Renewing licence - really have to return the old one?
Discussion
As the post says. Me and other half have just renewed our licences and the instructions say cut the old one in half and send to DVLA.
Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
ro250 said:
As the post says. Me and other half have just renewed our licences and the instructions say cut the old one in half and send to DVLA.
Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
I've got two old licences on my desk, one from about two years ago and the other this year (change of address and renewal). Nil heard from DVLA.Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
No. Three years ago, when renewing, I replied saying that I still needed my old/current licence for ID purposes during probate of my mother’s will. Which was my understanding at the time, although I did not eventually need to show it, because I had a solicitor sign against a passport copy for that ID. I just promised to cut it up. They accepted that. My wife is going to renew hers soon, I suggested she makes a similar comment, needed for ID.
Never part with your old license till you get the new one & check that it has all the same entitlements on it.
DVLA are notorious for dopping off things like Cat A for motorcycles or even HGV entitlements.
Then when you ask them to fix it they ask you to produce your test certificates.....
....you can guess the rest
DVLA are notorious for dopping off things like Cat A for motorcycles or even HGV entitlements.
Then when you ask them to fix it they ask you to produce your test certificates.....
....you can guess the rest
Sounds like general consensus is not to bother.
I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
ro250 said:
Sounds like general consensus is not to bother.
I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
Your bike license probably says "79(3)" next to it in the restriction column which means you are licensed to ride a trike (!) I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
...and not a Ducati V4R Panigale!
Wombat3 said:
ro250 said:
Sounds like general consensus is not to bother.
I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
Your bike license probably says "79(3)" next to it in the restriction column which means you are licensed to ride a trike (!) I'd be amazed if the return is even logged. I bet it goes straight into confidential waste at DVLA!
On the point raised about vehicle types, looking at the back I seem to have more than I did before (now have AM, A, B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E, fkInpg) I don't know what these mean but I didn't have the motorbike ones before!
...and not a Ducati V4R Panigale!

Wombat3 said:
Never part with your old license till you get the new one & check that it has all the same entitlements on it.
DVLA are notorious for dopping off things like Cat A for motorcycles or even HGV entitlements.
Then when you ask them to fix it they ask you to produce your test certificates.....
....you can guess the rest
Agreed. I have read about several horror stories, including people who have had motorcycle entitlement for many years having to do the test from scratch again!DVLA are notorious for dopping off things like Cat A for motorcycles or even HGV entitlements.
Then when you ask them to fix it they ask you to produce your test certificates.....
....you can guess the rest
I kept my old license & also all my test certificates, which are in a safe with all my other stuff, like passport, premium bond certificates etc....
ro250 said:
As the post says. Me and other half have just renewed our licences and the instructions say cut the old one in half and send to DVLA.
Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
No. Don't bother.Is this worth wasting the time and money on a stamp? Presumably they don't log the returned licences - especially if they're saying cut them in half? I'm capable enough to destroy it myself!
Just checking this won't result in a letter in months to come.
Any problems, just mention my name.
When I renewed prior to my 70th birthday I just assumed the new licence ran from my birthday, when the old one expired, and didn’t bother to check the dates on it. Thus in blissful ignorance I saw no point in returning the old licence.
The world didn’t stop and I didn’t hear any more about it.
The world didn’t stop and I didn’t hear any more about it.
A turn of events.
Other half comes home from work and opens her new driving licence letter while I'm still upstairs working. I ask later what she's done with the old one and she said she'd cut it up into tiny pieces and put it in the bin.
Inquiries as to whether she read the accompanying letter were not well received.
DVLA will definitely not be getting at least one of the old licences.
Other half comes home from work and opens her new driving licence letter while I'm still upstairs working. I ask later what she's done with the old one and she said she'd cut it up into tiny pieces and put it in the bin.
Inquiries as to whether she read the accompanying letter were not well received.
DVLA will definitely not be getting at least one of the old licences.
I haven't posted my old one back after a recent 10yr renewal - I took it out of my wallet to put the new one in and can't find it now.
Surely it would be more secure if they just asked for the old ones to be destroyed anyway?
Thousands upon thousands of old licences being posted back in the standard post, to the same well known DVLA address, is more open to security issues than asking people to cut up and bin them.
Surely it would be more secure if they just asked for the old ones to be destroyed anyway?
Thousands upon thousands of old licences being posted back in the standard post, to the same well known DVLA address, is more open to security issues than asking people to cut up and bin them.
Of course you should, once your new one has arrived of course! Then post it back, no need to worry about a stamp 
That's if anyone is even there, they were all going on strike a few weeks back because of covid... No doubt the threatening letters and fines department will be fully staffed though!

That's if anyone is even there, they were all going on strike a few weeks back because of covid... No doubt the threatening letters and fines department will be fully staffed though!
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