I have just been sent an official application form for renewing the photo on my driving licence...

... bit off to be honest - don't see why I should have to, by law, spend £20 to replace a photo that wouldn't look any different to the one currently displayed, and without risking upto a £1000 fine if I don't?

I can prove the current picture is a photo of me - because it is and I look like the image in the photo of course - and I can prove the licence is my licence because it has my home address for the past 10 years printed on it.

I'm sure there are people who's looks have changed over time but my personal appearance hasn't so why can I not decide that it doesn't need doing until it does.

I know its not the end of the world and £20 isn't going to break the bank, but it does bug me how these bureaucrats can threaten the law only to update there recorded information - at the same time rake in 100's of 1000's of £20s from everyone in this country who has a photocard driving licence...

...rant over.

It's all more money for the government.

my wife has a paper licence and will not upgrade to a photo one for that very reason... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

me too

I suspect that the cost of this to the motorist does not cover the costs of administering it. So it just provides pointless jobs for civil servants, some money to the IT chaps who build the systems and some extra work for the Post Office. So they take our hard earned £20 (which is £40 pre-tax) and then spend some more money to produce the square root of all. Any criminal who doesn't want to be identified will just not do this, drive illegally and be ignored if he gets caught because the bureaucracy of chasing him through the legal system is too expensive, dull, time-consuming. However, if you are a law abiding citizen who puts down the correct information and forgets to renew, they will hound you to the ends of the earth.

The whole thing boils my . I have a paper licence and will not change.

Just looked through the box in my file which contains all my driving licence, birth certificate and passport docs etc...

...and I have found a couple of unused passport size photos - they're the same as those I used on my first photocard application...

...okay, so closer examination shows that I did look a little younger back then maybe (about 10 years younger funnily enough) but my general good looks and features have not changed by much...


...guess what I am thinking about doing???

you are aware of the new procedure arnt you?....you have to go to the PO and after they have verified who you are ,you stand in a photo booth and they take the pic that goes on the licence... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

scarey wrote:

you are aware of the new procedure arnt you?....you have to go to the PO and after they have verified who you are ,you stand in a photo booth and they take the pic that goes on the licence...

Thanks for pointing that out scarey - but I am not sure if you are correct...

...the D798 application form which has been sent to me mentions I can go to 1 of 2 suggested Post Offices which offer the DVLA Photocard Renewal Service (where they do as you said for an additional fee).

or

...send the completed application (which includes a new, current photo) to the DVLA.

PS - I wasn't really going to send the same old photo - just tempted because I am a little niggled.


It also mentions not to wear a hat or head covering unless for medical or religious reasons...


...does Martin do fullfatrr.com bobble hats?

I received an article on photo licence renewal from the IAM a few months ago and it advised taking photocopies of your licence before parting with it to Swansea as if it is "lost" it can be very time consuming getting a new licence issued with the correct groups or proving when tests were passed etc.

^^^^^^^^ +1.

Definitely take a decent colour scan/copy before you part with it. The pondlife at DVLA lost mine when I sent it back for HGV medical renewal (note the reason)

I called up after a couple of weeks - "No Sir, we haven't received it". Oh yes they jolly well did - I sent it Recorded Delivery. Lots of poncing about with the Post Office and POD's etc. Miraculously they suddenly didn't need it, they can just re-issue from my records.

So what about the medical certificate I enclosed with it?? Apparently they can see this on the computer as well. Yeah right. If they can do this, nobody actually bothered.

So, back comes my licence. I checked it over as one would. No sign of my HGV entitlements, (the exact reason I would have to renew it at age 45) no Motorcycle, just the basic car categories. Despite several phone calls the DVLA remained adamant that I had never held those entitlements - until I faxed them a copy of my old licence. No apologies, no climbdown and another 2 weeks before my correct licence came back. They are useless morons and not to be trusted.

Sorry Copies will not hold up with the DVLA, if they mess up.

There was a storey of a police bike instructor who sent his for renewal. DVLA forgot to put his bike on and as they do not keep pass cert.s they made him take his test again.

9 years ago i had to get a photo licence as i physically lost the paper one.Living in belgium i needed a uk address, no problem used a mates one. Issued and sent to me, minus m/c - queried it with them and they said no record of issuing a m/c one (passed m/c before car).
With photo licence in hand i went to local police station to transfer it over for a belgian one - no deal as it's a 'european communities' one - i explained that the address is no longer valid as i am a resident here - there reply was 'the UK should reissue it with your belgian address'. So contact the DVLA and they say they only issue licences to UK addresses. So not too sure where it leaves me with regard to a valid one - looks like i will be buying my mate large amounts of beer to reuse his address! + the palava of shuttling backwards and forwards to update the photo!. So much for Europe!

nbunney wrote:

Sorry Copies will not hold up with the DVLA, if they mess up.

There was a storey of a police bike instructor who sent his for renewal. DVLA forgot to put his bike on and as they do not keep pass cert.s they made him take his test again.

Did for me

But hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't kept a copy.