DVLA WAITING TIMES

I think they are trying to dissuade drivers over 70 from applying for C1 renewals. It all stems from the Glasgow bin lorry driver who collapsed at the wheel after failing to disclose medical issues and running on to a pavement, unfortunately killing someone.
I wonder how many CI drivers have caused accidents due to medical conditions compared to similar numbers of under 70 aged drivers.
 
Jimbohorlicks

I've got a way to go before I hit 70, but my specialist said the same - the Medical Section got a lot more rigorous after that accident.

I don't have a problem with that, but when, as with my provisional C, the DVLA want three levels of Doctor's report for the D4, each of which takes around a month to organise, and the Medical Section take a month+ to request the next level, pretty soon six months has gone by.

On my current renewal they 'should' have requested an appointment with their independent specialist - one to two months to complete - on the back of my initial D2 and VDIAB1.

Perhaps they've waived that to speed up Category C renewals. :LOL:
 
It's Finally arrived !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
41 weeks after starting the process
27 weeks after my licence officially expired
Licence turned up this morning, all correct with C1+E. but only for 1 year,
Therefore next September I have to start the process all over again.
The only good thing is that i have effectively gained a 6 month extension to my licence !!!!
Joe
 
Best to start now then,it's a DVLA non joke to only issue a 1 year licence when it's taken 41 weeks to obtain a renewal,as you say 6 months after expiry, Doesnt allow you much space to plan ahead .(n)
 
Did my driving licence renewal online on 08/12 we decided I don’t need my C1 and DVLA used the picture from my passport and my new licence turned up yesterday.

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Just got lucky, I thought because of so many people complaining, let’s do my really early, 9 months early, renewal of a licence with A, B, C, BE, CE and medical required , send off recorded, no photo enclosed , new driving licence drops on my doormat in 12 days🤷🏻‍♂️😎😇
 
Jimbohorlicks said:
Best to start now then,it's a DVLA non joke to only issue a 1 year licence when it's taken 41 weeks to obtain a renewal,as you say 6 months after expiry, Doesnt allow you much space to plan ahead .(n)
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It is dated from 9 Dec, so as i said have gained an extra 6 months, don't have to worry until next Sept, so can plan all of next season.
Sue does not do cold camping, so only use during winter is the odd race / rally weekend.
Joe
 
Still waiting for mine applied for in June. Now waiting for an appointment for echocardiagram.
I decided I can't put up with this every time so we are downsizing so I can apply on line.
Put registration on retention certificate online, done instantly so obviously an automated system, so why only available 12 hours a day?
 
Finally, l have just checked the DVLA website and my Licence has been issued with full entitlements. Application started 9 August.
 
Dutch 68 said:
Just got lucky, I thought because of so many people complaining, let’s do my really early, 9 months early, renewal of a licence with A, B, C, BE, CE and medical required , send off recorded, no photo enclosed , new driving licence drops on my doormat in 12 days🤷🏻‍♂️😎😇
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Didn’t think you could apply earlier than 90 days🤔

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sent for my c1 of on the 22dec -your item was delivered on 29-12-2021.we see how long it takes if no no problems
 
Dutch 68 said:
You really can, you can apply whenever you like, it’s just that you don’t keep the original expiry date, which was absolutely fine with me!
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Are you 70 years of age and reapplying to keep grandfather rights?🤔
 
Dutch 68 said:
No, I am a youngster, medical was needed to retain my CE ( class 1 )
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That’s why you could apply early? the original discussion was reference to be 70 yr olds applying to keep their driving licence with grandfather rights of C1 licence which is a different thing as at 70 you have no choice but to re apply for your licence with special requirements and can only be done max 90 days before your 70th birthday😊

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I had a long conversation with the DVLA today; first whoever answers the Medical Section line, then someone from the Medical Section.

Contradicts everything they told me before.

Although the Medical Section issued my provisional Category C, and subsequent licence and renewal, all Category C licences - irrespective of medical conditions - are handled by the Vocational Section not the Medical Section (which only handles 'cars').

They stated that from Age 45 a D4 is required on every renewal of Category C licences, i.e. annually in my case as I'm a T1 diabetic, with follow-up specialist reports. I queried the need for an annual D4 as the guidance notes 'inf4d-d4-medical-examination-information-notes.pdf' here say:
You do not need to send in a D4 when you renew a medically restricted licence until you are 45. If you are over 45 and have a medically restricted licence, a D4 will be required every 5 years. Further information is available at www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions
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but they were adamant.

So the laborious process of asking a GP and optician, waiting for the DVLA to request my specialist's opinion, then an independent specialist 'if they think it's needed'. Presumably when the GP and my specialist think I'm fit to drive.

On 19 October I sent the D2 and VDIAB1 medical renewal forms to the Medical Section, as requested by them.

On 17 November the Vocational Section asked for the D4 form (the Medical Section had said I needed every 5 years) and I returned that on 19th November with a Doctor's report and optician's report.

On 23 December they asked for a report from my diabetic specialist. At best that will be late January by which time my licence has expired. Then they'll sit on it for another month and ask for an independent specialist's report around the end of February which will get my licence around the end of March or later if the specialist is busy or unavailable.

I'm abroad at the moment so long haul flight back to the UK and a wait until I have done all this. If I don't they are threatening that my renewal will expire, although they are also 'understanding of my position'.

Either way it looks like despite relaxations on the Continent, it's another year when we can't take our motorhome skiing.

I'd asked for email messages but haven't had any, and I found all this out by hanging on the phone for an hour. Apparently they can't send emails which contain the recipient's address, and as their letters are computer-generated they can't send the old ones with addresses. They may update them at some point. It's a known issue and affects other people in my situation... :rolleyes:

I used some naughty words after an hour and a quarter on the phone to them.

On the subject of delays, their recorded message announces 'there have been some delays' and these are 'mainly due to medical professionals'. So now you know who's responsible.
 
John Russell said:
I had a long conversation with the DVLA today; first whoever answers the Medical Section line, then someone from the Medical Section.

Contradicts everything they told me before.

Although the Medical Section issued my provisional Category C, and subsequent licence and renewal, all Category C licences - irrespective of medical conditions - are handled by the Vocational Section not the Medical Section (which only handles 'cars').

They stated that from Age 45 a D4 is required on every renewal of Category C licences, i.e. annually in my case as I'm a T1 diabetic, with follow-up specialist reports. I queried the need for an annual D4 as the guidance notes 'inf4d-d4-medical-examination-information-notes.pdf' here say:

but they were adamant.

So the laborious process of asking a GP and optician, waiting for the DVLA to request my specialist's opinion, then an independent specialist 'if they think it's needed'. Presumably when the GP and my specialist think I'm fit to drive.

On 19 October I sent the D2 and VDIAB1 medical renewal forms to the Medical Section, as requested by them.

On 17 November the Vocational Section asked for the D4 form (the Medical Section had said I needed every 5 years) and I returned that on 19th November with a Doctor's report and optician's report.

On 23 December they asked for a report from my diabetic specialist. At best that will be late January by which time my licence has expired. Then they'll sit on it for another month and ask for an independent specialist's report around the end of February which will get my licence around the end of March or later if the specialist is busy or unavailable.

I'm abroad at the moment so long haul flight back to the UK and a wait until I have done all this. If I don't they are threatening that my renewal will expire, although they are also 'understanding of my position'.

Either way it looks like despite relaxations on the Continent, it's another year when we can't take our motorhome skiing.

I'd asked for email messages but haven't had any, and I found all this out by hanging on the phone for an hour. Apparently they can't send emails which contain the recipient's address, and as their letters are computer-generated they can't send the old ones with addresses. They may update them at some point. It's a known issue and affects other people in my situation... :rolleyes:

I used some naughty words after an hour and a quarter on the phone to them.

On the subject of delays, their recorded message announces 'there have been some delays' and these are 'mainly due to medical professionals'. So now you know who's responsible.
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How do you manage to get through, every time I call all the lines are engaged?
Tia.
 
Sillious Sodus said:
How do you manage to get through, every time I call all the lines are engaged?
Tia.
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I found it helped phoning later in the evening, still not easy though but, I did manage it on a couple of occasions doing that.
 
Sillious Sodus I called just after 08:00; no dice, then redialled and got lucky. Advertised 30 minute wait was a bit longer, and I eventually got through.

I have spent a lot longer redialling without a result, and I wouldn't have tried except it was critical to know whether they needed a further appointment.

I'll start the next renewal around May in order to complete by December 2022.
 
Started phoning 09:00 both. 03007906806 and 03007906801. Literally continually re dealing. All lines busy, tried the licence chat line at the same time no one available. Started process to renew for the second time C1 21/06/2020 sent my forms back stating they need a new photo, website says they can use you passport if you give them the info to obtain a photo. That’s is not correct. So sent off again 2608/2020. Still no licence. Finally got through on the phone they are now writing to my GP I had a black out in 2044 declared it last time all went through fine. So wrote to doctor giving my permission to give them whatever info they needed doc sent off forms 08/12/2020. Still no licence

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Bessy765 said:
Finally got through on the phone they are now writing to my GP I had a black out in 2044 declared
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I think you probably meant 2014 or are you a time traveller then😂
 
It just seems that far away. Tried over 300 times on the phone yesterday. So far over 30 times since 8 this morning
 
I've sent an Email today, pointing out that 3 months since previous contact and 6-10 weeks timescale had not been met. Last chance before involving my MP.
 
Today it was announced that DVLA are dealing with applications for the renewal of driving licences for the over 70's that they received on 13th OCTOBER.
 
Emmit said:
Today it was announced that DVLA are dealing with applications for the renewal of driving licences for the over 70's that they received on 13th OCTOBER.
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And that's just dealing with them,not the issuing of licences for over 70's.(n)

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Jimbohorlicks said:
And that's just dealing with them,not the issuing of licences for over 70's.(n)
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As such an application without the additional 'complication' of C1 can be be made online, I assume we are talking about C1 applications here (although the article didn't say so.)
 
Just seen on wales online that there have been110 cases of Covid in staff of dvla this week so waiting times will probably get longer:eek:
 
Submitted V5 by registered post for upplate on the 18th Dec. Dvla Wesbite showed the changes on 4th Jan and new V5 arrived today.

However, whilst the new weight was sorted Dvla did not add the missing info on the v5 we requested (included copy of coc and info on what was needed in the engineers report). So that’s a follow up task!

Chose to use V.W.E for this. Great price and service from Dee!
 
davanne said:
Just seen on wales online that there have been110 cases of Covid in staff of dvla this week so waiting times will probably get longer:eek:
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Apparently, DVLA employ over 5000 directly at Swansea so losing 2% to covid shouldn't make a heap of difference.

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