Dvla Reviews 

I am extremely frustrated with DVLA specifically the process of applying for my Sons provisional licence which has been passed to the 'medical department'.
As part of the application process you have to answer some very broad questions regarding your medical history. My Son was in hospital for a head injury 12 years ago and signed off 10 years ago however there was nowhere we could informe DVLA of this. We felt obligated to answer yes to the question as it stated not answering correctly could lead to being fined or worse.
We have contacted DVLA as they have had the application since before Christmas. The lady simply answered that the DVLA doesnt give timescales.

We are now in the position where his 17th birthday is looming and DVLA refuse to give him an update on when he will get his licence.
This is a joke - its simply not good enough.

Such an old dated way of dealing with things.
Refund? We will send you a cheque in the post like it's 1982.

Just to get replacement cheques sent I have been asked by the DVLA for the following information,

Driving Licence Numbers.
Driving Test Reference Numbers.
Time, date and locations (for both theory and practical)
The name, address and post code of the person who the cheques were issued to.
The date the original cheque was issued.

Why do you need my test location and date? My driving test was 2007, am I expected to have this information at hand? Some where in West Wickham with a man called Jerry. It was a Toyota Corolla diesel in silver. . .
Absolute joke of a system.
Cheque?? Really.

7 months now after my Driving Lis application - I have applied multiple times and they can't find it ever... I don't understand

Absolute nightmare Tried several times to renew my over 70 driving licence Had to download app Was sent code after code some didn't even come through Finally got as far as the photo which failed to send Started again only told an error occured Never known such a bad online service as this one Had to resort to paper application and post .Now probably a long wait to get it back !!

Absolutely disgusting. I rang, nearly 50 times, over a 2 month period, and sent numerous emails, trying to find out if I was allowed to drive or not.
This was due to a small head injury, which my GP told me I had to inform DVLA about.
Despite explaining that I am starting cancer treatment at the end of March, and was desperate to know, I received one call back, in November, saying "we'll mark your case as urgent".
I heard absolutely nothing after that.
As a result, I had to have some counselling sessions, as my stress was going through the roof.
I don't know what these people do during their shift, if anything.

I was having a nightmare taxing my car, all of my documents were at dvla and my car tax had expired 2 days ago. I rang and spoke to a young lad at dvla and I've got to say he was so helpful, he sorted it for me. I was able to tax my car, he sent me an email to prove it was taxed in case I got stopped, and explained how to apply for the 50% disabled tax when my documents came, and also how to apply for a refund.

Just spent the last 30 mins trying to apply for a replacement driving licence. I was sent to various sections where I had to complete sign ins , register for accounts and then eventually had to take a photo of my passport, which the app refused to allow: "move fingers, avoid white backgrounds etc where there were no fingers or white backgrounds. Eventually I gave up. It's a disgrace.

What is is with government departments - they accept no responsibility if they make a mistake. If they were in the private sector they would have been binned off. My daughter has a brand new car which she has been unable to drive since receipt (beginning February) due to some idiot at DVLA ticking the wrong box. They are so slow in sending out the forms which she needs to get it sorted as it is a government department and sooooo protected that they don't have to do what they should be doing. The car has sat on the drive and she is having to get Ubers to jobs that she cannot get to by public transport. She was given advice to get taxed at post office who have told her she cannot as she is not the registered owner of this brand new car due to the DVLA mistake. I hate the idea that my tax pays the salaries of these idiots :(

Absolute shite total wasted time trying to get this to work ,usual government piece of crap .Very very disappointed .Will have to go to post office now and just pay the extra .Absolute con to the British people.

The DVLA still suffers from rank incompetence and appears to be staffed by a hoard of disinterested individuals who have no interest in their work and no knowledge of the massive Classic Car world. Utterly, utterly useless

They are absolutely useless pathetic accuse for a government department when contacted give you no information just rubbish

Had a bus medical September had to wait till February to get a treadmill test passed that 11th February received letter from doctor saying I had passed we will be in march when I can ring them and ask where is my license. They are not fit for purpose just like the government let's get rid now

Called to report 2 cars without any road tax nor mot , only to be told …I have to write an email OR write a letter!!! 2026 !!!!write a letter and post it !!!!
Bunch of totally unprofessional people !!!
How DVLA manage to hire those people??? What’s the hire criteria??

The most shocking unhelpful service i have ever dealt with. no help no advise, all my fault as i never captured a reference number. abolish this service and get some professionals into run, these people couldn't run a bath! disappointed.

Would give zero if I could. Had absolute nightmare regarding my first disability tax exemption which was due in 8 days!! Trying to contact them and speak to anyone is a joke! I held for an hour (which the auto reply said was the current wait time) and another 30 mins. I was then given the option to leave my number and they would call back when they got to me in the cue, which I did. This was at 1100 on a Friday, when they are open until 1900 hrs. It got to 1800 (7 hrs later!) and still nothing. So I rang back and got an auto message stating that there were not taking anymore calls - and it cut off. They were open the next day, but I still received no call!! I have tried to email but they actively prevent you from being able to speak to them by routing you everywhere but where you need to go. Another DISGUSTING Govt entity which fails at every step. Incompetent, disgraceful behaviour. A complete waste of time and our public monies!

Terrible!! On hold for 2 hours everyday and still can’t get through!!

just tryed to tel dvla that my grand daughter had sold a car last september and do not have eney docks not even a v5 and found out ther is nothibg i can doo on line she has just got a£75 fine as the byer has not dune eney thing abou it rgg or eney thing

Trying to renew my driving licence 2 months on they just keep taking my money then saying I haven’t applied. Tried applying 3 times and been charged 3 times. Phoned and been told to apply by post. Get a form from post office, fill it in, get a new photo and post. Recommend not to try online again! What a waste of time and money

18/02/26 - Well the reviews say it all. ABSOLUTELY USELESS. I’d like to know when this government will do something. It’s sad that in a so called ‘first world’ country that predominantly all of the services are not effective or efficient. I sat on the phone today for hours. They answered placed me on hold and that’s were I remained. Disgusting!! There is no transparency definitely a lack or professionalism. Waste of space staffing that can not be trained to simply pick up a phone!! In the end I gave up and still nothing; I didn’t even get to speak to anyone!

The DVLA website states that renewing a Driving Licence over 70 takes around 3 weeks.
So, why have I been waiting very nearly 5 MONTHS?
I have called and was told that my application has been passed on to the health department...I have tried to get through to that departmentment but I think it would be easier to steal the Crown Jewels!
Why my application has gone through to the health department is beyond me...no Doctor or Optometrist has informed me that I'm not allowed to drive, apart from after one operation I was told I shouldn't drive for four weeks...so I didn't.
It's impossible to find out what is going on or why my application has been passed on to the health department. Broken Britain again!