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Original poster

Why can’t I renew my driving license online?

55 replies

TobeLeRone · 24/02/2023 16:23

I’ve tried twice now, all details correct, my passport is brand new (too new?), but my details can’t be verified and I have to spend more money now as I have to drive to a post office to pick up the correct form and post it.
Online is cheaper.

OP posts:
Maze76 · 24/02/2023 18:28

BitOutOfPractice · 24/02/2023 16:42

And incidentally if I now want to become Ms officially, I have to pay again for a name change 🙄

I’m also recently divorced and going forward will be using ‘Ms’- and as far as I am aware Ms isn’t a name it’s a pronoun- how can they allowed to charge extra?!

BitOutOfPractice · 24/02/2023 19:06

I dunno! The patriarchy?

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 24/02/2023 19:08

Ms isn't a pronoun!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Driving & parking
Theunamedcat · 24/02/2023 19:11

I wasn't going to bother changing from Mrs to Ms do you really need to?

Trytowin20 · 24/02/2023 19:16

It's the passport I got stung. Request the form and post in photo. No other way apparently. Cost me £17 and needing to pay cheque. Post office was even more money.

New passports aren't digital. Fucking Brexit the 'gift' that keeps on giving. If you had to sign your passport that's the problem.

SirSamVimesCityWatch · 25/02/2023 11:48

New passports aren't digital. Fucking Brexit the 'gift' that keeps on giving. If you had to sign your passport that's the problem.

Wonder if that was the prob with mine. Brand new passport.

dementedpixie · 25/02/2023 11:53

Trytowin20 · 24/02/2023 19:16

It's the passport I got stung. Request the form and post in photo. No other way apparently. Cost me £17 and needing to pay cheque. Post office was even more money.

New passports aren't digital. Fucking Brexit the 'gift' that keeps on giving. If you had to sign your passport that's the problem.

You can do passport applications online.

And use a photo taken with your phone

Trytowin20 · 25/02/2023 12:05

@dementedpixie

Yes I did passport renewal application ok online but the driving license online one uses a digital passport to verify you which the new ones can't as they're not though they are a valid passport. My old passport was digital but new shitty blue one isn't.

Trytowin20 · 25/02/2023 12:06

@SirSamVimesCityWatch

Did you have to sign your passport on arrival? If so yes it is that.

Toffeeappler · 25/02/2023 12:09

Trytowin20 · 25/02/2023 12:05

@dementedpixie

Yes I did passport renewal application ok online but the driving license online one uses a digital passport to verify you which the new ones can't as they're not though they are a valid passport. My old passport was digital but new shitty blue one isn't.

FFS that’s ridiculous. They should at least equalise the fees then.

dementedpixie · 25/02/2023 13:45

@Trytowin20 Do you mean a digital signature on the passport? Whereas newer passports you need to sign when you receive it?

TheCaddieisaBaddie · 25/02/2023 14:08

We have blue passports, used them to do the online licence, worked fine for us, new licence came this morning

maximist · 25/02/2023 23:56

Trytowin20 · 25/02/2023 12:05

@dementedpixie

Yes I did passport renewal application ok online but the driving license online one uses a digital passport to verify you which the new ones can't as they're not though they are a valid passport. My old passport was digital but new shitty blue one isn't.

As I said earlier, I renewed my driving licence online a few days ago with a blue passport which had literally just arrived in the post. It worked perfectly and my new DL arrived five days later.

Trytowin20 · 26/02/2023 08:57

@maximist that's great! When I called the centre they sighed and said it was a well known issue so maybe they put a fix in or went back to chipped passports? I did mine January/Feb

Glad you didn't have my faff! I had to wait for the forms, request a cheque book from my bank just so I could pay for it then fill it out, post and wait! Luckily I had a photo already from renewing my passport so I could stick that on. The rage inducing holding message and customer service emails plastered with did you know you can do this quicker and cheaper online? 🙄😡 Er yes I wanted to...

Fizzbert · 26/02/2023 09:32

One of my colleagues previously worked at the DVLA. She said when the 'link' was set up to use passports to renew driving licences online, passports had signatures. So, there was a signature comparison. New passports don't have signatures so cause the 'signature check' to fail in online applications. (She left about 2 years ago so it could have changed since)

Tiredmama85 · 06/03/2023 13:44

maximist · 24/02/2023 17:59

I renewed my driving licence online last week, using the passport that had literally just arrived, it it all went through first time with no problems, so it does work sometimes...

@maximist I'm really surprised it worked for you as I had the same problem and the DVLA rep on their livechat told me that "new" passports don't have a digital signature (you have to sign on arrival) and so can't be used to verify your identity. They told me I have to renew via the post office (which is a whopping £7.50 more expensive) or by postal form (which is £3 more expensive, but requires a chequebook, which ofc I don't have because it's 2023).

Given that these 'new' passports have been around for over 3 years now, you'd think they'd have found a way to deal with this, but apparently it's a known issue with currently no timescale to resolve 🙄

I'm semi considering some form of formal complaint about them forcing me to pay the extra charge because of their incompetence, feels like they must be breaking some kind of consumer rights law but don't think I have the energy to look it up 😂

Clarenga36 · 23/05/2023 22:53

So I’ve just seen an article saying there’s some kind of glitch with the new passports according to DVLA. I’ve been trying to renew mine for a while.

Smidge001 · 23/05/2023 23:08

Had the same problem myself. Really annoying - not only the cost and the faff, but I liked my passport photo, and instead I had to use some crappy shot taken by the PO clerk's tablet device where I look like a criminal! She also couldn't get the barcode on my form to scan, which meant she had to fill in all the details manually. I have no idea what she typed in, whether she spelled anything wrong, put in the wrong previous licence number or anything. Just got handed a screen to sign! And she cut up my old licence to send off so if anything was completed incorrectly, I'll be buggered.Hmm Not blaming her by the way, just the process.

hattie43 · 24/05/2023 06:09

I couldn't do mine online either , kept throwing the address out . Did it the old fashioned way through the post and got it back in about three weeks.

Silverparting · 24/05/2023 06:25

Had issues with children's first provisional licences too. They both had new passports and the computer said no.
It would not accept the passport as ID and required us to upload additional photos. It was a real faf as one photo kept being rejected (even though it was the same one accepted on the passport!) Yet the other child's was fine! 2 calls to the DVLA and a new photo and we sorted it.

The passport was easy yet the DVLA seems to make it bloody hard.

TheInterceptor · 24/05/2023 06:35

Smidge001 · 23/05/2023 23:08

Had the same problem myself. Really annoying - not only the cost and the faff, but I liked my passport photo, and instead I had to use some crappy shot taken by the PO clerk's tablet device where I look like a criminal! She also couldn't get the barcode on my form to scan, which meant she had to fill in all the details manually. I have no idea what she typed in, whether she spelled anything wrong, put in the wrong previous licence number or anything. Just got handed a screen to sign! And she cut up my old licence to send off so if anything was completed incorrectly, I'll be buggered.Hmm Not blaming her by the way, just the process.

You've just reminded me of Patsy's passport in AbFab Grin

Why can’t I renew my driving license online?
Smidge001 · 24/05/2023 20:19

@TheInterceptor Grin

YDoe · 05/10/2023 13:31

@TobeLeRone - I imagine it might be because of this issue... (see news article link below). I am having the exact same issue, and it is beyond frustrating... it looks like I will have to go to the post office and pay extra £ or apply via post and also pay extra £ and wait longer. Infuriating!

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/sep/06/dvlas-temporary-glitch-means-a-54-surcharge-to-renew-my-licence

DVLA’s ‘temporary glitch’ means a 54% surcharge on a new licence

I can’t do it online because of a year-long technical problem

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/sep/06/dvlas-temporary-glitch-means-a-54-surcharge-to-renew-my-licence

Oneweektrying · 15/03/2024 21:07

Total ball ache , I work in prisons and on M.O.D sites around the country . It's easier getting on and off them , Can this thing verify who I am , can it f#£@ . Got a speeding ticket through other day and it's the only reason I realised my driving licence is a month out of date . Been trying this gov site for a week now as no post office in my village , so now trying to get hold of someone on the chat . ( Got 4 kids all under 10 at home so not to easy just popping into the city ) . Just about to smash my phone up so I'm off . Good luck with this shit .

Teenagekicksmyass · 15/03/2024 21:22

Same happened to me. No reason for it at all. On the plus side, when I went to do it at the Post Office, the lady there took a half decent photo of me 😂😂