More GOV.UK incompetence

Chief_of_Staffy

It is actually now impossible to change your driving licence address and V5 online, or presumably via any other method. I've just moved house and thought - admittedly in contradiction to all experience of public service interactions in the UK - it would be a quick process. Two hours on and the only information I've managed to figure out is that it's impossible to do this most basic task.

We'll ignore the timeouts after two minutes saying "Timeout after 30 minutes", and the repeated HTML errors that reset the entire session whenever you choose to reject additional cookies.

The process itself is impenetrable. It's never made clear if the process is for changing your driving licence address or V5 address, or both, but as there's only one Start Here option I did that. It talks then of updating my photo (because obviously people's faces change when they move house), and am I over 70, do I drive a wagon? Things they already know.

Then I'm told I need a DVLA login to 'complete the process', as clearly my ordinary GOV.UK account is not good enough (these are the seamless linked processes we hear about). Follow that link and I'm told I need a government One Account. After receiving the obligatory code I have to then prove who I am.

"Do you have an iPhone?" "Do you have access to an iPhone?" "You need a smartphone with video capability". And that goes on for some time until it admits you can verify with a passport or driving licence.

So I enter my driving licence details. On the next page it asks for my address, clearly in order to match against what's currently on my licence, in other words the address I just moved from. 

Underneath it gives a warning. I must make sure my address information is correct because... and I quote "YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS ONCE SUBMITTED."

Which is the only reason I'm going through this whole clown show process in the first place.

At this point I gave up. It's impossible to deal with such incompetence and remain sane.

My address will remain un-updated. If they take me to court I have the evidence that it's impossible to make the change. It will make no difference but I've got better things to spend my time on.

Le_Kirk

Just be aware that if you leave your address as the old one on driving licence and V5C that (I am not suggesting you get lots or any of these) and a parking company or the police apply to the DVLA for the Registered Keeper's address, all correspondence will go to the old address and you may end up with a CCJ by default (for a parking issue) or worse for a motoring offence.

Chief_of_Staffy

Le_Kirk said:

Just be aware that if you leave your address as the old one on driving licence and V5C that (I am not suggesting you get lots or any of these) and a parking company or the police apply to the DVLA for the Registered Keeper's address, all correspondence will go to the old address and you may end up with a CCJ by default (for a parking issue) or worse for a motoring offence.

Yep, I'll have to drive and park carefully. But unfortunately no other choice.

For a laugh (because I knew what would happen) I put my new address into the 'current address' option. Which is factually correct, of course. It asked if I'd lived at another address within the last 3 months so I entered my old one. At which point it said it would need to verify my identity using 'security questions'. It then failed, as I knew it would because it will be using the new address, and said the only way I could prove my ID was via app (not happening) or driving a 35 mile round trip to the nearest Post Office with these nonsense ID checking facilities. At which point I'd then be send 'email updates' on the process.

And this is simply for getting an account so that in theory I can then change my address, which is all I want(ed) to do.

This is the standard of public service we have. I have every form of ID imaginable, all current, from passport to driving licence and GOV.UK logons, but I can't change the address on my driving licence.

Jesus wept.

Keep_pedalling

I did this last year and it was pretty straight forward, so this sounds more like user error. There are separate web pages for each. 

V5C

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-v5c

Licence 

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence?step-by-step-nav=c1f13d41-ed7f-44a3-be11-fd95525ddf40

They already have your old address, from memory I am pretty sure the only address they ask for is the new one.

If you get prosecuted for failing to change the address on you licence or end up with 6 points and a big fine for failing to nominate the driver after the police send the NIP to your old address, you have no defence as you also have the option do do it by post. 

flaneurs_lobster

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence/apply-by-post

There's a box to fill in on the V5C and you then send it off to DVLC at the address shown there.

"You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA when your address changes" says the website.

Chief_of_Staffy

Keep_pedalling said:

I did this last year and it was pretty straight forward, so this sounds more like user error. There are separate web pages for each. 

V5C

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-v5c

Licence 

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence?step-by-step-nav=c1f13d41-ed7f-44a3-be11-fd95525ddf40

They already have your old address, from memory I am pretty sure the only address they ask for is the new one.

If you get prosecuted for failing to change the address on you licence or end up with 6 points and a big fine for failing to nominate the driver after the police send the NIP to your old address, you have no defence as you also have the option do do it by post. 

Thanks, but those links now force you to create new accounts, as I detailed. Once you create the mandatory Government One account and log in you then have to create a DVLA Driver and Vehicles Account. It is this that is impossible.

Emmia

Chief_of_Staffy said:

Le_Kirk said:

Just be aware that if you leave your address as the old one on driving licence and V5C that (I am not suggesting you get lots or any of these) and a parking company or the police apply to the DVLA for the Registered Keeper's address, all correspondence will go to the old address and you may end up with a CCJ by default (for a parking issue) or worse for a motoring offence.

Yep, I'll have to drive and park carefully. But unfortunately no other choice.

For a laugh (because I knew what would happen) I put my new address into the 'current address' option. Which is factually correct, of course. It asked if I'd lived at another address within the last 3 months so I entered my old one. At which point it said it would need to verify my identity using 'security questions'. It then failed, as I knew it would because it will be using the new address, and said the only way I could prove my ID was via app (not happening) or driving a 35 mile round trip to the nearest Post Office with these nonsense ID checking facilities. At which point I'd then be send 'email updates' on the process.

And this is simply for getting an account so that in theory I can then change my address, which is all I want(ed) to do.

This is the standard of public service we have. I have every form of ID imaginable, all current, from passport to driving licence and GOV.UK logons, but I can't change the address on my driving licence.

Jesus wept.

But as you've moved house, the details on your driving licence aren't current or up to date. Hopefully you have mail redirection sorted out for an extended period.

I think really this is user error, you're trying to do two things in a single process rather than one, then the other.

Chief_of_Staffy

I stand corrected. I was able to make the V5 change online without all that gumph. It's the licence itself that's impossible to change. Which sorts the issue of speeding tickets / parking tickets, should I be so unlucky. It made out on the first page that both needed this ridiculous DVLA account.

So, my V5 will be changed (hopefully) and my licence will remain the same.

Job done.

flaneurs_lobster

Chief_of_Staffy said:

So, my V5 will be changed (hopefully) and my licence will remain the same.

Job done.

Your choice, of course.

Still an offence not to report the address change.

Going to make it hard if you want to use it as ID (eg) opening a bank account or taking out a phone contract.

MikeJXE

I have changed address 4 times in the last 6 years and never once had a problem getting a new license and V5 

All done online with minimal effort and I am 85 if that’s relevant 

I suggest it’s user error too 

tetrarch

You are legally obliged to change your address on your licence and it is a potential £1,000 fine for non-compliance. It is possible that you may have trouble renewing your insurance as it is possible to cross-check these details on the relevent databases

There is a "how-to" guide that may help

https://govexplained.co.uk/work-and-id/driving-licence/change-address-driving-licence-uk/

Regards

Tet