Driving licence waiting times

nicker_s

So I got the letter to make an appointment for the test, got a day next week, super. BUT, I realised shortly after that my licence has just expired!!! I was told that the waiting time for a new one is 10 working days. Can anyone suggest a way around this or can people tell me how long they were actually waiting for their licence? I tried to re-schedule the test but since its less than 10 days I can't. Any suggestions?? I'm going to apply for a new licence in the morning.

10 days!, I dont know if the location of the motor tax office makes a difference but here in Cork you get can get your licence renewed on the spot once you can prove that you gave applied for,or are taking the test.

The_Hustler

nicker_s wrote:

So I got the letter to make an appointment for the test, got a day next week, super. BUT, I realised shortly after that my licence has just expired!!! I was told that the waiting time for a new one is 10 working days. Can anyone suggest a way around this or can people tell me how long they were actually waiting for their licence? I tried to re-schedule the test but since its less than 10 days I can't. Any suggestions?? I'm going to apply for a new licence in the morning.

Well in Dublin you certainly can't get one on the spot just for applying for the test as in Cork, but if you come into one of the offices with everything and your test date letter and explain that your test is next week you should be able to arrange to have it collected the following day.

Is it just a case of them being to busy? That sucks. Here you just bring the application form, photos, fee and the letter with the date of your test, get in the queue and 10 to 15 minutes later you have a new/renewed licence.

nicker_s

I'm in bleedin Wicklow, which has a bad rep for getting things done. Ill give it a go this morning and see how i get on. I have 5 working days to get it, ill let you know how it goes. Thanks for your replies.

dajaffa

nicker_s wrote:

I'm in bleedin Wicklow, which has a bad rep for getting things done. Ill give it a go this morning and see how i get on. I have 5 working days to get it, ill let you know how it goes. Thanks for your replies.

You might get lucky. I'm in dublin and got mine delivered within 2 days. It can be pretty swift these days as the workload in motor tax offices is a lot less since they brought in the online motor tax renewal.

nicker_s

I went in this morning and gave them the confirmation of my test details, they took a photocopy of that and said they will get it done as soon as possible and will give me a call when it's ready. Hopefully will be in 2 days. They said they can do the same if you have confirmation of something like a holiday. Be sure to bring some confirmation details! Ill post again when I get it.

The_Hustler

dajaffa wrote:

You might get lucky. I'm in dublin and got mine delivered within 2 days. It can be pretty swift these days as the workload in motor tax offices is a lot less since they brought in the online motor tax renewal.

In Dublin head office anyway, driving licences have different staff than motor tax. If you got it that quickly during the summer it is because of the large number of summer temps there at the moment.

dajaffa

The_Hustler wrote:

In Dublin head office anyway, driving licences have different staff than motor tax. If you got it that quickly during the summer it is because of the large number of summer temps there at the moment.

*loves summer temps*.... *loves that the council get summer temps + give dajaffa a job!*

nicker_s

I just got a call this morning saying my licence is ready to be picked up. The system works!

Passed my A(motorbike) test this morning, had my full licence 50 minutes after I left the test centre.

Wishbone Ash

They always tell me that they must be posted for security reasons. I've never managed to get any licence or an altered licence over the counter!

The_Hustler

Wishbone Ash wrote:

They always tell me that they must be posted for security reasons. I've never managed to get any licence or an altered licence over the counter!

(This part is also to nialler24) It would never be over the counter in Dublin because there is a quality control section to check every licence to make sure there are no errors or else they get redone. Maybe in Cork they do a quality control in that 15-20 minutes but with the amount of application coming in to Dublin that would be impossible.

EDIT: Actually when I say never, if somebody cam back in to the office (back in Riverhouse anyway when there was access to the administrative floor to the public) with an error on their licence that we posted out to them, then we would often make an effort to do it there and then.


Afaik they post them because it's easier, I know there's certainly no security issues in handing them over the counter the following day in relation to urgent applications. We compare the photographs to the person collecting the licence and get them to sign for it also. I would think that's more secure as licences often get lost in the post.

dajaffa

I suppose another reason as to why they are generally posted is so you have to give a genuine address. I'd say if everyone's licences were just handed over the counter there is a potential for giving out false addresses...

SmashingPilot

I'm still waiting on my first provisional to arrive in the post. Applied on the 16th July with all my details and am still waiting on my license to arrive. Almost three weeks since I applied and still waiting. Hopefully it comes soon.

I've had four lessons in the meantime, while waiting and am quite comfortable driving on the road. Don't think the post has come today, might go and check.;)

Tazzle

just to add my two cents, I got it over the counter in about 5/10 minutes. Cork ftw.

Seth Brundle

Deleted User wrote:

Passed my A(motorbike) test this morning, had my full licence 50 minutes after I left the test centre.

congrats on both!

kbannon

kbannon wrote:

congrats on both!

Thanks