriction on (wag and drag drawbar) and C (HGV 2), D+E (PSV). LIE to the agencies to get work it is the only way and once you have worked for one agency and done a week of multidrop etc. the other agencies sign you up with no questions. 
Just done my CPC and Class 1 last week and now on class 1 work
http://www.fomento.gob.es/transportes/simulador/ing/simulador_adsl.html
For digi card use - the above link is an on-line simulator you can use for guidance on how to use various makes of digi tacho machines. You can find various sites on google search.
The above link is on drivers hours - which you may need to sharpen up on.
As Pete says DCPC. Infact, if you have any questions, Pete is one of the guys to ask as well as TACHO, ROG and a few others.
Thanks for the advice everyone,and Macci for the links.
I’ve ordered the relevant forms for licence and digicard from the dvla site,
I’ve also found (via google) a place localish to me that does the
Medicals for £50,hopefully be all sorted in a few weeks.
Medicals
You will cover tachos on the cpc whole module on them