Return of licence
 

Ok I know it's another question but how long should the "authorities" hold on to your licence when its sent in to have points added for speeding ?.

Sent mine in 2 weeks ago with my £60 contribution to Mr. B. Liars pension fund and wrote on the form asking that it be returned promptly as I needed it as we were going abroad on holiday and renting a car.

No sign of it so I rang them yesterday and they eventually found my documents, when asked why they hadn't been returned I was told "there is a backlog in the system". I asked whether I should cancel my holiday on that basis or whether they could get their ars* in gear and send the licences back. I also suggested that if they were getting a backlog that the profits could perhaps be used to employ more staff. Apparently no revenue is raised from speeding fines !!! so more staff are out of the question.

If I don't get my licences back by tomorrow can I claim for the loss of my holiday due to their incompetence ?

Here's a story for you......

- Lost my wallet with Australian licence
- Applied to Australian licensing people to have certificate showing licence qualifications sent to me.
- Sent certificate to DVLA for transfer and issue of UK licence.
- DVLA issues UK licence with car endorsement only
- Licence sent back to DVLA for motorcycle endorsement to be added (September 14)
- DVLA claim they need to contact Australian licensing people for confirmation - why I don't know as the certificate clearly stated that I had a full bike endorsement.
- DVLA send fax to Australia on September 26th (that's two weeks after my Registered mail package would have arrived with the DVLA). Why fax and not something modern and faster like email I don't know.
- As of today, November 1st, I still have no license in my posession.

I've phoned them 5 times, I've asked for the case to be prioritised. Apparently they couldn't/wouldn't follow up their initial fax until October 26th.

My main reason for missing the DSC Brands track day was the fact that I had no licence back from the DVLA.

Really quite unimpressed.

[Edited on 1-11-2005 by phillc]

It can get worse than that mate, there are very well documented cases of people sending in their UK licence for a change of address or something and having it returned with no motorcycle entitlement. When challenged DVLC then say they have no record of the motorcycle entitlement and unless you can prove it to them you will have to re-take your test. This actually happened to a police motorcycle rider-funnily enough they backed down in his case. When I last sent my licence in for a change of address I made sure I had a photocopy of the licence incase they cocked up, and I made VERY sure to check it thoroughly when I got it back.

John

It can get worse than that.

I got a producer for something quite trivial a couple of days after I had sent my license to Swansea for a change of address.

Hmmmmm..... 5 days to produce my license and up to 3 weeks to get my license back after it had ground it's way through the system.

I phoned Swansea and asked them whether they could just return it unprocessed or fast track it somehow - you could hear them s******ing - but they said this was not an uncommon thing to happen and that they would issue me with a 'certificate of entitlement to drive' which the police would be happy with. Sure enough the certificate turned up in the post - on the last day I had to produce my documents.

Took it down the local nick along with my other documents and the local plod took one look at the said 'certificate' and sneered "but that's not a license is it sir..." in the way that only some people can call you 'sir' and make it sound as if you're actually akin to something unpleasant stuck on their shoe. Despite assurances from the DVLA that their certificate was valid the local nick proceeded to charge me for failure to produce my license. I kicked up a fuss and the desk sergeant got involved, then someone higher up and so on until I had about 5 layers of heirarchy standing behind the desk arguing the toss. Every single one of them was behind their mates pedantry and wouldn't budge.

They didn't back down until I got a solicitor involved, but it cost me an hour of solicitors time

Paul,

When did you send your licence? Local Speed tax office or the DVLA.

I'm guessing the former?

Maybe the last thing to do is say you need it back in a hurry.

If it was me I'd be down there to collect in person but I'd guess they are sealed in a bunker to avoid unwanted "help" with their backlog.

If its the DVLA I'd surrunder now, you only need to know one thing, the reason why its located where it is was beacause of the large number of unemployed in the area, they can turn the simplest of tasks into a major project employing hundreds.

Ray



Ray

Don't suppose I should be surprised really as f*ck all else seems to work in this country anymore. Why should the "Safety" camera rip off squad be any better than the rest of our services

Best to have at least three licences these days, one is absolutely useless.

Also anyone thinking of sending their licence off for a new one should say they have lost it. Get the new one and check it when it turns up, then throw the old one away. better still keep it for track days when yours is with the wolit abusers.

Beet them at there own game. :smug:

I don't think the camera vans have anything to do with the DVLA.

No nothing at all, it's all done via local court fines department.

Damn! I have recently had my wallet stollen and I dred trying to get a new licence!

How about this... after a speeding fine i sent off my old license - I get two back??

As Ericthered says.

Play them at their own game.

When your license finally comes back, say it didn't if you catch my drift.

DVLA will send out a replacement and pick up the tab. You then have 2 to play with.

Better if you do it before any points going on, 1 clean and 1 dirty license:D

I know several people who do it now when they pass a new license rating I.E. bike or HGV, when the examiner takes your license and sends it away for you after successfully passing, you claim it never arrived back with your new entitlement on.:devil:

Voila 2 licenses paid for by DVLA.......

I have a licence for my dog, does that mean it can drive?

It must be able to drive better than some of the planks you see on the roads.

It does Sean,

It may have a special entitlement of "Multi Tasking" on there as well, which means it can drive and lick it's own balls at the same time..........

Must be safer than using a mobile surely???;)

We employ a Polish guy, he can drive/ride here his insurance etc in Poland costs nothing.

Buy a PO box in Poland (EU) register all vehicles in Poland.

UK police contact Polish police about a "speeding offence" Polish police find bin............................................... .....:lol::lol:

I would be supprised if any of the Polish/Lithuanian plated cars have any form of insurance.:flame:

Cue.................pssing on strawberries!

The DVLA data base is now available on PNC. I have to say its pretty damm good, almost as good as the vehicle Insurance data base.

Personally i am quite cynical about anyone that produces a licence or Insurance certificate at the side of the road. I think any bobby worth their salt would /should check the data base.......its suprising what it says, and make a judgement on that!

As you have said people have duplicate licences, and also take out insurance to get the certificate posted....then cancel payment!

Obviously we treat all road users with the same amount of equality/diversity, so it matters not to me if you are from Mars, you need Ins and a licence.............oh and not one bought from a service station, or created on a home computer!




:D;)

not in england mate-- but you do in northern ireland!!!!!!

No..the camera vans are far too efficient at their job!!!!!!!!! (Unlike the DVLA)

[Edited on 6-11-2005 by Guido]

Only when you marry her!:o;)

Great news! As of today, November 24th I still have no licence.

The efficient people at the DVLA can't even tell me who they sent the fax to in Australia so that I can follow up myself directly.

I reckon they've lost it.

How long have you been residing in the uk?:devil::pig:

Don't answer that....Take the fifth....or your collar will be felt!!!!!

I obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain, commonly known as "Permanent Residency" in December 2004 .

Why do you ask? :devil:

Just wondered how long youd been driving around with out a uk licence if any.

May have done something similar to this myself :D only word of caution, you will only be able to produce that latest license at the police station, your "lost" license will be recorded as lost.

BUT, if you did happen to find your lost license after a replacement had been issued you could maybe keep your "lost" clean license for hiring cars abroad etc etc :o

Guys n Gals
Since passing my bike and car tests in the 70's I have never had a problem with DVLC despite a number of address changes. But......

Since living in Switzerland (you know - the land where everything and everyone is so efficient) this happened to me:

When I arrived here in I lived in Kantone St. Gallen and so exchanged my UK licence for a swiss one at the local office (you do this locally in each kantone not centrally) and was issued with a swiss licence all present and correct for approx £60 and they return the UK licence to DVLC.

A couple of years later I moved house, but still lived in Kantone St. Gallen, nonetheless I need to change my licence to have the correct address on or face a fine of approx £150. Cost of changing address on licence approx £30.

Then a number of years later I moved to Kantone Zurich, and I needed to change my licence again. Simple enough process but at a cost of yes approx £60. Got my new licence.

A few years later I turned 50 and received a letter from the licencing authorities that I now needed to have a medical certificate to drive and that I need to have this medical done every 5 years from now on in. Now seeing a Doctor in this country is not cheap and you would not get away with anything less than a bill for £100 for such a simple examination so I consulted with a swiss friend of mine over this "new rule". He'd never heard of it so he asked to see my licence.

Now at the begining of this post I did say I passed my bike and car licence - well the folks at the Zurich licencing authorities added to my licence the fact that I was qualified to drive a swiss ambulance, fire engine and a tank (never been in anyone's army) and hence needed the medical.

So to avoid the costly medical every 5 years and not wishing to drive a tank, fire engine or ambulance I decided to point out their mistake. I went to the office personally and discussed the matter with them, even showing them copies of my licence from Kantone St. Gallen and my copy of my UK licence. Yes they said somehow it is different and we'll issue you with another one. They did and charged me an admin fee of approx £35!

Cost of having a swiss licence todate = £185

You may ask why change the UK licence into a Swiss one? Answer - you are allowed to keep and use your UK licence for 12mths only if you take up permanent residency in Switzerland, but, you must apply to change it into a swiss one within that period. Failure to do so means that you have to take a swiss driving test. The cost of this both practical and theoretical is currently approx £2,300 by the time you have a licence in your hand depending upon which Kantone you happen to be living in!

The DVLC ain't perfect - but it isn't as expensive as the Swiss who also ain't perfect. Safe Riding wherever you are.

[Edited on 25-11-2005 by Athelstan]

Erm... not half as long as when you reach maximum 12 on the richter scale.... erm.... oops !!! :rolleye:

Not long now... roll on Feb...... :bouncy:

On December 24th I received my best Christmas present this year - the return from the DVLA of my UK licence, with the correct driving/riding class qualifications shown on it.

Why it took them over 3 months, I don't know, but will just put the whole thing down to experience.

Now, I just need to get my busted knee sorted and I can go riding again!