To think that DVLA is not fit for purpose now - one example being applying for a first Provisional Licence?

[DreadedVehicleLicensingAgency]

I have just tried to apply online via gov.uk for a DC's first Provisional Licence. The information said that the licence should be received after about a week. This was important as the licence was to form part of a joint Christmas and birthday present, and the young person needs to be able to learn to drive as soon as possible, especially with balancing A Levels, part-time work, responsibilities as a Young Carer and living in a rural area.

It was a very straight forward application, or so I thought. For example, the DC was born in England, has lived at the same address all their life, and had valid Passport and National Insurance numbers for identity verification and the photograph. All the details entered were double-checked and correct.

And yet, it did not work. I was redirected to apply via the old online system - there still seemed hope at this point. Here, I had to enter all the same details again, plus mother's maiden name, DC's exact place of birth, phone numbers and email. It took my money. All seemed well.

And then, the last page came up, giving the application number and confirming payment, but saying we still had to submit a paper application as well, which will be delayed because of staff working from home!

There is no legitimate reason why the online application did not work. There is nothing to add to the online application and passport/national insurance number access they have by filling in a paper form! I have heard and read of delays involving weeks and months with the paper applications, and of the inability to talk to an actual person who can or will help. DC cannot even start driving lessons until the licence is received.

What is your recent experience of DVLA, especially with applying for a provisional licence? Any advice or tips for moving this along very welcome!

NC.

Different process but I notified them online of a change of address last month and received the replacement licence 2 days later. Couldn't fault the process for that. Maybe it depends on whether an actual person needs to be involved.

I applied, in what I thought was good time online, in July and had the exact same issue as you. The paper application arrived addressed to DD who took to her room insisting she would do it but didn't. When I eventually persuaded her to give to me to do it was over 40 days so it said I would have to start the application again. This time the online application went through without the need for an additional paper application. However, the licence didn't arrive in the time they said so I tried to contact them - impossible.
It was almost 2 months after the second application that it arrived - on her actual birthday!

We applied in July and received the license ~10 weeks later.
Luckily we had applied 12 weeks before she turned 17, so no delays.
DVLA has been on strike, no idea if they still are, but it will have left a backlog anyway.

Mainly the photo is the issue. It has to be very recent for them to use the passport photo. Otherwise you have to send a new one and a signed form.

Did my son's immediately after his passport arrived. Did it online - they used his passport photo for the provisional - took a picture of his signature and uploaded it as part of the application. Did it Monday - provisional arrived Friday. Can't find any free driving instructors though

DD applied for a provisional licence in mid July and everything seemed to go smoothly online, money taken etc.

About 2 weeks later she received a form in the post asking her to apply that way although no extra payment requested.

She duly filled in and returned that on the 5th August. She heard nothing nothing nothing... when she phoned in early October she ciuldn't get through.

Her licence turned up on the 25th November.

They are appalling I'm afraid OP. I hope you have a better experience.

I didn't know you could apply as far in advance as a year @YellowDots . I expected the information on gov.uk - that it would take a week to arrive after the online application - to be correct and so I thought three weeks ahead would be ok - and being a very straight forward application, I trusted it to work online. Circumstances have changed too for the DC, and so it has become more important to get them driving asap. I agree - the present aspect is the least important part of the reason for wanting it quickly, @MaskingForIt .

My DS applied online and it got rejected didn’t give a reason and so had to do a paper one. This was sent off in September still waiting.

The DVLA are quite frankly the worst for any kind of help if you can't use the automated system. It's appalling that they're getting away with fucking up people's lives. That's not hyperbole, not having a decision on driving with a notifiable condition or not being able to proceed with driving for caring/work purposes is a massive problem unless you live somewhere with a wonderful public transport system and the means to use it so that rules out most of the UK

HMRC are in Wales, as are Companies House and the Office of National Statistics. All are doing far better than their counterparts in Swansea. All are civil service working with the same restrictions as DVLA. It's just pathetic and there's no excuse.

@DreadedVehicleLicensingAgency YABU to apply for a driving licence, in the middle of December, and expect to get it by Christmas.

I do agree the DVLA is not fit for purpose now though. Anything that has to be done by post, is taking six months or more.

Also the driving licence is 'a joint gift for Christmas and birthday?' Why? It's only £34.

They’re a disgrace. They’ve been working from home. Then we’re on strike for weeks. Now they’re working from home again. And don’t even start about trying to get through on the phone.

The exact same process happened for DS. The DVLA tracker never updates, and it is impossible to contact them via email, phone, twitter. My MP tried but was only sent a paper form for us to fill in.

Resorted to applying for a brand new passport, which arrived within a week or 2, and reapplying online for driving licence. Within 24 hours it showed as licence approved and on the way to us. But 12 days later it hasn't arrived yet.

DVLA is not fit for purpose.

Yes, and it is really disadvantaging those people @DraigFach - in the case of some young people for example, like this DC, it adds to the damage already done during this pandemic to their education, GCSEs, A Levels, university, job or apprenticeship applications, social contacts and mental health.

How long does postal delivery take from online passport acceptance to driving licence arriving? It has been 12 days so far.... so I am panicking it may be lost in the post.

You missed the part of... from that, @LittleDandelionClock !

www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid-19-update

If you scroll down it gives you info on the type of application and what date they are currently working on.

DD's online application refused to accept her passport photos for some reason (despite being a relatively recent passport). That was back in July. We re-applied with a paper application and are still waiting. They haven't cashed my cheque so I'm assuming still stuck in someone's intray somewhere.
I stupidly lost the bit of paper with the application number on it so I don't know what to do next! Keep waiting??? Or attempt another online application in the hope that it was just a glitch that rejected the passport photo last time...

It's ludicrous. Poor DD just wants to start learning!

Thanks for that @FromageRay - it says they are two months behind on paper applications for UK identities, but in reality it seems to be much longer than that according to most pps' experience. And don't even try to contact them until ten weeks has passed. And then allow another two weeks from when they issue a licence to receive it.

Your BU but only in the sense that compared to some of us brackets (me!) you’ve not been waiting any time at all. I had the same issue online and had to submit a paper application as well as filling in all the stuff on t’interweb. - even though the applicant is British, had lived at the same address for the past 17 years and has a full valid passport. I’ve made and paid for three separate applications; the first two were ‘lost’ both despite being sent by tracked post. one payment has been returned, the other 🤷🏽‍♂️The third is in the system but is showing as ‘awaiting documents’ – which were sent more than 8 weeks ago.@DreadedVehicleLicensingAgency, it gives me no pleasure at all, to welcome you to the club for Disgruntled Vexed Livid Applicants.

@DreadedVehicleLicensingAgency

You missed the part of... from that, *@LittleDandelionClock* !

Still, a driving licence seems to be a strange thing to give as a joint birthday and Christmas gift. Feels like this is something that should just be bought for a young person in their late teens (by their parents) not pushed as a gift, and even worse a 'joint gift' for Christmas and birthday!

IMO, it's like me having my birthday on 15th December, and (for example,) my DH, or my parents, saying they will pay £40 off my credit card as a joint gift for my birthday and Christmas.

Bizarre.

@cabrillolighthouse if you go in to the DVLA licensed tracking web page you should be able to get the reference using other personal info.
Also, check any emails you’ve had from them in case it’s in there.

You can apply for a provisional licence when they are fifteen!

I took my dd (15) and her friend to an indoor skate park recently where you had to have ID if you didn't have a parent with you and the friend had a driving licence for her ID. I looked it up when I was trapped in the concrete nightmare for two hours.

@LittleDandelionClock Is it really a strange gift? My DD has been given a car for her Christmas present and lessons for her birthday. I thought that was a completely normal thing to do.

It is a club I really don't want to join, but thank you, @MindTheGapMoveAlong - I feel your pain.

@FromageRay the dates they say they are working from don't tally with the dates people are waiting for.

And it is impossible to communicate with them on any of their advertised methods.

So currently we have paid 2x licence fees, paid for a new passport we didn't need, and still no licence.

@DreadedVehicleLicencingAgency totally agree, on top of cancelled GCSEs, online learning, potential online uni... and then this. Not been the best time to be a teen. (Or any age for that matter)