application for new Uk driving lisence

[flowerfairy]

I applied for a new license in May. It apparently was dispatched within three weeks. Great, so I thought. No...........
It's now November, and I still haven't received it.
I've been emailing the DVLA for weeks now, as of course, you can't speak to a real person.
Yesterday, I received an email from them telling me to apply for a duplicate one and pay another £20 !!!!!!
Hello..... Where did my new license go?, I'm more concerned as to who may be using it and incurring points and fines on it.
I mean, if people can copy a passport, what chance do I have with my license?
Has this happened to anyone else?
If so what happened?

[KWAKERT4]

"I've been emailing the DVLA for weeks now, as of course, you can't speak to a real person"

My UK licence expired on 29 Oct 2014, same day as my TRNC one. I was coming to TRNC for three weeks on 22 Oct so renewed my licence in August. It only went to 26/12/14, I will be 70 on 27/12/14. I am going to GC in Jan for 6 weeks so had to make sure my new licence came before then. I applied on line before flying out to NC. A condition of the renewal was the current licence had to be cut up and returned to DVLA. I phoned DVLA and explained my problem to a real person. He told me to wait until I got my new one before returning the old one. I returned to UK today and my brand new, free licence for 70+ was waiting. It only runs for 3 years, not the 5 that Woodspeckie sez hers was for.

T

[flowerfairy]

I received the final email from them the other day. They say that as three months has lapsed since I applied, I now have to pay again. I have not seen anything on the website to tell us about this.
There was no mention of a reply to whom may be using the license that they supposedly sent out.
I'm please that you received yours' Kwakert4.

[woodspeckie]

KWAKERT4 I have just checked my licence you are correct it is 3 years.

[Lottidotti]

Flower fairy, Are you sure you applied to the official DVLA site as there are a number of fake sights that to the unwary look like the official site. Did you pay what you are supposed to pay for the licence or did you pay more by way of a add on fee by the fake sight.
Not being able to speak to the DVLA in person doesn't sound right to me.
Is it the DVLA who is replying to your email or the fake sight.
These fake sights are very good and use the same logos as official government sites,So beware.

[woodspeckie]

The site you use is http://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70 after completing the application I received e-mail saying thank you for submitting my application after validation checks I would get the licence in two weeks, they give you a reference number in case you have a query, you can use the Government Gateway User ID they give you to check the progress. If this has not happened then you probably done as lottidotti says and used a fake site.

[the butlers wife]

I maybe wrong but I always thought that if you lived abroad, you were not entitled to a UK driving license.
When I was 70 I was already living in the TRNC and so did not renew mine.



The butlers wife

[woodspeckie]

To apply on line you need an e-mail address, national insurance number and addresses of where you have lived in the last three years.

[flowerfairy]

Yes, I'm pretty sure it was the correct sight, as I had to use my membership number to log in.
I've since moved my address, I was going to make a complaint, but now I need to change the address on my license, therefore,
I presume, I need to pay again anyway,
My main issue is that the license never reached my address, so where did it go?, who could be using it?
They didn't seem to give a hoot. They said that they send it by second class post, and......................
never to be seen again. That was not my problem, I applied for it, paid for it... and.......

[woodspeckie]

Did you get the e-mail saying it had been accepted and the reference no in case of a query? I wouldn't think you had to pay again at least not the full amount to change an address.

[Barbieb]

I changed my address when last in UK, did not pay, just sent slip signed with new address at bottom of licence, but had to return paper and plastic licence with it, passport back 8 days later at UK address.

[Lottidotti]

Flower fairy, You keep mentioning an address,I thought you lived in Cyprus.I am almost certain you can't have a UK driving licence if you don't have a UK address.

[Shell232]

Before I moved over here I applied for a change of address on my UK licence to my parents address in the UK, I did not need to pay, however they lost my old licence from me sending it to them saying they received it. They will only acknowledge its their fault if you send it recorded or with tracking so they can confirm they have received it. They then told me I had to pay for a replacement for a lost licence at £20. However it seems my original application was stuck in their system somewhere (6 weeks had passed) and when they found it they re-imbursed me the £20 which I was impressed about. I will need to change it next year to my married name so will try and do that whilst in the UK.

From the official DVLA website

You’ll need to:

have your driving licence (both parts if it’s a photocard licence)
be a resident of Great Britain - there’s a different process in Northern Ireland
provide addresses of where you’ve lived for the last 3 years
have a valid UK passport or other form of identity
have your National Insurance number if known
not be disqualified from driving
If you need to change your name at the same time, you’ll have to apply by post.

Your updated licence should arrive within one week if you apply online.

If you’re moving abroad, you can’t register your new address on your British driving licence. Contact the driving licence authority in your new country of residence.