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Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 15.57
by m-in-m
This may seem a stupid question so apologies straight away.

Now we have the joy of photocard driving licences we have to shell out every ten years to replace what is generally always a shocking mugshot on them. On the form I received yesterday it says you have to return both parts of the licence and may take three weeks to be returned.

My question is what happens in the meantime? If the police ask you to produce your licence I thought they gave you seven days - not the three weeks the DVLA take to turn it around (assuming they do it all correctly first time and it doesn't get lost in the post).

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 16.09
by scottishtv
My car developed a fault when my licence was away being renewed, but the garage needed the licence to give me a courtesy car. There is a special section at the DVLA they phoned when you are there, you confirm your personal details to the DVLA operator on the phone and then authorise them to speak to the dealership - so there are ways around it.

I thought the police could run direct checks on you anyway, if you are stopped on the road for instance, to make sure you're not disqualified or driving without insurance etc. I always thought the "report to the police station" was more of a tactic in trying to teach people a lesson these days.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 16.15
by scottishtv
Just remembered, if you have the plastic wallet that holds the paper licence and the card together (which the DVLA used to issue with licences) DON'T send it in. They chuck the plastic wallet in the bin and don't send it back.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 16.34
by Dr Lobster*
i got a letter a couple of weeks ago too. what gets me is that they charge you twenty sodding quid for the privilege.

btw, you could just say on the renewal form that your original driving license was lost/destroyed so you get to keep it.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 17.00
by Finn
If you do it direct through the post office, you do pay a small extra fee but the whole thing is electronically transmitted (including picture which they take there) and, going by how it went for me, you'll have it back within a week. You'll also be given an official reference number which you can present to the police.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 17.51
by m-in-m
scottishtv wrote:Just remembered, if you have the plastic wallet that holds the paper licence and the card together (which the DVLA used to issue with licences) DON'T send it in. They chuck the plastic wallet in the bin and don't send it back.
Thanks for the reminder. I noticed that when I had to return them for a change of address - thought they would send them back in a new wallet (though never returned the original).

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sat 27 Nov, 2010 17.52
by m-in-m
Neil DG wrote:If you do it direct through the post office, you do pay a small extra fee but the whole thing is electronically transmitted (including picture which they take there) and, going by how it went for me, you'll have it back within a week. You'll also be given an official reference number which you can present to the police.
I suppose if you don't already have photos for it then it's worth doing. I'm just using the leftover photos from my passport renewal last year. The rules must surely be the same.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sun 28 Nov, 2010 16.56
by Neil Jones
m-in-m wrote:My question is what happens in the meantime? If the police ask you to produce your licence I thought they gave you seven days - not the three weeks the DVLA take to turn it around (assuming they do it all correctly first time and it doesn't get lost in the post).
If you cannot produce your licence when requested it doesn't really matter because PC Plod will simply get back into the car and look you up there.

Anyway if you are asked to produce your documents you are supposed to carry them with you, however providing you show them at a police station of your choice normally within 14 days, all is well.

Of course, without meaning to insinuate anything about the OP, if you drive properly and legally you shouldn't get stopped by the police anyway, since providing the on-board computer can read the number plate and tell PC Plod whether the car's taxed, MOT'd, insured in any case. If that's fine and you're not doing anything stupid with the car such as no seatbelt, talking on mobile phones, excessive speeding or generally driving like a twat, the issue of having to produce documents when you don't have them legitimately tends to take care of itself.

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sun 28 Nov, 2010 17.23
by Nick Harvey
I'd forgotten the business about having to renew for the picture every ten years.

Looking back at the date of my last picture, I'm going to be in the silly situation of having to renew for the picture, then a couple of months later having to renew because I'm seventy.

And I'll take a pound to a pinch of doggy doo that our glorious government will want TWO fees out of me!

Re: Driving licences and renewals

Posted: Sun 28 Nov, 2010 21.15
by m-in-m
Nick Harvey wrote:I'd forgotten the business about having to renew for the picture every ten years.

Looking back at the date of my last picture, I'm going to be in the silly situation of having to renew for the picture, then a couple of months later having to renew because I'm seventy.

And I'll take a pound to a pinch of doggy doo that our glorious government will want TWO fees out of me!
I believe but maybe wrong that for once our glorious government do not require a fee for the renewal of licences for reasons of age. My dad renewed his this year and I'm sure he said he didn't have to pay.