Driving Licence renewal - failure between Passport office and DVLA for on-line

KathyGee

So I've just got off the phone to DVLA.  Apparently I can't renew my Driving Licence on line because there is a "glitch" between the Passport Office allowing access to my passport picture (due to the digital signature) and the DVLA.  The DVLA "option" is for me to fill out a D1 form (hard copy), pay for another passport photo and then pay £3 extra for the priviledge of filling out a paper application.  In these times of osterity, every penny counts.  Every one....  DVLA basically said "if you don't want to do it, your driving licence will expire and you'll be fined for driving on an expired licence".  No offer to honour the £14 on-line charge.  The Passport Office said, nothing to do with us and then hung up on me.  I am at breaking point.... 

Brie

I sympathise completely with this as these glitches have such an impact.  The people that set up these systems don't think about the problems when things go wrong and will likely say "but it's only £X which is nothing" because they don't realise how much of a tightrope so many people are on.  

I don't know how far you'll get by complaining about this but it may be worth a shot.  

Complaints procedure - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

KathyGee

Brie said:

I sympathise completely with this as these glitches have such an impact.  The people that set up these systems don't think about the problems when things go wrong and will likely say "but it's only £X which is nothing" because they don't realise how much of a tightrope so many people are on.  

I don't know how far you'll get by complaining about this but it may be worth a shot.  

Thanks Brie.  I'll give it a try but at best I "may" get the £3 back but not the cost of the photo nor the fuel to get to somewhere to get the photo taken.  I can't keep absorbing these costs..  

user1977

My last two passport photos have been selfies, you don't need to drive somewhere or pay to get your photo taken.