Driving Licence Renewal - over 70

Marmaduke123

If you are applying online make sure you are at the correct place for the over 70s renewal, otherwise you won't  get the medical checklist. Also, there are a few scam websites which charge. It's actually free.

https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70

peter1xxx

I could not apply online has i had the old paper license and i do not have a passport.

mjandar8170

Hi, I’m the originator of this particular thread and I thank all respondents for their thoughts and comments. So, just to bring you up to date.

I turn 73 years of age on 18th July and require to renew my Driving Licence for all classes up to and including BE.

Realising that the DVLA would be experiencing difficult times due to the virus I naively expected a D46P reminder to be sent to me by some automated system but, by the beginning of June it had not arrived.

I tried to contact them by telephone, email and Web Chat but found their help desks were dedicated to a different class of people from me so, from early June I tried to apply on-line using the ‘Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over’ form.

Among other details it asked me for my Driving Licence and my Passport numbers but nowhere did it ask anything about eyesight or other medical conditions (I don’t have any).

Having answered all of the requested answers and attempting to submit the form it instantly came back with the comment ‘Licence cannot be renewed’, ‘Your licence is no longer valid and must be renewed’ (it is valid, I have it in my hand). It also implied that my Passport is invalid (it is valid and does not expire until 2027). I get the impression, reading other peoples comments, that there is a glitch in the DVLA computer which is causing these errors.

To date I have filled in the on-line application form more than ten times always with the same result.

I have now obtained a paper D1 form from my local Post Office and my plan is to complete that and send it in by recorded delivery which will, I think, cover me to drive until the DVLA get themselves sort themselves.

I have the impression that they are not currently responding to postal applications but I will at least have a record that my application is somewhere in the system and I will therefore still be able to drive under Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988.

Someone has suggested that a letter to my MP might help but apparently others have tried this with less than helpful relies.

So now, two more questions about filling in the D1 form:

1)      The on-line form asks, if you have one, to give your Passport number as part of the identification process but, in section 5 of the D1 form the accompanying notes say specifically not to fill in section 5 unless - and then goes on to give reasons which do not apply to me. So do I include my Passport number or not? I am tempted to put it in and then they can ignore it if they do not want it.

2)      The instructions are a bit ambiguous but I think I have to attach a Passport style photograph but that it does not need to be signed. Do I attach an unsigned photo or not?

There must be tens of thousands of people being affected in a similar way to me but there is no information or advice from anywhere official - only on forums like this one.

I’d be grateful (for everyone’s benefit) for any further comments or ideas.  

Goldenyears

Anyone (applying for over 70 licence) not having a valid passport will have a problem in the current crisis.  I don't know of a solution.  Both my wife and I applied for ours recently (3 months before expiry) on line and had no problem. The new licences arrived in less than 3 working days.  To the OP I don't see the need to attach physical photo.  The image is taken automatically from the passport record, but it does sound as if there is a software glitch if a valid passport is rejected.

Ganga

Well new licence arrived today ,i have lost 5 categories which are mostly truck related ,i used to drive a 7.5 tonne gross truck and tow a trailer when i worked but as i retired 4 years ago will not miss that.
Turn around for the licence to arrive was 5 days from on line application and was free.

cajef

Applied online to renew licence on the 12th new licence arrived in the post today, also five day turn around. 

peter1xxx

Online licenses are being dealt with as normal.It's paper applications which are the problem.

diy1950

I have old paper license and passport has expired. Applied online and DVLA have Sent me a form which asks for ID.
I am coming up for 70 so is bank statement showing State Pension payment and my National Insurance number sufficient or do I have to send Birth Certificate as well (instructions ambiguous). I realise I must send photo as well.

rolypin

DVLA insist if licence expired even if you have proof of delivery of over 70 application well before expiry date not legal to drive

girlchops

To anybody awaiting their new license, you might be able to check your application here on the gov website
 https://www.gov.uk/track-your-driving-licence-application
I sent a form back for family member to renew their over 70s licence in March and we still haven't received the new one. Until yesterday the site said they're still waiting for the form but we sent all the docs signed for and have tracking to show it was delivered in early March. I did eventually get through to somebody on the web chat thing by continually clicking that the answers weren't helpful, using this i was able to communicate directly with a person at DVLA. I was then advised that they did in fact have our docs and renewal will be dealt with in due course but that there's no timescale whatsoever as to when it might happen  !!
HTH