DVLA shocker!

[BBROWN1664]

My photocard was due to expire in a couple of weeks so I used the Post Office service to renew it on Monday and then went away for work for a few days.
When I got home last night my replacement licence had arrived! Not only that, but they managed to keep all the groups on there that I had before too!

[bigralphie]

I think DVLA are much slicker these days, I transfered my paddy plate onto my new bike was in and out my local office in 30 mins ,with all the paperwork done.
Impressive

[HarryHornby]

Funny you mention this, mine has just come up for renewal for a princely sum of £20 plus the cost of the photos 
 
I'm sure I heard stories from a while back about licences going off to the DVLA and coming back without motorcycle entitlement, so I'm planning on photocopying my licence before it goes off.  How much do the Post Office charge, I noted that there "may be an additional charge for this service"
 
What's annoying me the most is I only passed my bike test in June 2010 and they didn't think to renew the photo then, maybe it's because that was free and they now get to charge me £20 for the privillage, thieving bastids!

[oldmotherfoccer]

Dont get me started on DVLA - we know everyone at northampton personally, bikes not in our name, getting fined for, bikes in our name not getting VO5's for, bikes sold, getting reminders for, buying a van and not getting anything for, then getting the sorn through - even though it was taxed and on the road !! they are in a real pickle there - but then its swansea so what would you expect pmsl

[glynblue2]

Its the same price wether you are renewing or lost your licence by misplacing it so send for your new licence stating that you have lost your original that way you have solid proof of entitlement they wont accept photocopies of anything as proof..they removed it from mine 12 years ago and i resat the test and passed, it was the cheaper option than getting solicitors involved and i had loads of proof,,they even asked me to send my pink passed slip from40 years ago pmsl....
 
 

[BBROWN1664]

I took a copy of mine before sending it back but also have one that I lost, then found, as further proof. (I know I was meant to send it back once I found it )

It cost £24:50 doing it through the post office so not too bad if you have to get photos done as the photo is included in teh cost.

[pitternator]

well in spite of the hype...I have no issues with swansea at all. Not one vehicle transfer cocked up, not 1 sorn missed, bike licence back incredibly quickly. I have 2 bikes, 3 cars...and nobody I know in my extended family or any friends have ever had problems....so I reckon the dvla "cock up" is overhyped.

[Janet]

If you have a current passport there's a much less worrying way to do it. You can apply online and give your passport number as well as the normal details. They use this to retrieve your photo and your signature from your passport, and send you your new licence (in my and my husband's experience) in just a few days. You are supposed to return your old licence to them, cut in half, but you get about three weeks to do this, meaning that you get the new one and have time to check it before surrendering the old one.
 
My husband and I have both done this within the last couple of years to get our first photocard licences - apart from anything else our old paper licences, of 1987 vintage, were starting to fall apart. Both of our new licences were entirely correct, even though they contained extra information (dates tests passed which were back in the 80s, etc) which hadn't appeared on the old paper licences.

[Robbie8666]

Me n my lady had to renew ours last year, despite her only having passed her test 4 years ago. I have nprobmesa renewing every 10 years as appreances do change, but since I renewed mine I 've grown a beard (which i intend to keep!)... should i have a new pic taken or wait till its time to renew again? is it against the law as i do look totally different!
 
that reminds me I got to get new passport in march!! how much is that every 10 years?

[Robbie8666]

just checked n 3 week service is £77.50 unless you are over 83  then its free & a under 16's is £49!!!
 
 

[BBROWN1664]

My neighbour is in the process of selling his motorbike because DVLA "lost" his entitlement. Their resposne was for him to retake his test or prove he had passed it. The latter is a bit difficult as he passed in the 1970's and sent them the pass certificate at the time to update his licence.

Getting on a bit now he has decided to go for one of teh Piaggio (I think) three wheelers with the wider front track than means he can ride it on his car licence!

[BBROWN1664]

Oh, and my passport is due to be renewed soon too. A quick check shows it is in May!

[taksi]

Did mine online - no probs. Also tax it online as well. Took 5 mins to fill in the form and the tax disc came throught the letter box 3 days later. Saves all that queuing b*****ks.
 
 
Taksi

[pitternator]

If you take good copies of your old licence or passport it at least is evidence of entitlement. TBH I still think its a very minor issue, probably just a statistical human failure element....no system is perfect. TBH its how mistakes are put right which is important rather than the mistake itself.

[Just Anne]

Go to a small quiet village post office and ask then to do a certified copy and they will probably only charge their standard price for a photocopy but will sign and stamp it to certify that it is a true copy of the original that they have seen. This was quick and simple but not so in a city post office where they had to get the head honcho and I had to wait for ages. This is your proof of the classes of vehicle you can drive, not worrth taking the risk of them missing off your bike licence..........especially if,like me, you only had to ride round the block to get it
 
Anne

[Tori]

I still have a licence in my cupboard that has someone else on the photocard, but under my address. When i called dvla about it, I was told 'I don't care of you sell it on ebay'. Hence, I still have it.

[pitternator]

????.. dont know what ur point is Tori ...cant believe our licensing authority would be so off hand. I would have followed that up.Get a name and shame them.
janet- yes I too passed on a similar system...1976...the hardest bit was trying to keep an eye on the examiner to see if he was still watching or not ! ...lordy . But you could get away with that in those days, bikes were much lower power( a street triple has similar power to a 500cc GP bike then  ! )...and traffic density / speeds much more favourable.A 250 was considered a standard bike...I had a 400 ..classed as a mini superbike back then !