Driving Licences

(asked on 17th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of delays to driving licence renewals; and when they expect these issues will be resolved.


Answered by
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Portrait
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This question was answered on 24th November 2021

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their driving licence within a few days. However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application for a driving licence and the DVLA receives 60,000 items of mail each day. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found on GOV.UK.

The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham to house more staff to help reduce waiting times while providing future resilience and business continuity.

These measures are having a positive impact. In particular, the focus on vocational driving licence applications to support dealing with the HGV driver shortage has been successful with routine vocational applications now back within normal turnaround times despite a significant increase in applications. The remaining queues are reducing, and customers will see an improving picture in terms of turnaround times over the next few months.

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