To beg for help to contact dvla

[Cherrychocchip]

I applied for my daughters provisional driving licence on 5th May. Payment taken. Lost the bloody application number since. I've tried to phone 100s of times but it is impossible to get through. License has not arrived despite paying for it. It shouldn't have taken anymore than 10 weeks maximum. I applied for my photo updating on mine and it took less than a week.
I've tried emailing and get a generic response and links that I can't access without the reference number. I've tried to verify it another way and it says details are wrong when they definitely aren't.
I've messaged via messenger and same as above applies. I honestly don't know what else I can do. Help!!

Defo the real website I did get the initial email but stupidly wrote the reference number on a bit of paper, deleted the email and have now lost it!
Bank statement shows payment to dvla too.
Defo can't go back further than July to retrieve emails.
It's so annoying! Wonder if I try to reapply it will let me?

In your email go the website rather than email app? It will go back that far.

Defo can't go back further than July to retrieve emails.

If you're using an email service that only keeps emails from the past month, I suggest changing it as that's ridiculous. What about holiday bookings, receipts for stuff? My phone app only goes back so far but I can still find ten year old emails if I log in via the website.

A few months ago, end of April, I applied for a new driving license snd a new passport. Both had additional paperwork as it was a name change. The passport came back within 3 weeks. The driving licence only came back last week!

I applied for photo driving licence back in April. It was sent back early June for additional information and I sent it straight back. I contacted them through the on line web chat, it took about 10 times trying this morning, when finally I got through. I only needed name, address, but they said there was nothing on the system, but that it would only show once it has been processed. So basically a waste of time. They cannot investigate until after 12 weeks since sending paperwork back.
You get to put your review after and comments, when you end chat, which mine weren’t very complimentary.

Is the email still in the bin?

I don't delete emails so this has blown my mind 😂

I’d reapply and if you can’t take it further you may get something you can use to chase down the original application.

Waited ten weeks for gs's provisional licence. Was returned as daytime mobile number (same as evening) not included. This will inevitably mean another 10 week wait, when a simple phone call would suffice.

They are sat with people's vital documents - I had to order an urgent birth certificate for employment reasons and another NI letter. They are sat with people's passports - this is all the paper applications.

What said ours was dated 26 May so within 10 weeks at the time. Yours sounds as though something might be wrong. Use the email link. You will get a generic response but it will include a further link which should be more specific. Good luck. It is an absolute nightmare.

DVLA (or DV Delay) are regularly featuring on Watchdog.

I would say a while back a friend of mine applied for a provisional license for photo ID for a professional exam as it was - theoretically - quicker than renewing her passport (she’s not from the UK). Fucking stresstastic nightmare.

Dd has been waiting for hers since the beginning of June. We applied online bit had to send the original documents. Fortunately I photocopied them first because we ended up getting her a citizenship card (took 3 days) as she needed to be able to prove her age - the whole point of getting the driving licence in the first place.
Have you tried using the chat facility? I have found this very helpful in the past.

We waited from April 12 until July 19th for DD’s provisional and of course the driving instructors are all booked ans there are no theory tests in the country.

Same here, we've been waiting 11 weeks for my sons provisional and had to cancel the theory test slot he had for this week. It's so annoying as god knows when he'll get another theory test slot and that obviously pushed back his driving lessons slot too. He had to apply through the post as his passport had run out and he was only 11 years old on his passport photo anyway. We've tried the chat option and phoning and got nowhere.

Have you tried emailing them? I couldn’t get through on the phone to them about a different issue, so I emailed them and did eventually get a response.

I’ve been waiting for my (medical) license since feb

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!
Been waiting for DS's provisional since April. Literally can't get to talk to a human being, it's actually making me really rageful. I actually typed to the bot chat the other day 'I WANT TO TALK TO A HUMAN BEING NOT A COMPUTER' got put in a queue for 3 hours and then cut off saying no one could help me. I wish I hadn't opened this thread cos I'd put it in a box for a few days!

Twitter definitely. Had a problem with my son’s driving test and got a reply very quickly

You should reapply. This happened to many of Dd's friends. They reapplied and got a refund on 1st application via credit card.

If you have a Hotmail account can you log in on a computer rather than your phone (if you haven't already done this). My phone deletes emails after a few weeks but they're still on my PC.
I know it sounds obvious but have you searched in your inbox for DVLA? I can search for emails on my phone which have disappeared?

Good luck OP. I applied for my DS's provisional online. I had to put his passport number on the form. Then they sent a form out for him to sign. It took 6 weeks.

Maybe try here with as much detail as you have. I found them surprisingly helpful
[email protected].

We did DD's not long ago. Applied online end of March and gave passport info which was less than a year old so very surprised to receive paperwork which needed signing and sending back. Returned it mid 14th April and received licence on 21st June.

Have you tried sending a DM on Twitter - it seems to be the best way to get hold of many organisations at the moment.

You could try going to your MP as they have a direct contact with the DVLA. The response you're likely to get is that applications are being dealt with in a strict date ordered priority though.

There is industrial action ongoing at the DVLA. My license renewal took 10 weeks rather than 3.

Ds applied at end of April and it took 11 weeks to receive his licence

It took 11 weeks for my renewal to come. Keep trying to ring. I tried the other day it took 20 calls to keep redialling but I got in the queue and only waited 15 minutes to speak to someone. They are nightmare at the moment especially if you have to apply on paper.

It really does seem to be paper based applications causing the problem, DS’s came in less than 3 days last week, DH’s came in 4 days this week

DD’s online paperwork came in 5 days and is going back this week as she has no passport, it will be just her luck to take months after the others were so quick

Next is passport applications 😞