[Adrian]

Can anyone help with this conundrum:

I have  short term medical licence (3 years) which expired in May. Now, due to Covid, the DVLA have been unable to schedule the eye test I need to reissue my licence. However, I have received a letter from the DVLA stating that as long as I’m fit to drive (I am, I have my eyes checked at the hospital and optician regularly) then I can continue to do so under section 88.

Here’s the rub: I’m due to collect my wife’s new Motability vehicle in  few weeks time and Motability systems cannot add me as a named driver, because of my expired licence.

I was told to:

1. Call the DVLA and ask them to give permission to Motability to check my licence manually
2. Call Motability and ask them to check my licence manually.

No one knows if this will actually work – neither the dealer (not their responsibility anyway) nor Motability helpline themselves have been unable to state if it will.

Has anyone else tried to call the DVLA recently? I’ve been trying on and off for 3 months!

And, please, don’t suggest I get a Licence Check code from the DVLA automated service. Motability won’t accept it because (ready for this) it is not GDPR compliant. Speaking on the phone is GDPR compliant apparently, but going through an Identity Proving Process and getting a code that allows whomever I choose to view my license details is not? Sigh.

My mother in law has put her name down as a Named Driver just to ensure we got the car we wanted, but she won’t really want to drive it, and I need it for work anyway.

Long story short – I can’t get my name on to any sort of paperwork or document that would allow me to drive the car.

Has anyone been in similar situation and successfully resolved it?

Topic

[Yep]

Cancel order of new car and get a 2 year extension on current car but make sure you get the extension first

 

This is the only way unless Motability help you

[ajn]

What a nightmare Adrian, no advice as I don’t know sorry, but best of luck trying to sort it, must be stressful, let’s be honest last thing anyone needs is this sort of problem..

[Adrian]

Can’t get an extension beyond a few weeks, we’ve topped 100k miles

[garry]

I would speak to RSA Insurance 0300 037 3737 and explain the situation as you have done above.
They have ways of getting through to DVLA that we don’t.

Good luck Adrian

[struth]

alas i read something on these delays a few days ago and it said an awful lot of people will have to stop driving until they get licences back. some folk have been waiting months. a disgrace tbh, but its typical dvla i way they treat staff, and why they are taking action.

Current Car: Hyundai Kona Premium EV...2 way 40kg hoist
Last Car: Toyota C-HR Excel Hybrid...4 way 80kg hoist

[ChrisK]

With the “I was told to” advice that does indeed work as I had problems on my last change over for some reasons unknown to me to this day.

Ring Motability and tell them your going to ring the DVLA and give permission to them to see your driving data. Can’t remember how long that permission last now but I think it was a few days then the permission window closes.

I was told back then that DVLA has a department that deals with just Motability so they should know the ins and out’s of we Motability customers problems.

On my next change over in October I reach the age of 70 and have to renew my license so hope I have no problems this time around but I did read the other day apart from the Covid 19 excuses at DVLA there also some of them taking industrial strike action at the moment.

 

 

 

[Tardelli]

I too am going through this. My licence expired on Monday the 5th of July.

I am due to change my car in September.

I got through to the DVLA on Twitter, in my case it’s just a case of waiting I hope.

[Abercol]

I just did this last week. We ordered a Kia Soul in June, July brought new lower AP, so the dealership called us to ask if we were interested & cancelled and re-ordered, the only weird thing was Motability insisted that I get DVLA permission to let Motability call them and get my driving data.

Its weird as its the same data provided online by entering your data and getting a code you can give to others so they can check your data online at DVLA. God knows why Motability want to call as its a premium rate line & no doubt has a 40 minute waiting time on it.

Called DVLA on 0300 083 0013, went through the usual time wasting nonsense to get to the right department then was on hold for 40 minutes. They finally answered and I asked that Motability have access to call them and verify my licence. Valid for 5 days I think.

We’ve since had the confirmation e-mail from Motability, so they either called or let it go through.

In life, it's not who you know that's important, it's how your wife found out.

[Ashley Ferguson]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I’m going through exactly the same problem, infact I’ve just found your post by googling Section 88 and new motability car!!</p>
 

Like you I’ve had to just get my husband on as driver and have been ringing dvla for months after reapplying for my 5 year licence on 28th March.

I FINALLY got straight through today, well after 15 minutes BUT had previously emailed them and even a reply that basically told me to ring as nothing could be discussed via email BUT I was giving a case number. She told me that she would try and hurry my licence process up with joining Motability (first time you see).

After reading other replies I’m now wondering if a case number to Motability will help me get on to insurance etc as they verbally told me they had received my application. Anyway good luck and try ringing like I did today, I was totally shocked I got through after months of trying x

 

[Ashley Ferguson]

Just to update. After speaking with dvla today she told me I could drive under section 88 as mentioned earlier. Ive just rang motability there with not really finding anything online to clarify and when I told her that dvla told me I could drive under section 88 she said that when I collect my car and sign documents with pin number to them, just ring them and they can add me on to policy for 30 days.

I hope this helps.

[Adrian]

Thanks to @Abercol for the direct number. Maybe it’s because I’m a man and never look properly for anything that I couldn’t find it before….

So, the process:

I had to go back to the dealer and ask them to put me down as a named driver (just my mother in law was, as I couldn’t be added before), that way Motability had a record of me against the new car

Get through to the DVLA – dozens of attempts before I got anything other than the busy signal, then on hold for 30 minutes, but I eventually got to speak to a human. I asked them to give Motability to check my licence. The window lasts five days and can only be used once.

Call Motability and tell them I’ve given DVLA permission for Motability to check my licence

Order goes through! Yeehaw!! Or it would be….

Somehow the process of adding me as a driver meant the order was updated to the new price of 999 instead of 499. Once the dealer realised the issues though, between them and Motability they’re honouring the original price without having to ask.

And to top it off, DVLA finally got around to sending me for my eye test which I passed yesterday! So I should get my licence back in the next couple of weeks or so.

[file28]

Good to hear you’re sorted ?

"the world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams-its heaven and hell "(RJD)
Peugeot 2008gt
Selenium grey

[juie]

yes i had this problem, my licence expired june 6th, due to covid as of begining of July it hasn’t been looked at yet, i gave permission from dvla for dealership to speak to them.

I was able to pick up car, and carry on driving under section 88 and i got a letter from dvla to state i can drive incase i am stopped for having no licence by police.

 

[Author]

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