Forum Topic

DVLA Online

For the past 2 years, I've renewed my car tax online and was really impressed at how easy it is (compared to the old way of queueing at the post office).One thing I've been putting off is exchanging my old paper driving licence for a plastic card. The paper version is in very poor condtion but the procedure to get the card is very laborious (forms, passport, photos all needed to be sent in). Not now. I clicked a link on the DVLA page today and 5mins later - done! They check identity/photo against the passport office and all I need to do is send in my cut up old licence and just one photo with a signature. Couldnt be easier.I know there's been a lot of bad press lately about the amount of information held on us on databases but for a lazy sod like me, it's all good...and no..I dont work for DVLA or any govt. agency..lol

David Archer ● 6889d12 Comments

Yes. we have done the car tax online but of course they do have to send you the disc by post and the last time I needed to do it - was during the postal strike.  I went down to my local Post Office.  They were really pleased to have the custom and I felt guilty for being quite so lazy and not going down there to pay the last one.  Post Offices are going to be like the milkman - you don't know what you've got till its gone.

Philippa Bond ● 6889d

Unfortuantely its called progress. Im sure if I lived in the middle of the country I would love to have the milk delivered then pop into the local post office. But we get our milk from the supermarket and the last time I went to the post office was yonks ago to send a load of items I'd sold on ebay.

David Archer ● 6888d

Anyone who has ever had to queue endlessly in the Ealing Broadway post office will be glad of any way to avoid the misery.I'm going to replace my tatty old driving license now...all 3 bits of it...

Jane Salisbury ● 6888d

What a coincidence - I've just been to the Post Office in The High Street W5(cycled there at 9.30 this am) to re-new my vehicle licence and there wasn't any waiting! Straight in and straight out in 1 minute flat! But what a depressing place that Post Office has become - it's underlit, the aircon seems to be non existant, it looks so tatty and untidy and all the ccustomers and staff looked so sad and depressed. What's happened to everyone - I know we've been knocked outa the EuroCup08 but hey, it's a lovely sunny day! And the croissants and capuccini in Carluccio's are delicious! Get a grip on yourselves folks and sing with me:"Zipidy dodah, zipadeeday, my oh my-y what a wonderful day...";-)

Gerry Tan ● 6888d

You can and we do, buy postage on line now but the Royal Mail website does need to be made more user friendly.

Peter Wright ● 6888d

We changed from supermarket to the milkman for our milk.It tastes fresher, is delivered by an enviro-friendly milk cart, and comes in containers that are recycled each week.Can't beat it.

Adrian Orchard ● 6888d

It is good to have the option I agree - especially when you can't immediately put your hand on that car insurance.  All this info online and data collection is great ...until something goes wrong.LOL.  My husband's driving licence is in bits too and taped together - it's been places!!! I thought his was the only one like that until I saw his best friend's driving licence.  Once you get the new one though I think you have to renew it more often don't you?  I think they prefer them for car hire in Europe.  (I can see why!)

Philippa Bond ● 6888d

No - the containers are collected for reusing each week - something that can be done about 10 times BEFORE they need to be recycled!!!

Philippa Bond ● 6888d

DVLA says allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. WRONG! The car tax arrived Monday and the new plastic card licence arrived on Friday. 8 days!!! Impressive.

David Archer ● 6880d

I have used it and it and it works well. So at least the Government is getting something right. Wish they could find those damned discs though!!!

Colin Vaughan ● 6880d

Funny you should mention them on here.  "In the post" is a phrase I associate with car tax and I thought it meant that you hadn't quite got round to it yet.

Philippa Bond ● 6880d

Those days are long gone Philippa.We are forever being watched for the slightest slip. Just make sure that you name your Teddy Bear 'Gordon' or something, so as not to cause offence! Difficult one that. In this day and age there is always some 'nutter' somewhere who sees offence in anything. OOPS off the thread a bit here, still its not W4 so thats ok then!!

Colin Vaughan ● 6880d