dvla licence renewal times

[mrsoldbatty]

Anyone have any recent experience of how long DVLA are taking to renew photo-card driving licences online. Am aware of strikes going on at the moment and anxious re how long it's all going to take to get new licence. Thanks.

Did mine online 2 weeks ago. Arrived within the week!

Excellent! Thanks Szyz2020

4 days done at a PO

I can't do mine online as I don't have a passport. I think I am looking at about 8 weeks!

I did mine online a fortnight ago and it arrived 7 days later. I was quite surprised as I'd heard tales about long delays.

I am wondering this too as I resent paying to update it too soon as they don’t date it from the expiry date of your old one but whenever they approve your application.

I’m taking the risk of renewing a week before expiry but as I am on maternity leave, it is not essential for me to be driving if it doesn’t come through on time.

Maybe if you are worried and not bothered about the money, renew it as soon as you get the letter through from the DVLA.

Online is fine but a paper application for a renewable takes months. 4 for my op

@Rillington if you can get to a suitable post office they can take the photo for you and do the online submission, doesn't cost much extra. Don't send any paper to the DVLA if at all possible.

My partners online renewal took about a week in July last year.

Did mine at the PO in April, back within 10 days, I was really surprised!

@murbblurb I've already sent it unfortunately .

renew it as soon as you get the letter through from the DVLA

You can't rely on the reminder. I never got one and only realised my licence had expired by chance

You can't rely on the reminder. I never got one and only realised my licence had expired by chance

This!

Mine expired in Feb but I didn’t get any of the two reminder letters you are supposed to get (yes I realise it's on me to check myself) and it had expired by 6 weeks. Good job I’d not been anywhere

Woman at the Post Office said there had been an increased number of expired licences. My personal view is that when DVLA gave an 11 month extension in 2020 it somehow messed up renewal reminders

Sent through PO Thurs pm new licence Weds morning. She also gave me DVLA barcode to show to police if I got stopped before the new licence arrived

I sent mine off to be renewed and to have a new photo AND a name change, so a paper application, at the same time as I sent my passport off for the same.

My passport’s been done, snd I’ve had it a week.

No sign nor mention of my licence.

I got my renewal reminder a month ago after my original renewal date was extended by 11 months last year.

Thanks everyone for replies. I'll see how long mine takes!

On the back of my letter it says you can still drive while they have are processing your application. Which is lucky as mine expires tomorrow and had completely forgotten to renew.

I did mine at the local Post Office a couple of weeks ago. Only certain POs have the necessary photo booth. But if your passport is valid they can use that photo. Mine expired last year and didn't see the need to rush to renew.

I visited the PO on Monday morning and my new license was delivered the next Monday morning.

And yes, you can continue to drive. Your right (privilege)to drive doesn't't expire, it's the photo card that does. The PO give you a receipt to use as proof of having sent it off for renewal.

Family member waiting for a licence from an online renewal and wondering how long it will take as they seem to be on strike. Any other recent experiences?