DVLA - sending old driving licence and receiving new one

Boesewicht

I hold a German driving licence and am about to exchange it for a UK one. For this, I have to send my old German licence to the DVLA where it will be destroyed.
However, I am worried about the reliability of Royal Mail those days and wonder if I should send my application and German licence with Signed and Delivered.
Likewise, how will they send the new licence to me? 1st or 2nd class ? Or would you advise me to include a self-addressed envelop with Signed and Delivered to be sure it does not get lost in the mail.
Thank you for you feedback.

born_again

Signed & delivered will not stop it getting lost.

Companies like DVLA do not sign for mail, that is done by RM as delivery office.

Car_54

 I would suggest photocopying everything, then using 1st class post with proof of posting (free at a post office).

Don't worry about the new one going adrift.  In the unlikely event that it does, they'll send a replacement.

molerat

Had to do a paper (UK) application last month.  Sent 1st class with POP.  Received new licence 2 weeks to the day after I posed it, processed Fri received Mon, and the other documents arrived back a week later 2nd class.  I photocopied everything before sending.

Alanp

My wife and I have both just renewed our licenses at the post office, obviously these were uk licenses so I’m not sure how it would apply to the op, they did everything, took the photo and even destroyed our old licences, I would try at your local post office and see if it can be done there…

Bigphil1474

I usually forgot to send my old license back. Don't think they care. When you say you 'have' to send your old German license back , does it say before you get your new license?

Boesewicht

Bigphil1474 said:

I usually forgot to send my old license back. Don't think they care. When you say you 'have' to send your old German license back , does it say before you get your new license?

Yes the instruction leaflet is pretty clear:
<< if you exchange your non UK-licence you must send us your current one, we cannot return it to you.

Bigphil1474

It was really a before or after question - having never surrendered a foreign license, I don't know if they require you to send it before they'll issue a UK one, or if you can do it afterwards. If it it's the latter, they won't send the boys in blue round if you forget.