I thought it was to do with 'grandfather rights'. If you passed your test before a certain date, you were allowed to drive a bigger range of vehicles. In other words, when the change was made it was not made retrospective.
Retesting does not appear to be required, although I can't now find the government web page where I read that. However, they will charge to reinstate the classes and you also need to produce the necessary medical and eyesight documents.
Pre-1998 paper-only licenses expire at age 70 too.
An EU directive requires them to all be replaced by photocards by 2030 IIRC, which means some peoples' old paper licenses will cease to be valid before the expiry date printed on them. (This may change due to recent events of course.)
When a paper-only license was changed to a photocard license in the early days, many people lost their grandfathered rights. This was not deliberate, but because DVLA were not reading the old licenses carefully, and just granting what a then current driving test would give you. People who noticed this within 8 weeks could get it fixed, but most people didn't and lost those classes. After 8 weeks, DLVA no longer had any record of them and could not add them back. There were many cases where HGV drivers lost their HGV classes, and had to stop driving until they took the test again. Employers' photocopies of the original licenses were not acceptable evidence of the lost classes.
This and original documents going missing when posted is what has lead me to believe that we should have government offices dotted around the country, whose only purpose is to take certified electronic copies of people's documents and then email them to the required departments. No more sending off driving licences, passports, log books, chequesa, etc., never knowing if they will arrive or, if they do, whether they will be lost by the department. They could also provide a commerical service to do the same thing for businesses.
SteveW
The third EU Driving Licence Directive (2006/126/EC) which came into force in January 2013 required all licences to meet the new format by 19 January _2033_. The UK could have applied an earlier date but AFAIK hasn't done so.
That could well be it.
Also other services. For my OAP(ension) what I had to post - and even more with what came back - was a fraudster's wet dream! I'm still peeved at getting the driving licence at 70: I had to post many documents - again useful for fraud - and answer lots of questions just to /replace/ the one that I'd had for 54 years. I was born in England, of English ancestry, but still had to prove evrything. To add insult, if I'd had an immigration card that would have been sufficient.
Anyway, govinmunt offering a service - what you on?!
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
ISTR track laying vehicle and steam roller were on mine. 1960!
>
Such as? I remember it being a very easy thing to do.
Was that a UK licence? Penny's only just dropped that (I thought) all the UK driving licences issued by councils were replaced in the 1970s by paper ones from Swansea.
Yes, UK. When I said "had for 54 years" I meant that I'd had a licence since I was 16. I had to prove residence, address, send utility bill and bank statement - can't recall if birth cert. was demanded. To add to it, I've lived at this address for just over 50 years.
BTW, a couple of years ag I wanted to transfer a matured term ISA to the bank that I'd been with for about 30-odd years and already have 3 accounts there. Bastards wanted the /date/ on which I moved to this house...um? Had trouble in remembering the year!
I wasn't asking about expiry. I was asking about the system whereby apparently you get a reduced entitlement unless you undertake a medical test (where we started).
If you are replacing an existing photo driving licence, don't want to renew Classes C1 or D1 at age 70 (which require medical and eyesight certificates) and have a current passport, it can all be done online.
Odd. When my 70th came up it seemed very easy to renew. I have no recollection of it being a pain.
Steam roller yes, but probably not "Track laying vehicle steered by its tracks". I think that was the only thing (besides HGV and PSV) that my father didn't have on his licence - which he'd have got in the mid-fifties. Half-tracks are fine!
SteveW
Must be something very odd there. I didn't have to do any of that when getting my first photo licence at 70. Replacing my previous paper one.
I've lived long enough at my house to have forgotten the year I moved in. When I have to answer questions such as that I just make up an approximate date and haven't had any comeback. I doubt if there is anything they can check to verify my answer. I assume it's the type of question designed to see if you are new to the property and further checks are required.
I've also had the stupidity of having to prove identity with the an original driving licence and passport when changing/modifying accounts at financial organisations where I previously/currently had accounts. With a Barclays share account they wouldn't even allow the original documents to be presented at a Barclays bank branch - they had to be posted!
I passed my test around 1964/5 and, like your father, had just about everything except >7.5 tonnes and track laying vehicles. I added motorcycles later too and I kept them all on when I reached 70 because I do occasionally tow trailers and drive biggish hired vans. It can be handy occasionally. (Though my son has a full I and II HGV licence so he usually does any lorry driving)
You may be right. Sadly home copiers weren't invented when it first changed so I have no evidence.
Ah, dear Barclays. 4 years ago, when I was beingb added as a signatory to a charity's account, they refused to accept the signature of the current signatories but wanted signatures of the people who had opened the account
- in 1932! It was pointed out to them that the signatures they'd rejected had been used on cheques, and honoured, for the previous 8 years.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.