DVLA Nightmare

Garry123

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Nightmare. My wife passed her driving test years ago before we got married. She has recently had a letter from the DVLA to renew her photo licence. We tried to do it online but the document numbers would not work. The DVLA phoned her today and said that her paper licence and photo card numbers do not match and they have no record of her passing her test before she got married. Yet she has a photo card licence saying she has passed in her married name. They are saying they have a record of her in her married name but it has Miss on it rather than Mrs.

She is phoning them again tomorrow to speak to a manager, but it looks like she will have to take her test again. She has had her licence for 10 years.

No idea what will happen with her car insurance.
 
Dvla are a law unto themselves...and actually getting to speak to a human is almost impossible....grrrr

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk 2
 
don't rush things, do not take the test again.

are you saying that the photo licence has a different licence number than the paper part? Is the date of issue and expiry date the same on both.

so after you got married she would of updated licence, i.e changed surname. The licence number would have stayed the same. Sounds like a cock up by the DVLA. Refuse to retake test, as they saying that she needs to take the test again is like saying she has been driving the past 10 years or so illegally, and could impact insurance renewal costs if she does resit test. I'd be getting legal advice if I were you


if its there mistake you need to go well beyond a admin workers manager
 
DVLA messed up my first licence, gave me 2 years instead of 10. I checked the up date to full licence box and renew box so licence should have been changed from provisional to full with a expiry date ten years away. Got them to check the application and it was fixed for free.

they also lost my paper counterpart recently when I sent it in for change of address along with my wifes licence and car registration (V5). They said I didn't send it and wanted me to pay for a new one, fobbed off on phone as expected. after a few emails of complaints and a letter they backed down and updated licence and replaced counterpart at no cost
 
Thanks for the advice, see what the manager says tomorrow when she phones up. Her insurance would go up to £1300.
 
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Well the DVLA are saying they have no record of her passing her test and she will therefore have to take the test again. No choice. Rang a solicitor and citizens advice, they both said that it happens all the time and she will have to take the test. Her insurance said as long as she passes within 3 months they will honour her insurance policy. No idea how that will work when she comes to renew. Six years no claims as well.
 
Does she still have the copy of the test documents? I saw mine the other day in the back of my motoring folder in the loft. I have the counter piece of paper they give you documenting the minor mistakes and signatures from both the driver and examiner.

I also have all the older counter part licenses in there. Sounds like it's a good job I held on to it all!
 
I used to have a full Motorbike licence that they no longer have any record of!

I just gave up in the end and decided that at my age it may be doing me a favour.

It is not right though.
 
She is in possession of a licence? Issued by the DVLA ?
Then at SOME POINT they had evidence of her passing the driving test.
It's their fault their records are lost.
You have evidence she passed the test because DVLA issued a full licence.
 
No way... that really makes me angry..
How can they get away with this. There must be more that can be done, surley.
 
your solicitor should know the crack on this. if an organisation has issued you documentation "the Licence" which they can only do if she had passed her test then the DVLA are at fault.

what if a bank lost your account and details.. you have a card in your name issued to you. the bank can not say your money is gone.

this is bull. speak to another lawyer
 
If they have issued the licence, and they have messed up, could this not be taken down the legal route, could they not be sued?
 
It is a tough situation, and a miserable performance from DVLA, but there's not a huge amount that can be done. They can't really give people the benefit of the doubt. I'm not exactly sure how this came about:

The DVLA phoned her today and said that her paper licence and photo card numbers do not match and they have no record of her passing her test before she got married

Should we all go and check they line-up?
 
the guy on this link actually lost his paper licence and DVLA tried the same thing. he then found it in his sons room and then DVLA made excuse about system adjustment.

DVLA have no record of my Licence App??

your wife on the other hand has the paper and card Licence. your legal should know better
 
She is in possession of a licence? Issued by the DVLA ?
Then at SOME POINT they had evidence of her passing the driving test.
It's their fault their records are lost.
You have evidence she passed the test because DVLA issued a full licence.

Sorry to butt in, it's not clear from the thread exactly when the original test was conducted but perhaps an email to the D S A might help. I've no idea how long they keep the
DL25 form but it's worth a try?
 
found this also: from Watchdog DVLA Driving Licence - Consumer Forum

I had a similar problem a few years ago when I was caught by a speed camera and received a summons for driving without a license, as I held a license for 20 odd years and had 2 changes of name and several changes of address, I knew I had one, could I find it?? no chance.

I phoned DVLA and I have to say the girl I spoke to was very helpful but we had to go back to the time I took my test to find out that my current license had a spelling mistake in my surname which had been transposed onto the driver number, therefore any search on my name showed no license even though all the other details were correct.

It was eventually sorted out just in time for them to fax a copy of my license to the court on the day of the hearing - scary

was there any typo on th eoriginal name ask the wife.. they may need to track all the way back maybe
 
Well the DVLA are saying they have no record of her passing her test and she will therefore have to take the test again. No choice. Rang a solicitor and citizens advice, they both said that it happens all the time and she will have to take the test. Her insurance said as long as she passes within 3 months they will honour her insurance policy. No idea how that will work when she comes to renew. Six years no claims as well.

Really? This surprises me. As I'm sure all parties concerned are well aware by now, this is simply a clerical error. I honestly cannot see how your wife can be told to take her test again. I'd suggest doing a bit of research, hassling the DVLA, or perhaps contact Watchdog, or other such organisations. I certainly wouldn't be inclined to pay out a fortune for a new test etc...Even if she's a good driver, your wife may well require a bit of brushing up on the theory (will she have to do the theory & hazard perception too?)
Incompetence annoys most of us, without it costing us money too...:(

Simply ridiculous...Good luck with this.
 
DVLA is part of the gov, get your MP involved.

most peopls have lost Licences. you have been issued with full Licences and you have them. its Proof.
what if that happened to your Passport? you dont exist ?? MP may have had experiance of some of these cases already.
 
sorry all... i get carried away.. just trying to help
 
Do not send them the originals that you have in your possession as they are your only proof at the moment that she had a licence, if you send them off and they lose them you are completely shafted. If you need to send anything in, get them scanned and send them the copies :smashin:
 
Sent originals, so shafted. :(
 
Please tell me you took copies?
 

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