DVLA policy changes affect 42,000 UK drivers per annum

Licence Bureau has received the following changes to Policy for the DVLA which effect 42,000 UK drivers per annum.
(Information correct as of 16th November 2010)

Revocation of driving licences

Drivers who receive penalties from the courts or the fixed penalty offices for offences that do not result in disqualification, are required to surrender their current valid driving licence for the endorsement to be added.  Many drivers fail to surrender their driving licence to the courts or DVLA and in these circumstances the law provides that we can revoke the licence as a last resort.

Before revocation takes place the driver will have received two letters from the court and a further two letters from DVLA.

Current procedure

At the point DVLA revokes a licence their interpretation prior to November 2010 was that the law allows a ‘concessionary period’ of 12 months during which the driver may continue to drive.  If, at the end of the concessionary period, the driver has failed to surrender their licence their entitlement is removed.

New procedure

From 7 November 2010, the DVLA will request that drivers surrender their licence for endorsement within 28 days of notification of court conviction. If drivers fail to do so, DVLA will revoke their licence after the 28 days has expired.

In the last year DVLA estimate that around 42,000 drivers have failed to return their licence and had their entitlement revoked.  DVLA would have advised these drivers that despite the revocation, they would have retained entitlement to drive for 12 months and DVLA will have applied that concessionary period.  DVLA expect that many of these drivers will have complied during this period and so DVLA do not intend to contact these drivers and will allow the 12-month time period to expire.

What is Licence Bureau doing to ASSIST ITS CLIENTS

1. We await confirmation from DVLA on a number of points raised.
2. We suggest that every company acts as follows:
   1. Notify drivers of the change in law
   2. Drivers must notify the company of any endorsement conviction.
   3. Company undertake a unscheduled check with Licence Bureau to ensure the endorsement has been added and Licence is not revoked.
3. Licence Bureau will continue to confirm revoked drivers by telephone contact and supporting e mail