DVLA - unable to contact them. Anyone else in this siutation?

[DanielleandBobby]

DS passed his driving test two months ago, sent off his provisional licence and pass certificate and has been patiently waiting for his full driving licence to arrive.

Two months on and ...nothing. He's got a PT job as a supermarket assistant and they're desperate for him to join their driving team as they're so short staffed.

DS is calling the DVLA literally hundreds of times per day; he's constantly trying the web chat, which repeatedly says no-one is available, emailing, which results in a stock reply, and has no idea what else he can do.

We know that they're short staffed due to staff WFH and the backlog of applications, but he's classed as a key worker and should have priority. He's also sent off his details to the DVLA Critical Worker Enquiry page.

If anyone has any tips or advice as to what we can do please let us know!! Thank you

Has he used the link on the website to see if it's been issued yet? It does say you should wait 10 weeks before chasing though.

Please allow up to 10 weeks from when you sent your application to receive your driving documents, before you contact us.

www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid-19-update#processing-dates-for-paper-applications
You can check if your new licence has been issued by using our view driving licence service. The ‘licence valid from date’ will be the date your last licence was issued. Once your licence has been issued please allow 2 weeks from the ‘licence valid from date’ to be received.

Yes, I applied for my renewal last June and haven’t heard back. I’ve contacted them via their website, emailed them and tried to call a million times. No idea what else to do, have almost resigned myself to never getting a response. Terrible. Hope you have more luck.

I had to send a paper application in for renewal because my passport is in maiden name so they couldn't digitally pull my signature and photo across. I sent it in September. Heard nothing. And to make it worse they are sending me letters saying its illegal not to renew! Completely incompetent company

@tobypercy thanks so much for posting this link. I've just checked mine and they've actually done it today!

Unfortunately there's absolutely nothing you can do. We have a haulage company. In Feb 21 we had to send off someone's license with medical. In July they replied saying the medical was out of date. Later in july we re-sent and finally received the license between Xmas and New year!! In between times absolutely nothing we could do

They have had my licence since the 26th October, can't get hold of them. I'm just Waiting and if anyone asks for my licence I'll tell them to ask the dvla for it

It took from august till Xmas to get my hgv renewal back.
The 2 times I got through were when I called dead on 8am and then was on hold for 20 minutes till I got a human.

It’s an appalling service atm.
I also emailed their complaints department and my MP.
You do get a response from the complaints but takes around 5 days.
There have been numerous posts on this recently if you search them but all contain similar tales of woe :-(

Try tweeting them. My Mum tried for days to get through to them, I tweeted them & got a reply within a couple of hours

@Redglitter I tried that one. They said I had to call the helpline (they’ve had my passport and marriage certificate since October and nothing plus no licence and being sent reminders). Helpline is an answerphone saying try again another day. As is the webchat. You just get sent round in circles. Absolute joke.

Is this a local issue? My ds had no problem getting his provisional last year and full license took 10 days in December.

I applied for disabled ds provisional in March 2021. Sent all paperwork with medical evidence by end of April as requested.

Website check said waiting for form in august and eventually managed to get through. They said all there waiting to be scanned.

I've not been able to get through since.

He's now 17.5 and his life is limited as still can't get his mobility car and learn to drive.

They took payment for it when we applied.

It's an absolute disgrace

@Llamasally that's so weird. I wonder if it depends on your luck who's monitoring their SM they were really helpful when I contacted them

DSMiL turned 70 last June, has sent in her license for renewal and is still waiting. She's also tried to contact them, no joy.

@tobypercy
@RaskolnikovsGarret
@Upsetdaughter379
@DobbleDobble
@Redglitter

and to everyone else...

Thanks for all your replies. We've tried Twitter - with no response, and have also tried the link @tobypercy. We're just under the 10 week period so am hoping that we'll hear something soon.

Not many companies would be able to get away with this appalling service! Why can't they advertise for more staff??

Good luck to everyone struggling with this issue too .

Still no we can't available.

Still cuts you off phone.

10 months.

That's 10 months since they took my money for ds drivers licence and nothing.