Do I have a current driving licence ?

[#1]

Sorry, long post, only read further if you have nothing better to do.

As I will be 73 in a few months time I got a standard letter from the DVLA to advise me that my Driving licence would expire in 3 months time but could be renewed online......so went on line completed the details required which included a medical form which asks about a range of medical conditions using a tick box type of questionnaire.

This letter said  cut your current licence in half and return to the DVLA.........so did that.

As I have glaucoma which I take eye drops for I ticked the appropriate box.

Next day I went on holiday for 10 days..........( Irrelevent info but it was to Gt Yarmouth as we had never been there before)

On returning from holiday there is a letter informing me that my driving licence would be revoked within 14 days if I failed to fill in the enclosed questionnaire giving permission for my doctor, optician etc to be contacted by the DVLA. So I had 2 days left from the date of that letter to get this form completed and returned.

So the current situation is this, old licence cut up and returned to DVLA but to date have heard nothing from them and as I am past the 14 day deadline do I have a current licence or not ?

What happens if I get stopped by the Police, " Sorry officer I do not know if I have a current licence or not" ?

Even worse if I have a accident as my insurance could be void.

Now I must be very clear about this, I am all for drivers declaring any medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive and the highway code is very clear about the distance required to read a number plate. The opticians I go to have clearly said vision is well within the limits for driving....corrected vision (with glasses) is 6/6 for both eyes and intraoccular pressure is within normal limits.

Hope you have found the above of interest and a change from what's in todays papers.

Anyway back to the main question do I have a current driving licence or not ?

[#2]

You probably do, especially if you have sent the form back. However, the only fly in the ointment that I can see is that the police require you to produce licenses etc within seven days if asked. If you don't have a physical license this might be a problem.

Just put on a smiley face and act innocent if asked! 

Edit: The other thing of course is that the new license should run from the expiry of the old one. But you have destroyed that. So have you got to wait until the expiry date of the old one to have a valid one to produce? That might be the case. Give them a ring..

By phone

DVLA driver licensing enquiries
Telephone: 0300 790 6801 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm 
Saturday, 8am to 2pm 

[#3]

@gleneagles A quick way to find out if you have or have not, a current licence, is to stop a patrol car... especially if it says ANPR interceptors on it... and ask the guys to check for you... they seem to have that knowledge "at their fingertips" when THEY need it.. so it should work "in reverse" ! ....

[#4]

Have you tried putting your details into this site? What does it say?

https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Presumably it is from the DVLA database which the police use.

[#5]

I have been through a similar situation with a relative and the upshot is that your driving licence remains valid unless

1) It has been revoked by the courts or the DVLA

2) It has expired

Not having a physical copy does not change this , as it coud have been lost etc , the police can still verify your licence, and the DVLA are aware of your situation.

HTH

[#6]

You could try:

DVLA driver licensing enquiries
Telephone: 0300 790 6801 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm 
Saturday, 8am to 2pm 

They will be able to tell you the current situation. I have always found them helpful in the past.

Mark

[#7]

@Protech

According to this...

https://www.gov.uk/stopped-by-police-while-driving-your-rights

... you must produce a physical copy if asked....

If you’re stopped, the police can ask to see your:

• driving licence
• insurance certificate
• MOT certificate

If you don’t have these documents with you, you have 7 days to take them to a police station. You’re breaking the law if you don’t show the requested documents within 7 days.

[#8]

I'm sure experienced officers would exercise some leniency regarding the 7-day time limit if you explain the situation to them.

It's interesting that no-one's mentioned the AA/RAC; I thought they were supposed to look after the interests of motorists and must know all the up-to-date rules.

[#9]

@nozzer

I will check out the 0300 number to see the cost of the call which could be quite long, I get a bit suspicious if it's not a 0800 number.

@Alex

That would be the best bet but the snag is I have returned my driving licence and did not make a note of the number, something you need when using this service.

@Everybody else,

Thanks for the replies

[#10]

If I was ever requested to cut something (driving licence / bank card / whatever) in half and return it by post, I wouldn't comply, although I might say I would do so / had done so to the requesting body.

In the unlikely event of being asked where the item was it'd be quite simple to say it must have been lost in the post (AFAIK it's not normally obligatory to use a tracked service).

[#11]

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@RobPN wrote:

If I was ever requested to cut something (driving licence / bank card / whatever) in half and return it by post, I wouldn't comply, although I might say I would do so / had done so to the requesting body.

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I have done the same myself and have my last 2 expired licenses on the shelf. My first was a change of address and the other when my PVC needed renewing. There is an option on the form to say you have lost your current licence, or it is not available. I kept a hold of mine because a few years back, people were receiving replacements with some entitlements not being on the new licence. These people had difficulty proving their entitlement to drive motor bikes, cars, lorries, etc and were told by DVLA to provide proof by means of a pass certificate. Problem is, you send off the pass certificate with your provisional when you apply for a full!!

Mark

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[#12]

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@RobPN wrote:

If I was ever requested to cut something (driving licence / bank card / whatever) in half and return it by post, I wouldn't comply, although I might say I would do so / had done so to the requesting body.

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Don't ever try that one with the Home Office. The wife recently had her naturalisation ceremony. The residence card had to be sent back within 5 days or face a £1000 fine! Gulp, heady stuff. Needless to say it went back (cut up into 4 pieces, as directed) by signed for delivery. I always scan everything that gets destroyed. You need to this day and age.

As to having no actual hard driving licence, wife has had her driving licence at the Home Office for months at a time. Par for the course, they don't do take a scan of ID documents and return the item(s). Nope, they wait until everything is dealt with, maybe 6 months later, then return it all - not signed for delivery either (unless you pay extra for it). Same with her passport, can't leave the country, goes into limbo mode while waiting. Never had to produce a licence to a Police officer but then they come under the HO remit anyway.

[#13]

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@Marksfish wrote:

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Problem is, you send off the pass certificate with your provisional when you apply for a full!!

Mark

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Not any more, it's all done automatically by the examiner, all you get from him / her is a pass certificate. The full driving licence comes in the post about a couple of weeks later. passed my driving test/

[#14]

@gleneagles

Yeah when I tried that link I noticed it wanted your license number and I did wonder if you had it.

If I were you I would try ringing the DVLA up and asking the question - they must be able to look your details up with your name and address? Or I would have thought so at least.

[#15]

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@idonno wrote:

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Not any more, it's all done automatically by the examiner, all you get from him / her is a pass certificate. The full driving licence comes in the post about a couple of weeks later. passed my driving test/

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I'm obviously showing my age now