DVLA Photo licence renewal for free?

Cosmo_Periwinkle

Just tried to renew my licence with the DVLA by 'phone and was willing to pay. Was told that I couldn't renew by phone because my current licence is still in my possession. I could only renew if I had lost my licence.! I suggested that if I rang them again and said I had lost it, would they then renew by phone? Operator agreed that I could!! How mind bogglingly mad, crazy, frustrating, bureaucratic, stupid, jobsworth and a waste of time/money is that?:mad:. Oh! Just realised that I have lost my licence (which is lying in front of me). Must phone the common wonderful DVLA....:D

vaio

shammyjack wrote: »

£19 over 10 years works out at 3.65p per week !

Hardly a fortune to spend !

shammy

yep, as you say, hardly a fortune……

on the other hand, given there are 40m (ish) drivers it works out at about £300k a week or £75m a year.

A nice little earner for the government, plus it gets the population used to carrying a little card with a photo on which they have to produce to the police when asked.

Me? I think I’ll keep my share in my pocket and stick with my old green licence which, despite being mostly sticky tape, still has almost 20 years to run.

chip286

I cant believe i have to pay £20 for a photo renewal! How much admin goes into changing a photo??!!!!! Yes, it may only be £20 to some people but ive already paid for the driving licence. I also pay for road tax, for insurance, for over expensive petrol and now im getting charged for 'ageing'. Nice one DVLA, why not fine us for gaining weight. That way we can be blamed for causing the numerous pot-holes that we drive over every day!!:p

Lum

jazzy wrote: »

Trouble with the photo type driving licence's is that they are only valid for 10 years unlike the old paper type which last a life time

Unless you don't look after it, like the OPs.

Seconding the selotape option. Bonus that if you ever get points it will annoy the people at court when they try to endorse your licence.

Cosmo_Periwinkle wrote: »

Was told that I couldn't renew by phone because my current licence is still in my possession. I could only renew if I had lost my licence.! I suggested that if I rang them again and said I had lost it, would they then renew by phone? Operator agreed that I could!! How mind bogglingly mad, crazy, frustrating, bureaucratic, stupid, jobsworth and a waste of time/money is that?:mad:. Oh! Just realised that I have lost my licence (which is lying in front of me). Must phone the common wonderful DVLA....:D

Oh !!!!!!, the dog just ate it in front of me while I was on the phone to you. Now can I renew please?

That way you don't need to hang up.

Waterways_2

Is an old paper license valid in Europe (outside of the UK), to rent a car?

DCFC79

Waterways wrote: »

Is an old paper license valid in Europe (outside of the UK)?

have you by any chance googled for an answer

Waterways_2

DCFC79 wrote: »

have you by any chance googled for an answer

Yes. Then I asked.

AnythingButChardonnay

Waterways wrote: »

Is an old paper license valid in Europe (outside of the UK), to rent a car?

A hire company can refuse to lend a car for basically any reason they like.

As far as the authorities are concerned, an old licence is valid until 2033 or your 70th birthday, whichever is earlier.

Waterways_2

AnythingButChardonnay wrote: »

A hire company can refuse to lend a car for basically any reason they like.

As far as the authorities are concerned, an old licence is valid until 2033 or your 70th birthday, whichever is earlier.

Thanks, but....
Is an old paper license valid in Europe (outside of the UK), to rent a car?

AnythingButChardonnay

Waterways wrote: »

Thanks, but....
Is an old paper license valid in Europe (outside of the UK), to rent a car?

I thought I'd answered that question.

It is valid in Europe because Our Masters in Brussels (the EU) have ruled that old-style licences from member states are valid until 2033. If you're not 70 until after then, then effectively they've stolen several years off your licence validity.

I cannot promise what any particular hire company will say. Perhaps somewhere in the outer reaches of Lithuania they will never have seen an old paper GB licence. That was the only caveat I gave.