Driving license renewal and Grandad rights
Driving license renewal and Grandad rights
Author
Discussion

CoolC

Original Poster:

4,379 posts

234 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
I've just received notification from DVLA that my license is due for renewal in November. This reminded me that I'd read something a while ago about how to ensure grandad rights remain (7.5t driving and trailer towing etc) Sod's law I can't find the thread (but it might have been a tangent within a thread about something else) again now.

So, anyone been through this process recently? is there anything specifically I need to do when renewing? or is it a case of renew, and then chase if the new one comes through with categories missing?

TIA

Mammasaid

5,128 posts

117 months

CoolC

Original Poster:

4,379 posts

234 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
I'm not 70 for a fair while yet. This is just the standard 10 year renewal.

I just recall seeing stories of people renewing only to find the new license had categories missing when it came through. Or worse still, didn't notice something had been removed until it bit them on the bum some time later.

TwigtheWonderkid

47,396 posts

170 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
Afaik, your 7.5tn entitlement will be downgraded to 3.5tn, which is what people who passed after 1997 get anyway. I wasn't aware you could avoid this, other than to take the appropriate 7.5tn test.

alscar

7,475 posts

233 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
CoolC said:
I'm not 70 for a fair while yet. This is just the standard 10 year renewal.

I just recall seeing stories of people renewing only to find the new license had categories missing when it came through. Or worse still, didn't notice something had been removed until it bit them on the bum some time later.
If you are between 60 and 70 then the licences will expiry on your 70th and you’ll need to apply for a free 3 year renewal at that point having self declared yourself ok to drive.
At that point your C1 / D1 ability to drive expires and can only be renewed if you take a new applicable test having applied for a new provisional licence ( Form D2 ) and get a medical examination / GP completed form - D4.

Watcher of the skies

997 posts

57 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
CoolC said:
I'm not 70 for a fair while yet. This is just the standard 10 year renewal.

I just recall seeing stories of people renewing only to find the new license had categories missing when it came through. Or worse still, didn't notice something had been removed until it bit them on the bum some time later.
You're getting on for 70 and you still can't spell licence. It's even written across the top to help you. laugh

Mammasaid

5,128 posts

117 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Afaik, your 7.5tn entitlement will be downgraded to 3.5tn, which is what people who passed after 1997 get anyway. I wasn't aware you could avoid this, other than to take the appropriate 7.5tn test.
Only at 70 and only if you don't reapply to keep those entitlements with a medical and sight test. With a regular photocard renewal you keep those categories on your licence.

CoolC

Original Poster:

4,379 posts

234 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
I'm not 70, I'm only 50, this is just the standard 10 year renewal.

alscar

7,475 posts

233 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
CoolC said:
I'm not 70, I'm only 50, this is just the standard 10 year renewal.
Then a standard renewal should see all your entitlements simply renewed.
Just checked my wife’s who renewed in August 2024 and they are all on there.

TwigtheWonderkid

47,396 posts

170 months

Wednesday 24th September
quotequote all
CoolC said:
I'm not 70, I'm only 50, this is just the standard 10 year renewal.
So your driving licence isn't due for renewal. Your photocard is. Different thing entirely.

Hill92

5,089 posts

210 months

Sunday 5th October
quotequote all
Other posters have rather missed the point of OP's question. They're asking about how to avoid entitlements going missing due to record keeping issues at the DVLA when renewing/replacing/upgrading photocard licences. It happened often enough over the past 10-15 years to have had various threads about it although it appears to be less common these days as the DVLA systems improved.

The main thing OP should do is to ensure they retain evidence of their existing entitlements until they receive their new photocard. Generally you only have to send in your old photocard after you receive in the new one so you can just compare new with old directly. Occasionally they will insist on receiving the old licence before they send out the new one, particularly if you never returned old photocards on previous renewals. In that case, ensure you have photographs of both sides of the photocard before you send it off.

Missing entitlements was particularly problem when upgrading a licence to add new entitlements by exam and you had accepted the examiner sending off the pass certificate and licence on your behalf as you then didn't necessarily have evidence to show you previously held an entitlement.

hidetheelephants

32,372 posts

213 months

Sunday 5th October
quotequote all
Since the photocards became a thing I just 'lost' the card to ensure I had an irrefutable record, then there's no opportunity for the Royal Mail or DVLA to lose it or forget what categories I can drive.

R0G

5,028 posts

175 months

Monday 6th October
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I always seems to misplace my licence every time it needs renewing but I always find it after my new one arrives !!

TGTiff

472 posts

204 months

Monday 6th October
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When I last renewed my licence DVLA added full motorcycle entitlement to mine even though I have never taken a motorcycle test!

hidetheelephants

32,372 posts

213 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
TGTiff said:
When I last renewed my licence DVLA added full motorcycle entitlement to mine even though I have never taken a motorcycle test!
Have you had a go yet? hehe Do your CBT and take it from there.

OverSteery

3,794 posts

251 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
TGTiff said:
When I last renewed my licence DVLA added full motorcycle entitlement to mine even though I have never taken a motorcycle test!
Check column 12 on your licence - Most likely you have a 79(3) restriction - meaning trikes only.

ThingsBehindTheSun

2,753 posts

51 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
I passed my test in 1993 and have never driven anything other than a car and the occasional small van. When I look at my licence, it amazes me all the things I could potentially just get in an drive with absolutely zero experience.

Always a fun game comparing your licence with someone who passed after 1997 and how few categories they have.

OverSteery said:
Check column 12 on your licence - Most likely you have a 79(3) restriction - meaning trikes only.
Exactly what I have