I took my Driving Test in July 1976

- heatwave, 8 months pregnant, so will never forget! Passed!

Received Driving Licence (Auto).

Have driven for 42 years,

7 owned vehicles,

10-15 Rental vehicles abroad,( codes, IDP etc), and numerous employer’s vehicles.

Changes of addresses always notified etc.

Always Taxed, Insured.

No accidents,

incidents or Claims. a

Excellent driving record.

In 2013 I changed my name legally and moved address.

Notified DVLA with relative documentation.

Received Driving Licence in new name, new address.

Hired car from Hertz in Oct 2017, with DVLA Licence & IDP, at Philadelphia International Airport.

I’ve done this every Oct for 8 years.

No problem.

Travel documents left with relatives in London on our return.

Totally unrelated issues in 2018 led to confrontation with local PC who had failed to investigate Complaints.

I reported him to IOPC on June 3rd 2018.a

On June 5th he pulled up,

sirens and blue lights,

next to my stationary parked car.

He claimed he had earlier observed me driving through the village without wearing a seatbelt!

As he checked out my Insurance,

Tax etc I remained in my car feeling pretty smug!

However,

his checks with the DVLA came back

- I am totally unknown to them!

In both my previous and current names.

I was arrested,

taken into custody,

had my car seized,

was detained for 7 hours before being released without charge.

Unable to travel the 240 miles back to London to obtain my documentation,

I concentrated on reclaiming my car.(£190).

I contacted the DVLA who stated they had absolutely NEVER had any record of me or my previous Driving Licences, notifications etc etc. ZERO!

I contacted Hertz in Philli who helpfully emailed their retained Rental Agreement from Oct 2017!! Along with my Licence details and IDP!

I forwarded onto Police and DVLA.

The DVLA contacted me to say they could not accept the documentation as proof of Licence as they, the DVLA, still had no corresponding Licence details on record.

The Police didn’t respond at all.

The DVLA suggested I get ‘back on the database’ by applying immediately a Provisional Driving Licence, and re-take the Driving Test(s) asap. I received a Provisional Driving Licence 2 days later.

I booked the Theory Test.

Passed!(100% on the Question part and 58/75 on the Hazard Awareness Part).

I booked my Practical for 4th Sept.

I travelled to London to try to retrieve my documentation and Licence from last year. Unfortunately, the elderly relative with whom I had been staying with last year, was moved into Residential Care in June 2018.

Those who assisted her move helped me go the boxes and bags in her Care Home. To no avail.

Yesterday I received a Notice of Summons to appear at the local Magistrayes Court ( where ironically I often work!) on charges for Driving without a Licence, No Insurance, furnishing false information to obtain Insurance.

I contacted the DVLA again yesterday.

While acknowledging that a ‘tiny minority of Drivers details may disappear’, even if the documentary details provided by Hertz indicate that my renewed Driving Licence (2013) actually EXPIRED in April 2018!!! Kafkaesque!!

I’ve absorbed this today.

With 240 miles separating me from elderly relatives with dementia,

the death of one of them in May,

Driving every week since January every from my home to their home in London to assist them etc.,

2 family bereavements,

loss of my grandson (14) in France in April

and trying to hang onto my employment 75 miles drive per day

- I had not given any thought whatsoever to my Driving Licence expiry.

In fact, I had had it re-issued in my new name in April 2013 thinking it was for 10 years.

That assumption was wrong as the DVLA confirmed yesterday that if they had renewed my 2008 issued Licence after my name change in 2013, they would not have issued a 10 yr Licence! As confirmed by the ruddy Hertz documentation, my Licence was only issued with the remaining 5 years to expiry!!!

I’m unable to work now having Sorned my car.

I’m 67.

I’ve never had ANY driving offences or problems.

I drive 15,000 - 20,000 miles a year in the U.K.

I’m looking at receiving a huge fine,

six points on my eventual Licence,

and a possible ban!!!

How has this happened?

Anyone else out there with this kind of problem with the DVLA?

I’ve never had a Driving Lesson in my life and,

as a lifelong driver with care and consideration,

both here and abroad,

I had no problem passing the (new) Theory Test.

I have no worries about the Practical Test in 3 week’s time.

But the stress, expense and sheer frustration of this nightmare I fear is not a situation that is not unique?

Advice pls from anyone with similar,

or simply supportive advice.

Thanks!

When I trave

Hi and Welcome to CAG

May be of interest to you .....Especially the comments after the article.

https://laticsdrivertraining.com/bbc-watchdog-investigates-dvla-licence-blunder/

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/driver-wins-two-year-battle-with-dvla-over-his-licence-1-7005930

Regards

Andy

I contacted the DVLA again yesterday.

While acknowledging that a ‘tiny minority of Drivers details may disappear’, even if the documentary details provided by Hertz indicate that my renewed Driving Licence (2013) actually EXPIRED in April 2018!!! Kafkaesque!!

 

I’ve absorbed this today.

 

- I had not given any thought whatsoever to my Driving Licence expiry.

 

In fact, I had had it re-issued in my new name in April 2013 thinking it was for 10 years.

 

That assumption was wrong as the DVLA confirmed yesterday that if they had renewed my 2008 issued Licence after my name change in 2013, they would not have issued a 10 yr Licence! As confirmed by the ruddy Hertz documentation, my Licence was only issued with the remaining 5 years to expiry!!!

It is the photo that expires in 10 years - the date in 4b on the front of the licence (and is carried forward on any replacement licence within the 10 years), failure to update it is the same offence as failing to update name and address.

It does not affect the validity of the licence - which is the date under column 11 on the back of the licence.

a

What a nightmare for you. Can the DVLA not see that if you have owned several cars over the years, you would have needed your licence to obtain insurance and to obtain a road fund licence licence and it is them who would have provided your licence to do that. Are the DVLA saying that you drove all those vehicles without insurance and without road fund licences. How ridiculous.

When you go to Court you must take the Watchdog dossier with you to help prove your innocence and to show how incompetent and unfit to be in charge of our data they really are.

You should also take an example from the Watchdog papers and complain to your MP.

You should check with your insurance company to ask what measures they take to confirm you have a driving licence.

They would have contacted the DVLA for confirmation.

Check with them the last time they checked and did they ever ask you for a copy of your licence.

Have you ever hired a car as they would require your licence and hopefully would have photocopied it.

And try to think of any other Company that would have copied your licence for ID purposes.

The Post Office, Banks and building societies all ask for driving licences as ID-sometimes employers ask as well.

Do you have any old driving licences that you can take with you to prove your innocence and perhaps some of those companies who you remember asked for your DL may still have a copy on file.

Estate agents ask for them as do government and local Councils for grants and benefits for example.

Also if you take old motor insurance policies and road fund licences to Court with you that may help.

Indeed it would be interesting to ask the DVLA if your car has a current road fund licence.

If you have it rather points that the DVLA are inept either because

a] they issued you with a RF licence without you owning a driving licence which rather brings home their incompetence

Watchdog quote When Watchdog contacted the DVLA it said: “It is vital that the DVLA protects the safety of road users and pedestrians by ensuring that only people who can prove they have passed the relevant driving test are allowed to drive on our roads.

or b] they did have a copy of your D/L but have now lost it which would explain why they issued the documents.

You cannot have a current insurance and RF licence without a D/L that's what the DVLA claim.

You cannot have owned 7 cars without having a D/l.

You shouldn't have any worries in Court and do use your MP

-many of them agree that the DVLA are hopeless.

Just go to court with your ld licence.

Easy

doesnt help you but may help other- I have never sent my old licences back when requested, I say I cant find them and would like to report them as lost when they are up for renewal or changes of address precisely to prevent such a situation as yours.

last time my wife got a new licence they included all classes of HGV on it!