Check your new Licence

[alan c]

Think i may have seen this on here before ?

I was stoped today on the way home from work by a traffic cop, he asked me if i had my licence to which i said no. He then asked if i had something else with my name on, yes i have a credit card, which he asked for and then handed to the guy in the car to check my details. He asked me how long ago i passed my test, 32 years ago. He then asked if i had a new type licence, yes i said, have you checked it for cat A, yes i have. He then returned my credit card and said you are ok. I asked him if he was checking the Catorgaries on my licence and he said yes, if the dvla had missed it off by mistake they would sieze my your bike and then you would have to prove you past your test. I said someone at dvla makes a mistake and we pay for it that great, he said it's down to you to check !
Think they would of enjoyed taking my bike off me - ****ers :p

[Capo]

I have the old green one still in its plastic wallet that it came in many years ago.

[rollo22]

As well as the Cat A also check the expiry date of the photo
there only valid for 10 years
Line 4a on the front
When i renewed mine earlier this year
I took a copy
I requested that DVLA returned my old licence
which they did i think it lets the DVLA know that you are aware of the gremlin in the system

[a7avenger]

I know several people that have had to retake their test at no mean expence and aggro for this very reason.
If you are upgrading to a photo licence phone the DVLA first (If you can get through) to check what catagories you have on it...Before you give up your old green one, which you should also photocopy.
Typical government cock-up.:fou:

[MrsC_772]

The other advice I've seen (possibly from MAG), and what I did when my photocard came up for renewal last year is to obtain a copy of your full driver record from DVLA before you have to send your card in.

Write to DVLA saying that you're making a subject access request under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 for your full driver record. I forget whether they charge you to do so - their website will say - I've a feeling it's £5. (Strictly speaking you don't have to refer to the DPA or section 7 - they ought to recognise a request by a driver for his own records as such a request - but it can't do any harm, and might help ensure the request gets passed to the right droid in Swansea to deal with.

Once you've obtained a copy of the records they hold, check that it does include your category A. If it does, you can then send off your old licence for a new photocard, and if the new one comes back without it, you've got their own records you can use to argue with them.

I've a feeling they often don't accept you sending in a copy you took of your old licence as proof that you're category A entitled - pretty sure there was a horror story in the magazine of one of the bike campaign groups about a motorcycle cop or instructor who ended up having to retake his test because the DVLA point blank refused to accept he'd had cat A licence for donkey's years.

[desmo]

As I also have a HGV class 1 (C+E) licence, I have to have a full medical & renew my licence every 5 years.

After my last medical, I went to my local solicitors with my photocard & paper counterpart licence, they photocopied both parts & made 2x copys, they signed & dated both copys to say that it was a true & accurate copy of my licence, they kept one copy & I had the other, they charged me £5.00.

I then sent my licence to the DVLA for renewal, when it came back it was ok.

[rac3r]

Someone had their license come back with a tank entitlement added :chuckle:

[digga]

If you still have a paper licence ---- KEEP IT the rip off Goverment
want £17.50 to update the photo section of the new ones every 10 years.
It is alleged that it will net the treasury £400 million over 25 years...

Robbing bastards

[Blah blah]

the rip off Goverment
want £17.50 to update the photo section of the new ones every 10 years.

Wrong !
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It cost me £23 to update mine last month

[rollo22]

Then theres the £19.00 to update a Digital Drivers card every 5 years as well

[big pete]

Ive heard if you dont update to photo licence by November this year you loose your licence and all entitlement !!!! not good.

[SBAbruzzo]

I'm fortunate to have the opposite problem. I have to admit that I never looked at the categories on my replacement licence until I applied for my Polish motorbike course. The lady filling out the form was impressed that I was permitted to drive HGV and buses! Of course I now have my Polish motorbike licence, but they don't allow me to add a car even though I have had a UK driving licence for years!