Just moved house and needed to change address on my driving licence.
I could, and should, have simply completed the green paper counterpart licence and sent it back to the DVLA with my new address but foolishly I looked at the DVLA website and the 'Do it online' section.
Great, I thought, I can simply change my address online, save posting the form and not have to worry about the form or the licence going astray should the Royal Mail go on full-scale strike.
If you're thinking about doing this - please don't!
First, you have to register with the 'Government Gateway' and obtain a username and password. Then you must complete an online driving licence application including lots of extra information which is not required on the paper counterpart: email address, phone number, medical questionnaire and so on.
And at the end of it all... the instructions from the ONLINE DVLA are... "Please print off this form and post it with your licence to the DVLA"!!!!!
How, at any level, can that process be described as doing it online? They may as well have said write us a letter, print it off and send it back to us with your licence. What a load of codswallop, certainly making a mockery of any green pretentions and outright lying about the nature of their 'online' processes. A waste of time, a waste of paper and the smell of underhand information gathering. The last page of the process states it is illegal to hold two licences at the same time and requires you to return your existing licence before the new one will be issued. If this statement had been printed on the first page I could have saved myself time, paper and a rise in blood pressure. What a bunch of nincompoops!
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... What a bunch of nincompoops! ... >>
Are you sure the following exception did not apply in your case?
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions...1
"Important
During your online application, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will carry out identity checks for your security and protection. If DVLA can?t fully verify and authenticate your identity you will be informed at the end of the application. You will then need to print, fill in and send an application completion form, which is available at the end of the application.
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I got my photocard licence using this process. A pen nor stamp did I need, all done neatly on line.
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I wonder if changing personal information involves different processes with different levels of security so I couldn't comment on the relative ease of obtaining a photocard but I'd be interested to hear anyone's experience of the change of address process.
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Of course, they do make it clear that if they can't verify your identity you may need to supply supporting documents.
On the 'application completion form' the only supporting document I was asked to send was my existing driving licence and it stated, this is because two licences cannot be held at once - I believe this will apply to everyone who completes this process - not just me, hence my exasperation
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Well I got my Photocard for nothing on the basis of one letter changed in my postcode, obviously counted as a change of address.
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I don't really follow what you're saying but there we go. I'm assuming we're discuusing different processes.
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I had an old paper licence showing my current address, since it was issued the postcode was changed by Royal Mail ( one letter) for some reason best known to themselves. Grazing on the DVLA site one day, I thought it was worth a punt to apply for a photocard licence using their on-line application system. I went through the process, including the Government Gateway thing. The system successfully grabbed my photo from the Passport records. Obviously the Postcode change was sufficient to trigger a free upgrade and I received the new licence within days. It was all done seamlessly on line without printing or posting anything - Additionally I was able to keep my old paper licence so that I had evidence of my entitlements if the wheel came off - it didn't and my new licence arrived safe and well and up to date.
Edited by Pugugly on 12/10/2009 at 21:21
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The system successfully grabbed my photo from the Passport records.
Could this be the thing the OP was missing?
ie, does he have a passport?
maybe if the system picks up on the passport photo, it works online, if not the post option is the only way?
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DVLA are generally pretty swift these days,
Bromptonette recently applied for her provisional (easier on paper). Sent forms on monday and photo license arrived on Saturday. As she has a digital passport that proved her ID, she needed another photo but no requirement for it to be witnessed.
Anything that involves verifying documentation on line, to the standards required for what is in effect an off line proof of identity, risks being a bit demanding.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 12/10/2009 at 22:16
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It may well be that the issue I experienced was because I did not have a passport. However, the DVLA website states that a passport is not required for this procedure - if it had, I wouldn't have gone any further.
If I wish to change my details by post, I only need to return the paper form + photocard signed, with my new address - no passport - no other documentation.
Do it Online - and by implication save time and effort - requires that you have both parts of your licence to complete the process (which I had) - but unfortunately it then seems that such information is not enough even if it would be sufficient for postal change of address.
I would be interested to know if others have experienced this while attempting the same process.
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