It lasts a year

In response to the letter from Eric Evans (May, p18), I have had a rather strange experience recently when renewing my C1 licence with the DVLA.

My old licence was due to be renewed at the start of

February 2023 but, having read all the articles about the delays, I decided to apply early.

I posted my application at the very beginning of

December, together with the medical report to retain my C1 category for three years.

A new licence dropped through our letterbox just 10 days later. Congratulations to the DVLA, much quicker than I expected. I put it my wallet and forgot all about it.

At the beginning of January 2023, I needed to prove my identity to another government department, so I used my passport and my newly acquired driving licence, why not?

I was required to enter validity dates of my passport and driving licence. Looking at my licence, I noticed that it started early in December 2022 and was valid to December 2023. I took my glasses off and cleaned them just in case I had misread the dates.

No, I had not misread them, the licence was valid for only one year. Luckily, I had a copy of my previous licence and low and behold it was valid for three years.

So, why was my new licence only valid for one year? Turning to examine the categories on the rear face of the licence, I had two categories, C and CE for which the validity was only 12 months.

The emails and letters started at this point, the burning question being, why had the DVLA added these two categories to my licence when I had not asked for them or wanted them, even worse I had never even passed a test for either category?

According to my new licence, I had acquired the ability to drive these two vehicle categories in 1991. I wasn’t even resident in the UK at that time!

My first approach was to email the DVLA and ask why was my new licence only valid for 12 months and why categories had been added that I did not require?

I received a near instant response, which quoted a case number. Four weeks later, I sent another email quoting the case number. Silence. I then took out the quill pen and sent a snail’s pace letter.

My corrected licence arrived at the beginning of March 2023, no explanation at all.

Therefore, the moral of the story is, when you receive a new licence, make sure you check it thoroughly!

There was one interesting point I considered testing, but decided not to in case it got me into trouble.

On the front of the licence two validity dates were given, beginning of December 2022 to beginning December 2023, but on the rear for all categories except the newly acquired ones the validity was three years.

Could I have legally driven the vehicles in the categories I wanted for three years?

Please send your answers on a postcard!

John Ballinger