Contact DVLA

To contact DVLA you will need to call this number 0300 790 6801. Calls to this number can have long waiting times. If you cannot get through their webchat is also an option. Webchat will put you through to an advisor who can assist with your enquiry. Webchat will start with an automated service.

Fill in your details and wait to see if you can connect with an advisor:

• Advisors are available on webchat
• Monday – Friday 08:00 – 18:30
• Saturday 08:00 – 14:00
• Public holidays, Closed

Things you can not do via webchat:

• Make a payment
• Set up or amend a direct debit

Sending an Email

To send an email to the DVLA you need to fill out a contact form. You will not be able to send an email using an email address. The contact form is straight forward, choose the option which meets your requirement. Move on to the next step. Before you send your enquiry to the DVLA, read the relevant articles available on their website.

Relevant links to help with your enquiry:

• Replace lost driving licence
• How many points am I allowed on my licence
• Mobile phone penalties
• What do I need to drive in Europe?

When to contact DVLA

Clearly, if you need to contact DVLA it is for a good reason. It can be really frustrating when you cannot speak to an advisor. Generally, the email response is pretty good and you probably only have to wait 5 days for a response. Email is the best way to contact DVLA. Make sure you read up on the issue you are experiencing and then when you send your email the response should be more informative.

Contact DVLA by Post

Contacting the DVLA by post might be your preferred way of getting in touch. Remember it always takes longer for your enquiry if you contact DVLA by post.

The Address:

• Vehicle Customer Services
• DVLA
• Swansea
• SA99 1AR

Reasons for Contacting the DVSA

Some of the reasons for contacting the DVLA might include the following:

• vehicle tax or a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
• driving licences and applications
• number plates and log books (V5C documents)
• health conditions and driving

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is the organisation of the UK government. The DVLA maintain the registration and licensing of drivers in Great Britain. They also maintain the registration and licensing of vehicles, together with the collection and enforcement of VED, in the UK.

This information helps the DVLA get the right drivers and vehicles taxed and on the road, as simply, safely and efficiently as possible.

Responsibilities

DVLA is responsible for:

• recording driver endorsements, disqualifications and medical conditions
• issuing photocard driving licences
• issuing vehicle registration certificates to vehicle keepers
• taking enforcement action against vehicle tax evaders
• registering and issuing tachograph cards
• selling DVLA personalised registrations
• helping the police and intelligence authorities deal with crime
• providing anonymised data to those who have the right to use the service

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

The DVSA carry out driving tests, approve people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carry out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive, carry out roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitor vehicle recalls.

Responsibilities

The DVSA is responsible for:

• carrying out theory tests and driving tests for people who want to drive cars, motorcycles, lorries, buses and coaches, and specialist vehicles
• approving people to be driving instructors and motorcycle trainers, and making sure they provide good-quality training
• approving people to be MOT testers, approving the centres they work in, and testing lorries, buses and coaches ourselves
• carrying out roadside checks on commercial drivers to make sure they follow safety rules and keep their vehicles safe to drive
• monitoring recalls of vehicles, parts and accessories to make sure that manufacturers fix problems quickly
• approving training courses for qualified drivers, such as Driver Certificate of Professional Competence courses for lorry, bus and coach drivers, and drink-drive rehabilitation courses
• supporting the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain and the Northern Ireland transport regulator to license and monitor companies who operate lorries, buses and coaches, and to register local bus services

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Replace Lost Driving Licence

How to replace a lost driving licence. If you have lost your driving licence you will need a new one. Damaged or destroyed will have to be replaced. If it was stolen you need to inform the police. The DVLA handle all these matters and this is the government department you need to deal with to replace your licence. If you are applying for a provisional licence click here!

The DVLA are not taking calls on 0300 790 6801. The live chat system is also not responding to enquiries at the moment. To contact DVLA use this link. It will be the fastest way to get in touch. Read this article and get up to date information from the DVLA.

To replace your lost driving licence you will need to:

• be a resident of Great Britain, there is a different service for Northern Ireland.
• not be disqualified from driving for any reason
• give the address where you have lived for the last 3 years
• provide your driving licence number, national insurance number and passport number if you know them
• pay £20 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card

Your new photo driving licence

The DVLA will use your passport photo if you have a valid UK passport, you will need to provide your passport number, give permission for the DVLA to use your photo and if your driving licence is due to expire in 2 years. If you have all this information the DVLA can use your passport photo. The DVLA will inform you if an electronic photo is not available. They will send you a form so you can send a new one.

Change the photo on your driving licence

For photocard licences, the photo must be renewed every 10 years. It cost £14 to update the photo on your licence, this is because you are renewing your driving licence. You can apply online with the DVLA if you have a valid UK passport and want to use your passport photo. The DVLA will send you a confirmation email once you have applied. Remember you need a valid passport for the DVLA to be able to use the photo and signature from your passport. You will not be able to change your photo online if your passport is out of date.

Renew my passport

It will cost £75.50 to renew or replace an adult passport. It can take up to 3 weeks to receive your new passport. Renewing online is always faster. To renew you will need a digital photo, a credit card or debit card and your passport. If you are applying for the first time you have to be a British national aged 16 or over and have never had a British passport before. It can take up to 6 weeks to arrive. Passports are valid for 10 years.

Licence check code

You can use this service to check your driving records such as penalty points and vehicles you can drive. Create a licence check code to share your records with other parties such as insurance companies or car hire firms. Your check code is valid for 21 days. You will need a national insurance number a driving licence number first 16 characters and your postcode on your licence to start your check.

Having problems with the licence check code

If you are having problems with getting your check code such as the DVLA not recognising your details you can use a personal check DVLA page. This will probably still come back with we don’t see your details. Click on verify my details. Verify your details using a company that meets government privacy and security standards. Pick a company to verify you and follow the instructions. You should be then able to get your licence check code.

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Lost Driving Licence

If you have lost your driving licence you will need a new one. Also if your licence was damaged or destroyed you will need a new one. If it was stolen you need to inform the police. The DVLA handle all these matters and this is the government department you need to deal with to replace your licence.

The DVLA are not taking calls on 0300 790 6801. The live chat system is also not responding to enquiries at the moment. To contact DVLA use this link. It will be the fastest way to get in touch. Read this article and get up to date information from the DVLA.

To replace your lost driving licence you will need to:

• be a resident of Great Britain, there is a different service for Northern Ireland.
• not be disqualified from driving for any reason
• provide an address where you have lived for the last 3 years
• provide your driving licence number, national insurance number and passport number if you know them
• pay £20 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card

Your new photo driving licence

The DVLA will use your passport photo if you have a valid UK passport, you will need to provide your passport number, give permission for the DVLA to use your photo and if your driving licence is due to expire in 2 years. If you have all this information the DVLA can use your passport photo. The DVLA will inform you if an electronic photo is not available. They will send you a form so you can send a new one.

Change the photo on your driving licence

For photocard licences, the photo must be renewed every 10 years. It cost £14 to update the photo on your licence, this is because you are renewing your driving licence. You can apply online with the DVLA if you have a valid UK passport and want to use your passport photo. The DVLA will send you a confirmation email once you have applied. Remember you need a valid passport for the DVLA to be able to use the photo and signature from your passport. You will not be able to change your photo online if your passport is out of date.

Renew my passport

It will cost £75.50 to renew or replace an adult passport. Your new passport can take up to 3 weeks to arrive. Renewing online is always quicker. To renew you will need a digital photo, a credit card or debit card and your passport. If you are applying for the first time you have to be a British national aged 16 or over and have never had a British passport before. It can take up to 6 weeks to arrive. Passports are valid for 10 years.

Licence check code

You can use this service to check your driving records such as penalty points and vehicles you can drive. Create a licence check code to share your records with other parties such as insurance companies or car hire firms. Your check code is valid for 21 days. You will need a national insurance number a driving licence number first 16 characters and your postcode on your licence to start your check.

Having problems with the licence check code

If you are having problems with getting your check code such as the DVLA not recognising your details you can use a personal check DVLA page. This will probably still come back with we don’t see your details. Click on verify my details you will be then asked to verify your details using a company that meets government privacy and security standards. Pick a company to verify you and follow the instructions. You should be then able to get your licence check code.

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What do I need to drive in Europe?

From January 1st 2021 the rules regarding driving in Europe may change. Short trips such as holidays and business trips may not affect your current UK driving licence. If your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man or if you have a paper licence, you might need an IDP  (International Driving Permit). You do not need an IDP if you are visiting Ireland. IDPs can be purchased at your local Post Office for £5.50

The DVLA are not taking calls on 0300 790 6801. The live chat system is also not responding to enquiries at the moment. To contact DVLA use this link. It will be the fastest way to get in touch. Read this article and get up to date information from the DVLA.

There are different IDPs you might need to get depending on the country you are visiting. There are 3 types:

• 1926
• 1949
• 1968

Remember if you are travelling through more than one country in Europe you might need more the one IDP. Use this table to find out which permit you will need. If you don’t see the permit number then you should contact the Embassy of the country you will be travelling through.

Documents you will need

If you drive in Europe and are travelling in your own vehicle for less than 12 months in Europe you will need to carry a logbook (V5C) or a VE103 to show you’re allowed to use your hired or leased vehicle abroad. (Current Information) Use a GB sticker on the back of your vehicle even if you have a GB on your number plate.

Green Card Insurance

A green card proves you have insurance cover on your vehicle. You will need to carry a physical copy with you when you drive in Europe. Contact your insurer or ask them where to download it. If your insurer posts the documents allow up to 6 weeks. You may have to show you’re green card at the border if you are involved in an accident or stopped by the police. You do need to have a green card and additional insurance if you are towing a caravan or trailer.

If you Break Down Abroad

It is always wise to have breakdown cover whenever you travel, even more so when you drive in Europe. Most of the well-established companies in the UK will offer competitive breakdown cover. In some countries in Europe having a reflective jacket and a warning triangle are compulsory pieces of equipment, you must carry in you’re vehicle. There are large fines if you don’t and saying I didn’t know is no defence.

What do I need to drive in Europe?Read More

Car Insurance With Points on Licence

There’s no denying that organising car insurance can be a time-consuming process. You want to find a policy that you can afford, but also one that covers everything you need it to cover. Unfortunately, this is made a little more difficult if you are looking for car insurance with points on your licence. Though everyone obviously tries to avoid being convicted for motoring offences, it’s something that thousands of people have to face. A motoring offence will see you faced with a hefty fine and points on your driving licence but also increased car insurance premiums if you have points on your licence.

How Does Having Points on Your Licence Affect Car Insurance?

To put it simply, having points on your driving licence will result in car insurance being more expensive than it is for those without any points. A driver with motoring offences will notice an increase in their car insurance premium, regardless of what that motoring offence is. This is because drivers convicted of motoring offences are more likely to make a claim on their car insurance and therefore policy providers increase the cost to reflect this risk. After all, they need to cover the likelihood of you making a claim.

Applying for Car Insurance

When you apply for car insurance with points on your driving licence, insurers will take all of your driving convictions into account. This includes everything from a minor speeding offence to offences that are much more severe, such as drink driving and reckless driving. Any driving offence that resulted in you having points on your license will increase the cost of car insurance. Insurers view you as being a big risk to insure. The more points you have, the higher the increase.

Check Your Licence

You can use this service to:

• view your driving record, for example, vehicles you can drive
• check your penalty points or disqualifications
• create a licence ‘check code’ to share your driving record with someone, for example, a car hire company

The check code will be valid for 21 days.

You’ll need:

• your driving licence number
• your National Insurance number
• the postcode on your driving licence

It’s not just the cost of the overall insurance policy that may be higher if you have points on your license, but also the excess. You may also find yourself having to pay higher access in the event of a claim. Though you may be tempted to avoid telling insurers about any motoring convictions in order to keep costs down, this is not recommended. Failing to declare points on your license is an offence.

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Do You Have To Tell Insurers You Have Points?

It’s no secret that the majority of driving offences will result in you receiving penalty points on your driving license, as well as some also consisting of a hefty fine. Though you are sure to do everything you can to steer clear of being issued with penalty points. It only takes one mistake before you are faced with points that you would rather have avoided.

There is a range of driving offences that result in penalty points. Driving over the speed limit, driving with a defective tyre, careless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. The number of points you receive will vary and they can stay on your driving license. Anywhere between 4 and 11 years, which can cause problems when it comes to finding affordable insurance. An insurance company will likely view you as a high-risk driver if you have points on your licence. Therefore the cost of your insurance will be higher, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid
not telling insurers you have points. It’s important to always tell the insurance company that you have points.

The Consequences of Not Telling Insurers You Have Points?

There’s no denying that keeping quiet and not telling insurance about points is tempting. It does more harm than good. Anyone who has points on their license will find that their insurance quote is higher than it would be should they have no points, but not owning up about penalty points is serious business.

The Road Traffic Act 1998 states that it is an offence to withhold any relevant information when applying for car insurance, and this includes mentioning points on your license. Legally, you must tell the insurance company about all penalty points and failing to do so is breaking the law.

If you are not honest with the insurer about penalty points on your licence, you run the risk of invalidating your insurance policy and are therefore uninsured. There are severe penalties that come with driving without insurance. Prosecution and further points on your license. This also means that should an accident occur the insurance company could refuse to pay out as you don’t have a valid policy and are not actually covered, making you liable to pay out personally.

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Mobile Phone Penalties

Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices (issued by the police at the time of the offence. You will have to give up your licence at the scene (or within 7 days) for it to be endorsed, as well as pay the fine). Mobile phone penalties have risen from £60 to £200. If you are caught it is 6 penalty points and up to £200 fine.

This is an automatic fine. Mobile phone penalties include using a handheld phone when supervising a learner driver. Your insurance cost will also be affected.

If the police or driver decides to bring the case to court instead of a fixed penalty notice, the maximum fine is £1000 (£2500 for van, lorry, buses or coach drivers.)
An employer can get prosecuted if they cause or permit an employee to drive while using a mobile phone or if the employee is not in control of the vehicle. If the employer requires the employee to make or receive calls whilst driving.

Hands Free Equipment

Hands-free equipment is not prohibited by the new regulation. Pushing buttons when the phone is in the cradle or on the steering wheel is not covered by the new offence, provided you do not hold the phone. However hands-free equipment is distracting and you risk prosecution for failing to have proper control of the vehicle if you are using it or have an accident.

As a new driver, you are only allowed 6 points on your driving licence in the first two years. If you get 6 points your licence is revoked by the DVLA. It means you have to re-apply for a provisional licence to pass your theory test and pass your driving test. This is also called revocation.

The Police and Mobile Phones

Greater Manchester Police deploys 3 Smart cars across the region to film motorists who are using a hand held mobile phone when driving. The camera technology is very effective, and the quality of evidence is excellent. Between 500-700 offences are recorded every day.

It is very difficult to defend a case when a police officer or PCSO are giving evidence that they saw you using a mobile phone.

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How to Respond to Emergency Vehicles When Driving

Loud sirens and flashing blue lights will often send many motorists into a panic. Usually, this is because they have not been taught how to respond to approaching emergency vehicles properly. This article will explain how to respond to emergency vehicles when driving so you can help to facilitate a safe and quick route for them to take. The key is to keep calm when you see or hear emergency vehicles approaching so you are in the right frame of mind to make a quick and safe decision.

Don’t panic when you see an Emergency Vehicle

When you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching, it is important to keep calm. If you have music on turn it off, as this will help your concentration as you plan your next move. Stressing yourself into a panic could lead you to make the wrong decisions and delaying the emergency vehicle from making progress.

Choose a location where you can pull over safely and indicate that you are going to do so. This will inform the emergency vehicle driver that you are aware of their presence making it clear you are getting out of there way. Only pull over when it is safe to do so. Avoid pulling onto kerbs, pavements, and verges as you may put yourself or pedestrians at risk.

Even after the emergency vehicle has passed you, it is important to stay alert. There may be more emergency vehicles heading your way, so listen out for other sirens and keep in mind that you may need to pull over again.

Look for indicators

If you are approaching a junction or roundabout, check your mirrors to see if the emergency vehicle is indicating, so you know which direction they need to go in. This will help you plan your next move. Be aware that the driver behind you may not have the same view of the emergency vehicle as you, so do not brake suddenly.

If there is not a safe place to pull over, do not slow down as this will slow down the emergency vehicle. Instead, keep driving and indicate that you intend to pull over when possible. You should never pull over on the brow of a hill or if you are approaching a bend. Simply keep driving at the speed limit (if it is safe to do so) and then indicate and pull over when you have a better view.

UK Government motorist advice specifically says “In slow-moving traffic. Motorists should leave enough space to be able to manoeuvre if an emergency vehicle needs to get past.”

Emergency vehicles on the motorway

Never overtake an emergency vehicle on a motorway or dual carriageway. This will prevent you from getting caught up in the accident it is attending. Make sure you give the blue light vehicle plenty of room and that you follow it at a safe distance.

Unless a uniformed police officer directs you to do so, never go through a red light to facilitate an emergency vehicle.

Relevant laws

The laws still apply even when emergency vehicles are present. Unless you are directed to do so by a uniformed police offer, you will be breaking the law and could be fined if you move into a bus lane or go through a red light to make way for an emergency vehicle.

If you are traveling on a solid white line road, the emergency vehicle will only be permitted to pass you when you have completely stopped. Keep driving at the speed limit (if it is safe to do so) and only pull over when you are out of the solid white line area. It is likely the emergency vehicle driver will turn the sirens off whilst you are on the solid white line road and back on when you reach the point where they can safely overtake.

Conclusion

Responding to emergency vehicles on the road is not something that you should worry about. As long as you keep your cool and behave in a safe, legal, and predictable manner, you will be able to facilitate emergency vehicles in their mission to get to the emergency quickly and safely.

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