mike.wittamore Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 A month or so ago I asked if anyone had experience of retaining category 1 on your driving licence on reaching the age of 70. As nobody who had replied I’ll update my progress so far for anyone in the same situation. I received a form D798 a month ago as my licence ran out on 20th. Oct. I sent it off with medical form D4 completed, enclosed a cheque for £20.00, my old licence, paper and plastic, and a covering letter explaining that I would be 70 in Jan. and needed to retain C1 category. Three weeks passed and I received a Form D46P (70 year old application) but no licence. I phoned DVLC to be told there was no record of my application, They needed the Barcode of my registered delivery to stand any chance of finding it. Of cause I had mislaid (binned) it. I decided to sit tight and see what happened. Last sat. I received a package from DVLA returning everything to me and asking for a formD2. I phoned them this morning to be told that if I completed form D46P it would all be fine. Form D46P says that for cat. C1, a form D2 must be completed. I have just posted Forms. D798, D46P, D2, Medical D4, all with photos attached, my cheque for £20.00 , my old licence (plastic and paper) and the letter they sent me. I have photocopied everything, made careful notes of the recorded delivery no. We are booked to go to Morocco in late Feb. 2010 do you think my wife will be able to do all the driving, she is 9 years younger than me? Regards to all Mike W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I would ask for someone from DVLA to act as unpaid chauffer and for them to cover expenses,that would soon sort them out!!!!! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hi, I think you will need a medical .... at your expense .... to retain your groups C and D entitlement. Thats medium goods vehicles, and larger minibuses. They both need an extra +1 or +E, or something if you want to tow a trailer heavier than 750kg. Photocopy EVERYTHING that you send to DVLA. It might be worth keeping a diary of relevent happenings. Ask the name of the Chief Executive .... it should concentrate somebody's mind. CEOs lose brownie points for every complaining letter they receive .... or so I'm told. My wife had dealings with somebody ranting about DVLC and their incompetence, with their holiday at risk. "Do you want your new licence delivered to your home or the port?" "What do you mean?" "We will send your licence by motor cycle courier. Where do you want it delivered?" And suddenly the matter wasn't urgent after all. :-S 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike.wittamore Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Believe it or not, they have again returned all of my documents again. I had not put crosses in the boxes that ask if I can read a licence plate at 25 yds. I had included the multi page D4 medical form that gives a report on my eyesight but a cross is still required in the box. I’m beginning to think it is me. Or are they testing me to see if I’m liable to have “road rage” if pushed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Mike - just a wild guess but, could it be that they have returned the form to you because you didn't fill it in properly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 If you couldn't read the question at 1yrd how can you see a numberplate at 25? :D But seriously, you have to answer all questions that apply even if you have a suplimentry form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Reminds me of my last attempt to complete a form for renewal of a passport. Attempt 1 used a blue ball point (very dark blue) - wrong colour Attempt 2 my witness did not put the date in Attemt 3 my signature just touched the inside of the line of the box, JUST!!!! Fortunately all three attempts were picked up by a nice young, and very patient lady at the post office. Where would we be without them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi Mike Sorry you're having these 'fun and games', but if the form isn't completed fully then they can't accept it - they cannot make 'assumption' based on supplementary evidence, you have signed the form to declare what's on it is correct, therefore only you can amend/change/add to it I'm afraid. As an aside, at work when looking through people who apply for jobs, if they don't fill in the form fully/correctly, they don't get a look it. It doesn't matter how well qualified they are, and/or if they supply a wonderful CV, if they don't fill in the application form they're out. We've even had people who have sent in a fully completed form but they have obviously forgotten which job they're applying for so the content is geared to the wrong position! Not a good start!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blizzard Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Mike, I concur with 602's advice to photocopy everything you send to DVLA, as they have an alleged habit of losing entire records, including entitlements that you may have held for years. I'm a regular on a "2 wheel" forum and have seen complaints from loads of members that have renewed photo licences or changed address and have lost their motorcycle entitlement overnight. The burden of proof falls on the public to prove test pass date etc., which after a long time can be very difficult to do !! Personally, I've dealt with 'DVLA liaison' in a professional capacity for too many years to quote, and I've always found them to be accurate and helpful, albeit a tad slow on occasion. I will add that when I posted this information on my motorcycle forum, I was inundated with contrary experiences (Waits with baited breath) :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike.wittamore Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 OK so it’s my fault. ( nice one Colin) But I thought you were my chums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 A matter of some interest to me,as I shall reach this position next May, and we are thinking of going to Canada, just before teh 70th birthday date......All I need is to renew on the basic licence as I have no need to keep the 'old' grouping, just the car and up to 3.5 motorhome. How long does the procedure take, and can I organise it so that my 'new' licence is with me say a week before the date? If not, how does one drive /hire a car in a foreign country? Any advice welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I had to apply for a replacement lisence when my old paper one was lost, took I think two weeks, but I would ask how long before you can apply for lisence and get it sorted sooner rather than later, bit of a hold up at swansea then a post strike and you might not get it in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomad Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Hi, I have gone through this procedure twice and all I sent in was a form D2 and a D4 medical (at my expense) and my old license, nothing else as the renewal at 70 and above is free. I always phone DVLA about 3 months before renewal is due and ask for the C1/D1 forms to be sent to me. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 mike.wittamore - 2009-11-07 10:39 PM OK so it’s my fault. ( nice one Colin) But I thought you were my chums. We are. But it's only your friends who will tell you the truth! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 mike.wittamore - 2009-11-07 10:39 PM OK so it’s my fault. ( nice one Colin) But I thought you were my chums. Mike, we've all done something just as daft, or dafter ... at least you are honest (or daft ;-) ) enough to tell us!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Hi , I wish you well with the DVLA In my case last year I downloaded the medical form in January ready for renewal in april. Arranged and completed the medical formalities, and then visited local dvla office to get them to crosscheck that everything was in order. He told me to hold off sending until 3 weeks before licence was required, as if it arrived too early, the new licence ran the risk of predating my birthday, and therefore would expire on reaching it so I would have to re apply again. In the event, I reached the magic day, and nothing from dvla. I telephoned, and got through to a manager, who advised that even though my licence had now expired, as I had submitted the forms, and they had not advised me that they would Not renew, I was still legally allowed to continue driving, and that in my case the delay was caused by having to refer the medical form to their medical experts. I queried my insurance company, asking their view, and they advised not to drive until licence eventually arrived. It finally arrived 2 weeks later than required, so in the meantime my wife was chauffeur. tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred22 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 The problem of not using black ink and missing a cross out of a box would seem to indicate to me that these forms are being read by a computer, in which case , the system would not be aware of any other documentation in respect of eye sight. This is especially true of signing your passport application in the box as this is reproduced on your passport. Anything outside the box would not appear, making your signature incomplete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike.wittamore Posted January 8, 2010 Author Share Posted January 8, 2010 I’VE GOT IT, by this mornings post. It has C1 category and my 4 year old speeding ( it was unjust) points removed. It only took 13 weeks and 1 day. So, was it them or me? I think the answer is a bit of both. For those interested I will try to explain what went wrong. My photo licence ran out on in Oct 09. I shall be 70 on 12 th. Jan 10 I thought that if I got the required medical and application form, and sent it all with a covering letter I would save everybody a lot of wasted time providing 2 new licences in 3 months. I should have known better, I was a civil servant for 25 years. Whilst the first application was being processed they sent me another because of my age. And it all became very muddled. Then, I suppose because I had sent so much bumf, they sent it all for a medical review. It was only when I spoke to a very nice young man last Mon and explained that we were going on a 3 month trip to Morocco and back that it all suddenly resolved itself. Regards and a Happy New Year to all Mike W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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