Anyone renewed a photocard licence?

[Ducatista]

Does anyone know what happens to the expiry date of your licence when you renew the photocard?

Mine expires on 27/2/13.
If I renew it early will they start the new one from 28/2/13 or do they start it early?

I don't want to left with an expired licence but I don't want to lose a month either.
Does anyone know whether I will lose time if I do it early?

[8_ball]

Hi there you will not lose time if you do it early, you can do it online now along with your passport ???
I did mine and it comes back via courier and does not take long either.
Have you had the reminder yet ???

[Ducatista]

you can do it online now along with your passport ???

No I can't unfortunately.
My passport was issued about 5 years and 6 weeks ago.


Have you had the reminder yet ???

No, but I do have a test coming up about the time my licence expires so I want to make sure my licence does not expire.
I'll wait for a bit.

[Conehead]

I did mine on the reminder without a problem. The renewal is just to get an updated photo. It all goes quickly.

[Jon_W]

Wait for the reminder.

Go to the post office. They'll check the documents, do the photo and send it all off for a little bit extra.

[Ducatista]

and send it all off for a little bit extra

Thanks for the tip, but there is NO WAY I'm paying £4.50 for someone else to check I've filled it out properly.

[wheelers]

word of warning...
photo copy both sides of your existing card, then,
when you get it back check your allowance on the back. Ive heard of a few who have not noticed their bike licence was not on there and had to re take their test. even a police bike cop who had been doing the job for years had to retake his test. even been on watchdog or similar programme DVLA dont seem worried... apart from the fine you will get for not having it , thus being allowed to ride your bike

[Ducatista]

I believe the issues that happened a few years ago have been resolved?
but yes still good advice to copy it (and get it certified if possible).

When this happened a few years ago a plain photocopy was not good enough, it had to be a certified copy.

It's a pain for those of us who look no different from 10 years ago - ha ha ;)

[Geordie Stu]

I had to renew mine back in 2010. Didn't have any issues as I remember DVLA got in touch sent the forms back with mug shot.

[Ducatista]

There was quite a well publicised issue with them losing bike qualifications and they would not accept any anecdotal evidence (even if you had 50 police officer witnesses) so some people had to retake their tests.

I believe this was a few years ago, but I'll probably take a copy anyway.

[QB1]

There was quite a well publicised issue with them losing bike qualifications and they would not accept any anecdotal evidence (even if you had 50 police officer witnesses) so some people had to retake their tests.

I believe this was a few years ago, but I'll probably take a copy anyway.

Yes I know someone who had that happen to them :o :o

I took copies of my licence before sending it off for just that reason.

[Snowy]

There was quite a well publicised issue with them losing bike qualifications and they would not accept any anecdotal evidence (even if you had 50 police officer witnesses) so some people had to retake their tests.

I believe this was a few years ago, but I'll probably take a copy anyway.

When I heard about this I gave the DVLA a call to see what their records had about my license - luckily all OK. Some people have said they would claim to have lost their existing license and if the new one comes through incorrect then they magically produce the lost one. That's all well and good but if people do that they must remember to notify the DVLA of the newly found license and sort the issue out - not simply try and use the "lost" license as if they get pulled the police will not accept it and they might spend some time at the local police station trying to sort it out.

[Dan505]

I fyou use the post office service the price includes the photograph as well as sending the docs off, when i renewed mine i had lost the A2 entitlement but 15 mins on the phone sorted it and received the correct one 8 days later so don't hang about just renew and if its not right call them and let them know :)

[Ducatista]

I fyou use the post office service the price includes the photograph as well as sending the docs off

Thanks for that info.
I think I might have some photos, but need to check.

[Jon_W]

word of warning...
photo copy both sides of your existing card, then,
when you get it back check your allowance on the back. Ive heard of a few who have not noticed their bike licence was not on there and had to re take their test. even a police bike cop who had been doing the job for years had to retake his test. even been on watchdog or similar programme DVLA dont seem worried... apart from the fine you will get for not having it , thus being allowed to ride your bike

This mainly affects the change from paper to photocard lisences, but that won't work either way. The only copies the DVLA accept as genuine are ones made by the DVLA.

The best way to avoid this is to do it online. That way you do not have to hand in your old lisence until the new one arrives. My Dad did this and had no trouble. I've had the photo done on my lisence and sent it off for change of address twice and never had any problems.

[Ducatista]

The best way to avoid this is to do it online.

I agree but you can't if you passport is more than 5 years old (presumably they only want recent photos).

[Dabz]

[movedhere] Recycle Bin [move by] Dabz.

[Nokesy]

Did mine last weekend with Post Office service, simple, straightforward and new licence came back today, all categories intact, points removed(!) and an aged photo!! :o

[Toph]

bet your pic still looks gorgeous Gemma!! xx lol ;)

[Nokesy]

bet your pic still looks gorgeous Gemma!! xx lol ;)

:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

[Ducatista]

I can confirm that my licence has come back in 2 weeks.
Unfortunately some of the advice was wrong


Hi there you will not lose time if you do it early

They have in fact chopped a month off me.
At 16.66p I guess I'm not too bothered, but just wanted to make others aware that you will lose time if you send if off early.

[8_ball]

I can confirm that my licence has come back in 2 weeks.
Unfortunately some of the advice was wrong


Hi there you will not lose time if you do it early

anyway you would of thought that going though the post office they would know ??? when you paid to get it done ??????
sorry if any of my advise was wrong :-X
next time I will just read the forum.
I once said that it would be ok to jump in a fire, no one listened ;D ;D

[Ducatista]

anyway you would of thought that going though the post office they would know ??? when you paid to get it done ??????

No - I didn't go to the post office and I didn't pay get it done.
I doubt the people behind the PO desk do know that kind of detail but if they did I wouldn't pay £4.50 to save 16.67p. How does that make sense?


sorry if any of my advise was wrong

No worries, it's only 16.67p.
I'd rather have my licence in time for my test TBH.
Don't take it personally. I am criticising the information and not you.
I was only trying to make sure people knew the correct information.

[8_ball]

:'(

[ozzie]

well what can i add , 2000 moved house sent licence off to change address never checked it to well just hgv car ect anyway 2002 noticed no bike on it ,cut long story short had to retake my bike licence. now cut off the corner when sending it off as well as photo copy of it.

[Jon_W]

well what can i add , 2000 moved house sent licence off to change address never checked it to well just hgv car ect anyway 2002 noticed no bike on it ,cut long story short had to retake my bike licence. now cut off the corner when sending it off as well as photo copy of it.


Photocopy ain't worth owt unless it is a DVLA witnessed photocopy.

Best way is to do it online. That way you keep your old lisence.

[Ducatista]

Best way is to do it online.

But as stated already you can NOT do it online if your passport is over 5 years old, so this isn't an option for over half of us.

I took a copy (which enabled me to check it when it got back).
I also rang up the DVLA beforehand to check that they had my motorcycle entitlement on their database. This means even if my licence was lost in the post that it would still be on their database (their telehphone systems is a nightmare though, keeps putting you through endless menus).

If your passport is over 5 years old you have no option but to send it off whether directly yourself or via the post office.

[Conehead]

I suppose the only way around would be to send in your paper counterpart stating that you lost your plastic card licence. If it comes back wrong, fancy that, you just happened to find the old one. :D :D :D

I renewed mine last year and thankfully mine came back without a problem. :) :)

[Ducatista]

I suppose the only way around would be to send in your paper counterpart stating that you lost your plastic card licence. If it comes back wrong, fancy that, you just happened to find the old one.

Make sure you don't tell anyone who might want to stitch you up (see Chris Huhne) or send any texts, emails or put anything on forums about it ;)

[redken1]

I suppose the only way around would be to send in your paper counterpart stating that you lost your plastic card licence. If it comes back wrong, fancy that, you just happened to find the old one.

Make sure you don't tell anyone who might want to stitch you up (see Chris Huhne) or send any texts, emails or put anything on forums about it ;)






Chris will have plenty of free time to ponder over the age-old cliché, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" :o

[Jon_W]

Best way is to do it online.

But as stated already you can NOT do it online if your passport is over 5 years old, so this isn't an option for over half of us.

I took a copy (which enabled me to check it when it got back).
I also rang up the DVLA beforehand to check that they had my motorcycle entitlement on their database. This means even if my licence was lost in the post that it would still be on their database (their telehphone systems is a nightmare though, keeps putting you through endless menus).

If your passport is over 5 years old you have no option but to send it off whether directly yourself or via the post office.

Do you jump down everyones throat???

Fine. IF your passports over 5 years old you can't do it online.

However, if you take a copy of you lisence and find a mistake, you are just as screwed. The only way to prevent this is to get your local DVLA office to take a copy.

[Ducatista]

Do you jump down everyones throat???

I am really sorry if you've taken that the wrong way or at least not as it was intended.
I just wanted people to have the correct information.

I agree with you that there are problems in the process, but I'm personally not willing to take a day's leave or lose a day's income to travel (and I haven't seen that offered as an option so I would question whether it's possible to do it that way).
There is therefore no option available but to send it off (whether via the PO or direct).
Checking the DVLA database was sufficiently re-asssuring for me. The chances of them printing something not on their database is possible but small (the problem before was that the database was incorrect).

If you can do it on-line then that's great, but it doesn't apply to over half of drivers/riders - that's all I was pointing out.