just got my license back from DVLA and guess what?

[sadlonelygit]

yep, they've forgotten to put a category back on my ticket..............not really that important........only the one i do for a living
thankfully when i spoke to them they could see it on their system, but still have to go through the ballache of re-applying and not knowing if i'm allowed to drive the bus until i get clearance!

[slimwilly]

it has been said that if you ever need to send your licence to DVLA then photo copy it first because if they omit a pass letter or catagory then you have proof it existed, because if you are old they will not have the details of a bike test you passed fourty years ago.

[Skippernick]

Photo copy is not good enough.


What you do is put a SAE in your application with a cover note asking for the old driving license back for your records they then can't print a new one wrong because you will have the original.


MCN advice from a couple of years ago because DVLA were forgetting to put bike licenses back on, a big whohar about it.

[solorider]

if you are renewing your license do it online if you can, if you have to pay then apply as if you have lost your license, that way you will have your old license to hand. so long as you respond straight away dvla will have your old license in their system, they destroy them after I think is either 3 or 6 months. so long as you respond within that time you should be safe.

[lew600fazer]

if you are renewing your license do it online if you can, if you have to pay then apply as if you have lost your license, that way you will have your old license to hand. so long as you respond straight away dvla will have your old license in their system, they destroy them after I think is either 3 or 6 months. so long as you respond within that time you should be safe.

But surely these days it is compulsory to have a photo card licence when you renew so what about the photo side of things. Also if you fail to renew your photo licence when due it is £1000 fine.
Sound advice by other posters but I would still take a photo copy as well. I know of one guy when he got his licence back the Bike section was not on the new licence. When he contacted them, there reply was , well you will have to resit your test again. heaven forbid if it was to happen to me , there is no way I would pass a test again, to many bad habits now.
Lew

[peterjca]

Still got my paper one and have no intention of obtaining the photo card one so that I can be another cash cow for the govt every 10 years (or whatever the renewal interval is). Also, there's no way I'm taking the chance of being at the mercy of the judge and jury known as the DVLA.

There was a story some years ago of a biker cop losing his bike entitlement due to a DVLA cock up. They would not admit wrong-doing and would not accept written proof from the chief constable that the cop had been riding and testing police bikes for years. The copper had to retake his tests.

The inconvenience for work, the loss of no-claims and I assume being treated as a new rider by the insurance companies if you're unlucky enough to have suffered DVLA incompetence is not worth the risk.

[BBROWN1664]

Whenever I need to get a new licence I say the old one is lost (both parts) so they don't need it back. The old one works as my proof of entitlement should they fec up when I suddenly find it.

[lew600fazer]

Still got my paper one and have no intention of obtaining the photo card one so that I can be another cash cow for the govt every 10 years (or whatever the renewal interval is). Also, there's no way I'm taking the chance of being at the mercy of the judge and jury known as the DVLA.

There was a story some years ago of a biker cop losing his bike entitlement due to a DVLA cock up. They would not admit wrong-doing and would not accept written proof from the chief constable that the cop had been riding and testing police bikes for years. The copper had to retake his tests.

The inconvenience for work, the loss of no-claims and I assume being treated as a new rider by the insurance companies if you're unlucky enough to have suffered DVLA incompetence is not worth the risk.

If you go touring you will need the card /photo licence it is compulsory.
Or so I have been led to believe.
Lew

[ChristoT]

News to me! If the license is valid, it's valid, end of, surely?

[BBROWN1664]

It's advisory but not compulsory to have a photo card licence when touring.

[Phil]

Whenever I need to get a new licence I say the old one is lost (both parts) so they don't need it back. The old one works as my proof of entitlement should they fec up when I suddenly find it.

Excellent advice.

I actually did lose my license once and the first thing I did when the new one arrived was check everything was on it.

[flesh]

I always take my license to a local DVLA office if it needs to be sent off. Done this twice now.
They copy it, sign and date the copy with their stamp then give you the copy for your records. They then send your licence away. If your new licence comes back wrong you have a DVLA stamped one as evidence.
This was advice given to me by a tour bus driver friend of mine who regularly has to do this, and has had his licence back on a few occasions missing catagories.