Driving Licence Con

Didnt realise this until last week when I got my notice from DVLA through that my licence needs to be renewed as the card part expires at the end of July. The two part licence that took over from the old paper licence has a life of 10 years (correct me if wrong) and if you want to renew it you have to pay £20 for the privilege. On top of that it £4 for 4 passport type photos from the local Tesco picture booth (you only need one) and the cost of a 1st class stamp. Tossbag pikey gypos.There is an expiry date on the licence for those who werent aware.

 

My paper licence (updated 23 years ago when I moved house) is held together by sellotape having received severe water damage during a river crossing about 15 years ago. Several people have told me that I need to get it replaced due to the damage but given that the name, address, driver number, licence number and the (blank) endorsements areas remain legible, it's just not going to happen.

The deal that I signed up to was that would remain valid until I'm 70, so until that happens, the licence can deteriorate naturally. I'm aware that if I change address or commit some naughtiness, I'll be forced into this new-fangled 2-part licence, but it that happens, I'll be stirring (in vain, I know) shit about DVLA's breach of contract.

I've heard rumours that if you downgrade to the new-style licence, you also lose your entitlement to various categories. Is that true?

 

You shouldn't lose categories when you renew but it does happen.
When I lost mine moving house the replacement didn't have my bike category.
The DVLA's line is that they do not make mistakes and if I want it back I must go through the test process again from scratch.

 

The trouble with the older paper licences is that a lot of car hire firms, particularly on the continent won't accept them. Its only really to update the photo on the card that it has to be renewed, even in that there are inconsistencies as some of the very early photo card licences had different validities.

I renewed mine through our MT licensing section a couple of months before I left address change, photo the lot job done and free

 

This was all part of New Labour's way of making cash and ripping drivers off, If you make any application , renewal,Tax Disc application, ect and do not chase it up, by letter within 28 days you can be fined up to £80, basically for not forcing the ******* at DVLA to do doing their jobs.When I checked this out last year there were over 8000 people making complaints against DVLA,but the Complaints office which is in Bournmouth is tiny and totally inadequate, and after trying for days to get in touch I gave up and paid

 

I suppose it makes sense to update the photo on a photo-licence every ten years. Otherwise we stand to have a picture of a seventeen year old on a seventy year old's licence (eventually).

 

Aren't we all supposed to be using the EU driving licence nowadays?

 

My paper licence is the "European Community Model", so I presume that unless you've still got a red card (which should have been replaced by the paper licence), then we already are.

 

For those of us serving you can claim your £20 back through JPA..............just keep the JPA Nazis out of this thread though but mine passed audit so dont give a ARRSE.

 

There's been advice on several bike forums I frequent to paper licence holders to photocopy it before sending it off because this has happened so many times. Just to be safe, when I changed my address, I photocopied my photocard and part 2 as well.

Wish I didn't have to update my photo, I was quite a looker 10 years ago

 

I'd lost the original.
They admit to having my pass certificate on file but claim I didn't send it off within two years of passing the test.
There are hundred of people in my boat on this one but the DVLA simply says that unless you can prove it beyond any doubt then they will not accept they have made any mistake.
I'd have to start again at the CBT....

 

Hope you're ready to stump up! I've been riding round on L plates having failed the old style bike test just before they changed the format. When I looked into the cost of taking the new style test, it worked out to be £300+ (with bike hire)! Decided to stick with L plates as I don't do much in the way of motorways anyway and my bike (scooter actually) is registered as a 125...

 

I had exactly the same problem a while back after I lost my wallet.
They said I hadn't sent the pass off within the two years given.
I couldn't produce a copy of my license, my old unit binned it after I left them, and my new unit didn't have one, because I'd lost it before the new unit and I got it copied and verified..
I had the invigilator who took me on my test (he had since retired), the MTWO of my old unit both swearing blind that I had definitely passed, and that I had definitely had a license.

I dug out their director's number and gave them all kinds of hell.

And in the end I still had to retake my test again.

I scan my bits as soon as I get them, and keep more than two copies.

Total and utter sh!tbags.

 

Just keep them handy and use them when it next comes up for renewal.

 

Great isn't it? There are probably thousands of us.

I don't think I'm going to bother to be honest.
I rode for 15 years before I bothered to do the test and I'm not sure I can be arsed to do it all again. I kept the bike for 18 months after it came to light whilst I continued to argue the toss with the DVLA but have since sold it.