DVLA - nightmare getting license back!
Discussion
Oh man, due to the foibles of their processes I have to wait 10-12 weeks or longer to drive even though my doctor says i am good to drive. My work is impacted, and I have to continue to rely on others for mobility :-(
So a little warning to anyone who ever needs to report a medical issue to DVLA....read this and don't fall foul of their process like i did:
1) Had a first seizure in May and hospital told me stop driving and advise the DVLA, which i dutifully did via an online form.
2) Heard nothing back, but obviously stopped driving as requested.
3) 6 month passes and doctor tells me that as all tests revealed nothing abnormal I can resume driving so long as I have re-applied to DVLA for my license
4) Call DVLA (ring bang on 8am else you NEVER get through) who tell me which forms i need to fill out...application and a medical questionnaire, and no fee as its medical related
5) On the call they tell me that a letter was sent to me advising that my license had been revoked. Guessing that letter got lost in the postal system somewhere.
6) Complete the forms and put them in the post.
7) Yesterday i got a section 88 letter from the doctor saying I am good to drive
8) Call DVLA (8am again) today to double-check that I am good to go
And here comes the gotcha. Had I "voluntarily surrendered" my license back in May, then yes i can indeed start driving now.
But because i advised them of a medical issue, they revoked my license and the Section 88 thing doesn't apply.
So exactly the same medical situation, with two totally different paths and outcomes.
Seems totally bonkers that doing what the hospital said "you need to advise them on your seizure", now means i have to wait until Feb/March (the suggestion based on current backlog).
It also looks like i need to pay £50 to reinstate a revoked license, which probably means my current application is null and void and has to be resubmitted
Why they didn't just see that i had reported a seizure and suspend my license i will never know. Guess these bureaucracies don't do much thinking !
So a little warning to anyone who ever needs to report a medical issue to DVLA....read this and don't fall foul of their process like i did:
1) Had a first seizure in May and hospital told me stop driving and advise the DVLA, which i dutifully did via an online form.
2) Heard nothing back, but obviously stopped driving as requested.
3) 6 month passes and doctor tells me that as all tests revealed nothing abnormal I can resume driving so long as I have re-applied to DVLA for my license
4) Call DVLA (ring bang on 8am else you NEVER get through) who tell me which forms i need to fill out...application and a medical questionnaire, and no fee as its medical related
5) On the call they tell me that a letter was sent to me advising that my license had been revoked. Guessing that letter got lost in the postal system somewhere.
6) Complete the forms and put them in the post.
7) Yesterday i got a section 88 letter from the doctor saying I am good to drive
8) Call DVLA (8am again) today to double-check that I am good to go
And here comes the gotcha. Had I "voluntarily surrendered" my license back in May, then yes i can indeed start driving now.
But because i advised them of a medical issue, they revoked my license and the Section 88 thing doesn't apply.
So exactly the same medical situation, with two totally different paths and outcomes.
Seems totally bonkers that doing what the hospital said "you need to advise them on your seizure", now means i have to wait until Feb/March (the suggestion based on current backlog).
It also looks like i need to pay £50 to reinstate a revoked license, which probably means my current application is null and void and has to be resubmitted
Why they didn't just see that i had reported a seizure and suspend my license i will never know. Guess these bureaucracies don't do much thinking !
towser44 said:
My Mrs sent hers back on 28 July to upgrade from provisional to full and it came back on the 9 November! I passed my Class 2 on Wednesday 10 November and my licence was back on Saturday 13 November lol!
its the medical approval stuff that has a massive back log, took my m8 5 months to get his licence back after the Dr OK'd ittowser44 said:
GC8 said:
That was quick. Or slow depending how you look at it, as 'Class 2' (along with Class 1 and Class 3 HGV) licences stopped being a thing over three decades ago...
Ha ha, yeah, Category C :-) 
Dave Hedgehog said:
its the medical approval stuff that has a massive back log, took my m8 5 months to get his licence back after the Dr OK'd it
A few other bits are delayed also, I had to send my photocard back as there is a typo in my name which meant I couldn't use the online process to renew it. So far I have waited 11 weeks.Edited by budgie smuggler on Tuesday 16th November 16:03
It took writing to my MP to get my licence back. 6 months after I was supposed to.
This group on facebook has useful numbers and emails. Its a private group but the OP will easily get access.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/319176475698759/?r...
This group on facebook has useful numbers and emails. Its a private group but the OP will easily get access.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/319176475698759/?r...
Aunty Pasty said:
They're doing my head in. My licence is due to expire next month. About 3 weeks ago I sent my licence to them to get a name amendment. From what some of you seem to be saying, I may not get my licence back before the expiry date.
Assuming you posted it, currently they're processing name changes they received 2nd sept.Go here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid... scroll to Processing dates for paper applications
budgie smuggler said:
Aunty Pasty said:
They're doing my head in. My licence is due to expire next month. About 3 weeks ago I sent my licence to them to get a name amendment. From what some of you seem to be saying, I may not get my licence back before the expiry date.
Assuming you posted it, currently they're processing name changes they received 2nd sept.Go here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid... scroll to Processing dates for paper applications
I applied in May and didnt get a licence until november.
budgie smuggler said:
Assuming you posted it, currently they're processing name changes they received 2nd sept.
Go here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid... scroll to Processing dates for paper applications
Thanks for that. Never knew that page existed. I did post it. Looks like a 6-8 week backlog before they'll get to mine.Go here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid... scroll to Processing dates for paper applications
Note that those timeframes the DVLA website shows are the date at which they open and scan the documents you sent to them (if you had to go the paper route).
The expected timeframe for them actually actioning your request is a completely different matter, with no commitment or expectation available
Having joined the Facebook Group (kindly recommended on this thread) there are some real horror stories of people waiting 9 months or longer and of people who after many months of waiting are told "Sorry we have lost your application, can you please re-submit". Of course, you then go to the bottom of the queue again.
Back in July it seems that the Transport Select Committee called the DVLA in to explain the chaos....which they would appear to have done little to rectify since. You have got to love the PCS Union guy who said "I have never encountered in 21 years the level of incompetence and mismanagement on display at the DVLA". Sadly it would appear to be an agency that is simply not fit for purpose in the 21st century.
The expected timeframe for them actually actioning your request is a completely different matter, with no commitment or expectation available
Having joined the Facebook Group (kindly recommended on this thread) there are some real horror stories of people waiting 9 months or longer and of people who after many months of waiting are told "Sorry we have lost your application, can you please re-submit". Of course, you then go to the bottom of the queue again.
Back in July it seems that the Transport Select Committee called the DVLA in to explain the chaos....which they would appear to have done little to rectify since. You have got to love the PCS Union guy who said "I have never encountered in 21 years the level of incompetence and mismanagement on display at the DVLA". Sadly it would appear to be an agency that is simply not fit for purpose in the 21st century.
Mine was revoked in August 2020 following a suspected seizure.
Consultant determined it wasn't a seizure, and gave me the all-clear to reapply in Feb this year.
Put my application in (reapplication after a medical revocation, as opposed to a DD revocation, is free by the way) on 4th Feb, including my consultant's report.
By the end of May, they still hadn't even opened the application.
Got my MP on the case in June and had my licence back by the end of July. The '6-8 week' lead time was 25 weeks in the end, and that was even having it accelerated through the process.
Consultant determined it wasn't a seizure, and gave me the all-clear to reapply in Feb this year.
Put my application in (reapplication after a medical revocation, as opposed to a DD revocation, is free by the way) on 4th Feb, including my consultant's report.
By the end of May, they still hadn't even opened the application.
Got my MP on the case in June and had my licence back by the end of July. The '6-8 week' lead time was 25 weeks in the end, and that was even having it accelerated through the process.
thatsprettyshady said:
It was terrible before covid too, my licence took 9 months to arrive from start to finish. The whole system needs an overhaul, can’t believe in this day and age the DVLA has to rely on fax machines to get their info from GPs.
It is the GP that force the use of fax machines, and they are forced to do so because the NHS still use them in hospitals, and the NHS still use them because a lot of their staff do not have properly secure email addresses, and therefore need a fax to send confidential information. Fax is still used in many national healthcare systems as it is proof of receipt included and a fax cannot be manipulated.. and so the NHS still needs to use them for some instances so therefore they use them more than they otherwise might......Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff