DVLA time delay

[E-bmw]

I currently have a medical suspension on my licence (6 months) which has now passed, medical reports completed, licence reapplied for, all received at DVLA confirmed.

So all I am currently waiting for is the medical review department to tick the relevant box and send me a replacement licence.

My question is:-

Is there anyone out there been through this scenario recently as the delays are racking up, 6 months is now over 7 & they won't even give an idea of the expected time for it to get to the review board?

As in, have you been here recently & it took 6/7/8/9 etc weeks from them receiving everything they need?

Th best I have had so far is one operator answered my question "is it likely to be days, weeks, months or years?" with the answer "it won't be years".

[healeyneil]

My wife has a reportable condition. When she was replacing it, it took them four months to supply the replacement

[Pica-Pica]

As long as you had a valid test pass for the vehicle previously, and you have re-applied, and your GP or consultant deems you fit to drive, then under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 88 you can drive before the licence arrives. Don't worry, mine took months.

[LosingGrip]

Pica-Pica said:

As long as you had a valid test pass for the vehicle previously, and you have re-applied, and your GP or consultant deems you fit to drive, then under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 88 you can drive before the licence arrives. Don't worry, mine took months.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64edcf3a13ae1500116e2f5d/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf

Page two.

Your last licence was not revoked
or refused for medical reasons.

OP - When you say suspension. What exactly is it? If its been revoked/refused youll need to wait until you have your licence returned.

If you log onto your driving record it should say if its revoked/refused.

[E-bmw]

Pica-Pica said:

As long as you had a valid test pass for the vehicle previously, and you have re-applied, and your GP or consultant deems you fit to drive, then under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 88 you can drive before the licence arrives. Don't worry, mine took months.

No you/I can't it needs to be issued before I can drive again, and that doesn't happen until the medical review has happened.

ETA
What you say is correct for EXPIRED & re-applied for only.

Edited by E-bmw on Friday 24th October 19:15

[E-bmw]

LosingGrip said:

Pica-Pica said:

As long as you had a valid test pass for the vehicle previously, and you have re-applied, and your GP or consultant deems you fit to drive, then under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 88 you can drive before the licence arrives. Don't worry, mine took months.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64edcf3a13ae1500116e2f5d/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf

Page two.

Your last licence was not revoked
or refused for medical reasons.

OP - When you say suspension. What exactly is it? If its been revoked/refused youll need to wait until you have your licence returned.

If you log onto your driving record it should say if its revoked/refused.

Yes, I know that, hence why I am asking if anyone has recently been through this to have an appreciation of the possible delay.

[General Price]

I had a seizure nearly 5yrs ago and my consultant told me to give up my licence voluntarily because if they revoke your licence you can't drive until you get it back.If you hand it in,you can drive under section 88 as soon as you are allowed to.6 months for me because they never found out the cause.
Doesn't help you but he did say it can take months for them to return your licence after the suspension is over.

[Pica-Pica]

General Price said:

I had a seizure nearly 5yrs ago and my consultant told me to give up my licence voluntarily because if they revoke your licence you can't drive until you get it back.If you hand it in,you can drive under section 88 as soon as you are allowed to.6 months for me because they never found out the cause.
Doesn't help you but he did say it can take months for them to return your licence after the suspension is over.

Always surrender, rather than wait for a revocation. My first seizure was in 2007. I surrendered mine, but then you had to wait 3 years, even for sleep-only seizures (it is a 12 months wait now, maybe even less). Many seizures are idiopathic, as was mine.So then it became a 3 year renewal, so I always get an OK from the consultant/GP before I re-apply. I then submit it in good time. That has been a quick renewal until the last time, when it took months. Hence my driving under Road Traffic Act permissions.

[E-bmw]

General Price said:

I had a seizure nearly 5yrs ago and my consultant told me to give up my licence voluntarily because if they revoke your licence you can't drive until you get it back.If you hand it in,you can drive under section 88 as soon as you are allowed to.6 months for me because they never found out the cause.
Doesn't help you but he did say it can take months for them to return your licence after the suspension is over.

That has obviously changed now then as I surrendered mine voluntarily & I still can't drive until I get it actually in my hand, the 6 months passed, the paperwork is in & now I just need to wait while they review it.

Section 88 ONLY applies if you are just renewing for new picture/extra groups etc.

[Damp Logs]

I wanted to retain Class C on reaching 70, so had the medical(ha!!) and eye test. Sent forms in September expecting that would be ample time before my birthday this week.
Several phone calls to DVLA to be told I can’t speak to them and ‘it’s with medical team and they don’t have a timescale for completing checks’.

An email to chief exec received the ‘well look into it’ response.

I know I can drive under section 88, but it’s bloody annoying and symptom of broken organisation.

[E-bmw]

FYI.

Now 8 months into my 6 month suspension with absolutely no idea how much longer.

Complaint raised.

MP on the case.

The ONLY response I have had (other than we can't give timescales) was 2 weeks ago I asked the question "will it be days, weeks or months? I got the reply "it shouldn't be months!!!!!!!

The complete joke of it is, when I was suspended they sent a full application pack with all the details/forms required etc & in there (and reiterated by operator on phone call to confirm) was the statement that you should apply 8 weeks before the 6 months is up to reduce delays!

Talk about giving you false hopes!

[reddiesel]

It's absolutely appalling and as an old mate of mine often says . Find an old mattress , get yourself to the nearest beach pretending to the first dog walker you encounter that you have just arrived in the UK and you will have your License by Tuesday lunchtime .
Its completely finished .

[Oceanrower]

reddiesel said:

It's absolutely appalling and as an old mate of mine often says . Find an old mattress , get yourself to the nearest beach pretending to the first dog walker you encounter that you have just arrived in the UK and you will have your License by Tuesday lunchtime .
Its completely finished .

In which case, your old mate is a fking idiot!

Edited by Oceanrower on Saturday 15th November 13:35

[E-bmw]

Just to finish off the thread from my viewpoint I have finally got it back today, so here are the dates wrt my re-application in case anyone searches for this in the future.

6-month medical suspension started 18th March.
Application (8 weeks prior) 24th July
6-month anniversary of start 18th September
Medical declaration arrived at DVLA 29th September
Licence re-issued 21st November

8 weeks since all paperwork confirmed at DVLA to reach medical board for review!

[Damp Logs]

E-bmw said:

Just to finish off the thread from my viewpoint I have finally got it back today, so here are the dates wrt my re-application in case anyone searches for this in the future.

6-month medical suspension started 18th March.
Application (8 weeks prior) 24th July
6-month anniversary of start 18th September
Medical declaration arrived at DVLA 29th September
Licence re-issued 21st November

8 weeks since all paperwork confirmed at DVLA to reach medical board for review!

Thanks for that update….. probably Christmas before I get mine

[E-bmw]

Damp Logs said:

E-bmw said:

Just to finish off the thread from my viewpoint I have finally got it back today, so here are the dates wrt my re-application in case anyone searches for this in the future.

6-month medical suspension started 18th March.
Application (8 weeks prior) 24th July
6-month anniversary of start 18th September
Medical declaration arrived at DVLA 29th September
Licence re-issued 21st November

8 weeks since all paperwork confirmed at DVLA to reach medical board for review!

Thanks for that update .. probably Christmas before I get mine

Good luck, I feel your pain.

I wrote to my MP also to get him to raise it with the Chief Executive of DVLA also, whether it helped I don't know obviously, but I did get a phone call from DVLA yesterday to update me & to tell me with the complaint and when I will have it back.

In fairness the guy who rang was actually very receptive and I did raise a couple of points on my experience at which point he told me they are reviewing certain aspects of it & my feedback on an alternative viewpoint would help.

[Damp Logs]

E-bmw said:

Damp Logs said:

E-bmw said:

Just to finish off the thread from my viewpoint I have finally got it back today, so here are the dates wrt my re-application in case anyone searches for this in the future.

6-month medical suspension started 18th March.
Application (8 weeks prior) 24th July
6-month anniversary of start 18th September
Medical declaration arrived at DVLA 29th September
Licence re-issued 21st November

8 weeks since all paperwork confirmed at DVLA to reach medical board for review!

Thanks for that update .. probably Christmas before I get mine

Good luck, I feel your pain.

I wrote to my MP also to get him to raise it with the Chief Executive of DVLA also, whether it helped I don't know obviously, but I did get a phone call from DVLA yesterday to update me & to tell me with the complaint and when I will have it back.

In fairness the guy who rang was actually very receptive and I did raise a couple of points on my experience at which point he told me they are reviewing certain aspects of it & my feedback on an alternative viewpoint would help.

I’ve considered contacting MP, but as she hasn’t replied to previous requests, I doubt it would do much good.

DVLA have been pretty poor for best part of twenty years!!

[LandieMark]

Currently waiting on my Cat C to be returned to me after a TIA a couple of years ago. I didn't think I would need it, but my circumstances have changed and I applied in September for it back and they will have had my doctors report end of October. 8 weeks would see it back by Christmas with luck.

They are shambolic. I believe they may still be working from home as well which feeds the delays.

[numtumfutunch]

This thread resonates with me

A few years ago I had a medical event and so phoned the DVLA

The best advice I was given was on my initial call when I was told to surrender my licence which would make it easier to get back

My condition was clearly defined and their website said I could drive after medical review on section 88 as discussed earlier in the thread

I paid for a private consultation from both my GP and consultant at 3 months, submitted all the forms and waited.

My licence was authorised at 364 days from when I surrendered it

The DVLA were a shambles to contact on the phone, actually thats being generous

Good luck anyone who reads this. It was great to be able to drive but limiting in so much as being unable to hire cars or get a courtesy car when my own was in for warranty work

[E-bmw]

numtumfutunch said:

My condition was clearly defined and their website said I could drive after medical review on section 88 as discussed earlier in the thread

Not sure if you were given the correct advice there.

Either that or I wasn't.

When your licence is revoked on medical grounds there is a term (mine was 6 months) that must expire before they will do a medical review & only then when they have all paperwork in front of them (hence mine didn't join the "for review" queue until the 29th of September)

At this point you are now waiting for your "online licence view" (the page you use when getting a hire car code for abroad) to change from revoked to full again, ONLY then can you drive, up to 2 weeks later you will receive your actual licence back when re-printed.