DVLA licence renewal - new system being trialled

[tcpace]

I've had the usual reminder to renew my licence (due in early March) and have been invited to apply online. I did so and shortly afterwards received a text message saying someone from the DVLA would contact me to discuss. About an hour later I received a phone call inviting me to use a new service which involved confirming that nothing had changed since my last application 3 years ago and that I had not been informed by an optician etc that my sight had deteriorated in the meantime. I was able to do so and also make a number of straightforward declarations. As a result, I'm now going to get my licence renewed for a further 3 years without having to go through the usual Specsavers routine involving acuity and field tests. So, no stress this time around!!

[muddledme]

Thank you tcpace, that is interesting to know. It does sound very sensible to prevent the DVLA being swamped and hopefully a better system will emerge if this is successful .

Perhaps the optician and opthalmologists are occasionally contacted to make sure everyone is honest . Even better if the medics told the DVLA if they thought someone may be unfit to drive....or perhaps they sometimes do.

[Spanieldoglover]

That sounds like a brilliant step forward. Even if we had to send in a medical report from optician/ophthalmologist (similar to other medical conditions needing a drs medical) that would free up the DVLA and stop an extremely stressful experience for all of us.

I’m due my next DVLA renewal in just over 4 years so hopefully the updates to the renewal system will be well and truly in place by then 🤞😊

[Hidden]

That sounds positive. Thank - you for sharing. I hope people are honest in their response or remove themselves from behind the wheel if they have temporary changes to their vision, such as a cataract.[ As a family, we had to stop my mother from driving for another issue, because her doctor said it was our responsibility, not his.] I still have 4 years until my 5 year licence expires, so I hope there is a sensible, yet effective system in place by then.

[Eahldt]

I find this very interesting as my licence expires next May and I’ve been anticipating having to redo the DVLA test which I did less than two years ago at Specsavers. I passed, was able to continue driving and, in the intervening time, both my consultant and optician say my sight has remained stable. If I’ve understood this correctly it sounds as if I may be spared the stress of a further test. I’d be interested to hear other people’s recent experiences.

[tcpace in reply to Eahldt]

Based on my application and phone interview, I believe you will be OK if you're able to tell DVLA that your eyesight has remained stable as confirmed by consultant and optician. However, in my phone interview, the person I spoke to was keen to get my confirmation that my medication had not changed so that may be a factor. In my case, there had been a change in that I had moved from normal Ganfort to preservative free Ganfort but the DVLA person was happy with that. Had I been changed to different eyedrops with a different active component, things may not have been as straightforward.

[Eahldt]

Thanks. I am due to see my consultant at the end of January so hopefully there will be no change.

[tcpace in reply to Eahldt]

🤞

[Gilbert1908]

Hi do you have to have the acuity feild test at spec savers if you see your special list regular.at hospital .thank you nick

[tcpace in reply to Gilbert1908]

My understanding is that DVLA insist on it being done by Specsavers. However if you get the same sort of renewal invite that I mentioned in my OP, you may not need an acuity/fields test at all if you're able to declare that, since your last renewal, your glaucoma has remained stable and you've not had to have a change of medication.

[NewCardinal]

Wish they had sent me this type of reminder! My licence runs out beginning Feb and my test is tomorrow. Keepng fingers crossed. IIt's so stress ful doing the visual fields.

[tcpace in reply to NewCardinal]

I must have struck lucky on that. My renewal date is early March - looks like you just missed out ☹️

[tcpace]

An update - today I received my new licence without having to go through the usual stressful fields/acuity test. I applied online on 19 December and we've had Xmas in the meantime plus postal strikes. Hopefully many others will now be able to renew automatically under the new system.

[mrswaffle]

Thank you for this. It sounds very hopeful! Do I understand you to mean changes only in the glaucoma situation, or sight generally? I have lower eye pressure now (due to laser) than three years ago, but have had to change my glasses, due to my distance vision deteriorating.

[tcpace in reply to mrswaffle]

To be honest I don't know. During the phone interview, they basically wanted me to confirm that my glaucoma had remained stable since the last renewal and that I hadn't had any change to my medication. No mention was made of distance vision. However, when filling the online form in, it did say something about being able to read a number plate at the specified distance (with specs if you normally wear them) so if you're able to say yes when filling in the form I suspect they won't raise that in the telephone interview. I think the critical thing is confirmation that your glaucoma has remained stable. I was able to say that I had been having regular checks and there had been no change so I guess it would be best if you're able to say something along those lines. Incidentally I mentioned that my medication had changed but only to replace the existing mediation with the preservative-free version of that particular medication. They were happy with that. I'm not sure what would have happened if I had been switched from one medication to a different one since the last licence renewal.

[mrswaffle]

Thank you so much for your swift reply to my question. What you say makes sense -I can only hope my experience with DVLA is as positive as yours! Thanks again!

[tcpace]

Just wondering if anyone else has been able to renew their driving licence online in conjunction with a telephone interview (i.e. without having to go through the usual fields test).

[Safehaven23]

My goodness - in effect then I could have done the same...my Consultant confirmed only a slight change to my right eye after cataract removal - in the last 3 years! I have been waiting now for two years - my Licence was revoked after attending Specsavers in 2021...when an unqualified young woman - may have been a Saturday girl - was appointed to do the DVLA test for me. She told me voluntarily she had never done one before...clearly hung out to dry herself! No one to help or advise her - unfair on both of us...and the repercussions for me were devastating! The DVLA were said to be looking into all the complaints this last year or two as the tests not standarised throughout the country...and most most people likely to fail it in its current shambles! Did they complete this? Anyone know? We need updating.

[tcpace]

Knowing how important it is to be able to keep on driving, I feel for you. Surely the DVLA and Specsavers have a duty to require the test is carried out by fully experienced Specsavers staff. I have had 2 DVLA tests done at Specsavers and on both occasions I had full confidence in the person carrying out the test. The third one I had done was that was handled by phone, as explained in my original posting. Didn't realise how lucky I was to have it handled that way. I'm sure I would have passed anyway but it eliminated a lot of the stress.