libby Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Received today after a period of forgetting to renew it for 6 years! No queries or problems other than a normal health check. There is also a 3 year renewal date reminder included now under the photo at the bottom left of the plastic card. And, as often happens I've now lost my C and D entitlements but being well past my sell by date its no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I reaslise it may not bother you Bill, but for the benefit of others, I've been told that when I finally change from a one-piece to a "paper and photocard" licence, the "default" is that I'll only get the categories on my new licence that a new driver would get today. And they won't keep any record of what was on my old licence, to enable corrections to be made! To keep my "grandfather rights" (for medium vans, minibuses etc) I'll need to keep a photocopy of my old licence (or maybe two!), and enclose a letter with my application saying I've done so, and pointing out the categories on my licence. That way, I've a good chance of keeping them (as I'm legally entitled to do), and if they cock it up, I've got backup evidence to get it put right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docted Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Tony you have been misadvised you do keep your grandfather rights. However it is as well to keep a photocopy anyway in case of the dreaded "gremlinio swansea" which has a habit of taking in bits of paper and eating part of the information. You then have to prove you passed your motor bike test before the computer in Swansea was born but that's the price you pay for dealing with a government agency. docted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hi I can confirm that, when I sent off for my new photo licence 3 years ago it came back with all the categories that I had previously held. Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I think Swansea can trace back. I got my new licence when I reached a certain age. At that time we had a 3500 max van so I was not bothered. When we looked at the bigger one, I sent my medical bummff to them and they re-issued my previous entitlement which covers me for towing a trailer too. Stuart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 You can still tow a trailer even if you stay with the 3500 limit at over 70. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin9591 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Within my vintage motorcycle groups I've heard of many folks that have "lost" their motorcycle classes when renewing their paper licence. In most cases a retest has been mandated, no debate or argument. As has been said, ensure that you copy your paper licence before submitting it to DVLA because they DO NOT have any records of paper licence issue and your old one will be shredded the day before the incomplete new one is sent to you.. Regards Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 Perhaps what everyone should do and what I did was to send a copy of the old licence SHOWN AS CUT IN HALF and all stapled together with the original entitlements showing clearly, they then have no excuse. Keep it simple but correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendipman Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 (?) I have to renew my licence at 70 in june...I have a photo one now..does this problem about motor cycle entitlement arise only with old paper ones?????????? I have had my MC licence since 1956... (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docted Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Keep a copy; before sending it away, better to be safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 olley - 2009-03-11 7:13 PM Hi I can confirm that, when I sent off for my new photo licence 3 years ago it came back with all the categories that I had previously held. Olleyme also and it included my PSV also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Hi, I'm not sure what you mean by "paper licence". Does it mean the pre-1972 licence where the stuck it in a little red book? Surely there can't be many of those around, they would all have expired by about 1975ish. DVLA take a micro-film copy (or did) of your driving licence, before inputing the details to the computer, after which it is shredded. So why do they say they do not have a copy of it? However, I always take a photocopy of EVERYTHING I send to DVLA. If you want to be really safe, sent them £5, and ask for a copy of your driving licence history. That should include your group entitlement, any test pass (since 1972 ish), the dates you moved house, got penalty points, etc. Anything that is printed on your driving licence should also be recorded on the computer. But human error can change that. ie - for some reason your application fails. It could be a typo, it could be an accounting problem. The error is corrected .... using data from somebody else's licence. I'm not saying it can or does work like that, but it wouldn't surprise me. Funny, people lose their bike entitlement, but nobody gains it. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I recently had to renew my Photo card licence, and took photocopies of this before sending it, and the new one came back correctly listed. However, wherever and whenever I need to send 'originals' I always take copies, and indeed always have photcopies of my driving licence and passport with me in the motorhome, and also copies of all the various insurenace docs and V5 etc......never happy about sending any documentation away - either the recipient department caould lose it, or it can 'go astray' (!!!) in the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I had my new licence send back without my full motorbike pass, I rang them up and got a new licence back with all my details on. I have hear that sometimes they try it on and send back licences with sections missing, so you end up with just car and van up to 3.5 ton. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi, When you get your 70+ licence, you will automatically lose your C and D entitlement. That’s medium vans and large mini-buses. This will not bother Joe Average, but will affect those who drive camper vans over 3500kg, etc. They can continue to drive up to 3500kg MAM pulling a 850kg MAM trailer. (But a vehicle with only 2999kg MAM cannot pul a 851kg MAM trailer). You can retain your C and D entitlements by passing a medical at your own expense. A 70+ licence should retain your B+E entitlement. This allows you to drive vehicles up to 3500kg, and specifically says, tow trailers over 750kg. No upper limit is defined, but trailers over 3500kg MAM require air-brakes (don’t be pedantic!) so that is the realistic upper limit. A group B licence restricts you to a maximum of 3500kg, which includes any trailer. But any trailer must not be more than the kerb weight (KW) of the tow car. So the ultimate is a tow car with 1750kg KW, pulling a trailer with 1750kg. But I get confused here, any car with a KW of 1750kg will have a MAM of over 1750kg. So, is the limit of 3500kg a combination of car’s KW + trailer’s MAM, or, car’s MAM + trailer’s MAM? There must be a better way of defining this? A group B licence allows you to tow a trailer with MAM of 750kg. This is a “red herring”. There are very few cars weighing less than 750kg (Reliant Kitten and Robin, Citroen 2CV). A trailer of almost any MAM will require brakes to be towed by one of these cars, but even then, the manufacturer will impose a very low towing capacity. Yes, its been done, but I doubt that many people want to do it. I suppose it would be nice if the small car you trail behind your camper van could tow its own trailer ….. physically possible, but probably illegal ….. unless you carry a spare VIN plate. So, just ignore the first paragraph of your entitlement, which refers to 750kg trailers. I have just received my 70+ licence (it took then 5 weeks, due to them investigating the hole drilled in my head last February). I have lost my C and D, but kept my B+E. There is no mention of “quadricycles and tricycles”. OK , my car entitlement will include quads, but a Motor Car has four or more wheels, so a tricycle is not a car, and apparently I am not allowed to drive one. I’m happy for anyone to correct any errors in the above. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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