Dvla Reviews 1.698

This website is a joke. I’ve been trying to book a test for over seven months, and every Monday morning I’m stuck in a queue behind 16,000 bots and 1,000 real people.

When will this website start taking these scammers and bots seriously instead of letting them book tests before real people?

Submitted by HGV renewal by post on 15 Jan and had my licence back in 22 Jan - outstanding service.

There is 9 months sinse i submitted to exchange a my non uk driving licence in uk one and I submitted 2 times and paid 2 times and still not received it so incompetent people working at DVL that I never seen a institution so bad bad experience service.

Very poor communication. Unprofessional and unfriendly phone service, but shouldn't really be surprised as it is government run

Terrible. Tried to renew my driving licence online. Once you tap the start button to proceed the screen goes blank.
Tried several times. Gave up and went to the local post office and it went smoothly. Thanks to the lady at the Post Office in Abbeyview Dunfermline for your polite, efficient , friendly and helpful service.

After a brief loss of memory (I was NOT unconscious) I surrendered my licence to the DVLA, ceased driving and was seen by a neurologist. After scans and tests the diagnosis was transient epileptic amnesia and I was declared fit to drive if I went a year without another episode (of memory loss). The episode was on 13 September 2024. I applied for the return of my licence for 13 September 2025. Four months on, nothing heard. I call, I write, I complain to the Secretary for Transport, Heidi ALEXANDER, and my MP, Damian HINDS. Ms Alexander is 'extremely busy' and does not reply to non-constituents. Mr Hinds kindly wrote to the new Chief Executive of the DVLA, a Mr MOSS, - but nothing has been heard. I made a subject access request of the DVLA - the response shows they have not even considered, much less decided, the return of my licence. The response also shows they have recorded inaccurate information about me: I requested the erroneous information be corrected - per GDPR. They refused! (Remember the Post Office scandal?) The reviews you see here show the DVLA is at least manifestly incompetent, ruining lives with impunity. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander needs to be removed from the role as a matter of urgency. It appears Mr Moss has already left - I think I should apply for his job; I'll have to work from home, I work a three hour week (unless golf interrupts), and I ignore correspondence - a marked improvement!

I spent nearly an hour on Monday trying to negotiate the new Gov.uk site to renew my driving licence, and eventually triumphed. Didn’t know if it would work or not, BUT received my new licence this morning, Friday. Brilliant service. (I might have been lucky, because I know other people have failed getting through the system)

The DVLA are in charge of setting the timescales for not driving due to a vast array of medical conditions. My particular condition required surgery. At the decision of DVLA, my surgery meant no driving for 6 months. This was a very big decision to make as it totally interfered with my ability to work and my livelihood and social life. My family live 2-3 hours away, I live in a very remote village with incredibly limited public transport, and I could no longer get to my workplace. The 6 months were very hard and frankly severely depressing at times but come October 2025, there was light at the end of the tunnel as I could apply for my license back 8 weeks prior to the date I can drive again. Which I did.

It got to days before my freedom date in December, and still not a peep from DVLA. I called them and essentially they’d not done anything yet. After my call they made contact with my surgeon for the first time. Their archaic processes mean they contact everyone by second class mail… yep, even in 2026. So when my surgeon eventually got the letter (bearing in mind the letters will then go through a filtering system at the hospital too) it was over a week later. They responded to the request. Then the DVLA decided they wanted more information from the hospital. So this whole process started again. Here’s a wild idea - ask for sufficient information in your questions the first time around? Have an online system for medical condition applicants rather than mail only to assist delays?

Anyway, my hospital replied very quickly to this request. I rang DVLA to ensure that response was added to my file in a timely manner. It got added a week ago now. The “PRIORITY” (laughing) case is still sitting there a week later without being reviewed by anyone.

It has now been 6 weeks longer than agreed without driving. Section 88 doesn’t apply in my case as I need to purchase a new car for which a valid license is required. I also have to have a valid license to do my job.

I am now 7.5 months into what should have been a 6 month ordeal. The mental toll has been significant and I have found myself deeply depressed, anxious and isolated.

DVLA need to do better. Why are those of us with medical backgrounds being treated so poorly, with the slowest processes and systems and no option for online applications for us? Why say 6 months no driving if you know you will never review applications on time?

When you ring the medical line they never know any information. Don’t even bother ask for timescales; they’ve no idea.

I am frustrated that I remain trapped in a remote village unable to work and in a mentally very low state all at the hands of the DVLA. There is just no urgency or care for those of us with medical backgrounds whatsoever. I am absolutely miserable and this is having an incredibly bad impact on my career, life and wellbeing - but they just don’t do anything quickly round here. I fear I still have months ahead of me and I am just not sure I can cope with that. This has been going on since October 2025 - Jan 2026 and still ongoing. I have done a complaint but given DVLA so far, this will probably take a long time to be responded to so was likely a pointless exercise anyway.

How to improve -
Streamline processes, ask enough information the first time around, move medical services online, scrap second class mail communications.

Bunch of lazy clowns

If the service levels provided were replicated by any commercial business it would have shut years ago. Almost impossible to get hold of, then if you do staff unable to take independent actions to resolve issues run with communications tools that seem barely above quill and penny post

My car was unfortunately written off and it had a personal plate. Tried to take it off electronically and was advised it had to be done via post that was the first 3 weeks gone. Bought my new car and applied for the V5C as I couldn't do that online either so sent paperwork in on 15/12/2025 . Here we are another 5 weeks later still with no V5C. Phoned them on 12/01/2026 to be told they had the application and it would be processed by 20/01/2026 that's 6 weeks owning a car and not being able to use it despite it still showing it being taxed. It also causes other problems in terms of ownership of the vehicle.

Because off diabetes I have to renew my licence every 3 year which is a waste of time because never changes tried ringing to see if they have my application as I never hear anything can never get through terrible set up

Applied for a V5 01/12/2025 with proof of posting/dvla receiving 02/12/2025 cost £3.85 post office who act as an agent for DVLA for applications. Have waited just over 5wks no V5. Contacted DVLA web chat today and they are saying have not received application form, gave them proof of posting/delivery. Told me to re apply This will be my third attempt also lost the first application.

DVLA head office, use your brains.
I am very happy with Hull test center but appalled by DVLA's lack of care. We have to wait months to book a test because greedy people buy slots in advance and then sell on. DVLA is complicit in this illegal activity. All they have to do is tweak their booking website so the originally booked tests do not get transferred to a third party. Not rocket science. Please get your act together, there's enough stress paying for driving lessons.

Took 9 months to get a replacement v5 that I never received.
Endless chats on thier online chat.
A typical government agency. A total shit shower.

I have attempted three times to renew my over-70s driving licence online with the DVLA. On two occasions I completed the entire application, only to receive a message at the end stating that “a problem has occurred” and to try again later. This happened all three times.
I then tried to resolve the issue by phone. I called four times in total. On three occasions I was cut off after selecting all the correct options and waiting on hold. On the fourth attempt I finally spoke to someone, who suggested the problem was likely with my iPhone and advised me to use a computer instead. I did so, but this made no difference whatsoever.
The whole process has been extremely frustrating, time-consuming and stressful. For a mandatory service that many older people rely on, the system is clearly not fit for purpose. In the 21st century, renewing a driving licence should be straightforward and achievable, not an endurance test in faulty technology and inaccessible customer support.
This experience has left me with very little confidence in the DVLA’s online systems or their ability to support users when things go wrong.

The staff answering the phones have consistently lied to cover up the chaos obviously ensuing, at Driver's Very Letdown Agency.

Would not let me leave a ‘no star’ review.
I sold my vehicle 10 weeks ago having only just recently renewed my Tax.
I have not yet received any tax refund (approx £300) and having contacted them a couple of times via email my only answer is to wait another 6 weeks! So here I am waiting yet again for another 6 weeks….
I’ve just tried telephoning, but again after being on hold for 30 minutes I gave up! Disgracefull service.

Utterly pathetic customer care. I phoned helpline to be advised very busy and my expected wait was 1.5 hours, then given an option for a call back within 30 minutes. No call back so phoned again for another 1.5 hour wait, went for the call back option but ignored again. I pay £100's of pounds a year for my car's road tax, roads just like DVLA potholed and pathetic. FOR GODS SAKE GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!