No Driving Licence for 5 Weeks

ei9go

I went to the Motor Tax office in Waterford City yesterday to hand in my driving licence renewal.

The lady told me that there was a five week wait for a new licence to be produced.

If you are supposed to have your licence with you when driving how can the system allow a backlog of five weeks?

biko

Because they can't process the backlog faster.
Did they give you a receipt or anything you can show the gards if stopped?

mikemac1

Get a reference number or something to show you have applied

No garda could possibly have an issue with this if you are stopped

You were quoted 5 weeks but that's probably a worst case, I'd say you'll have it within a fraction of that time

L1011

Presumably you got some form of receipt? That will be sufficient for any Guard I've ever encountered (presuming this is a ten year renewal of a full not a permit renewal!)

5 weeks for a counter application is absolutely horrendous though. Kildare CC take about that for postal but counters are processed first, so its one day turnaround.

ei9go

I got the receipt, no problem.

I am just questioning how a backlog can be allowed to build up in a simple operation like driving licence renewals.

We had the driving test debacle for years, do we need someone other than the local authority to do this work if they are unable to do it.

mikemac1

Temp staff let go, parental leave during the summer, retirements, it all adds up

I realy don't think you'll be waiting 5 weeks
Most likely a standard line they tell everyone just to cover themselves

Tipp North can take a postal application and have it back to you in 10 days

ei9go

Sure these are excuses but what if you were going abroard and was going to hire a car or bringing your own car to the UK. Would a foreign police force look kindly on a slip of paper?

The driving licence is a neccessary document and the delay of that duration is just unacceptable

serious3

ei9go wrote: »

Sure these are excuses but what if you were going abroard and was going to hire a car or bringing your own car to the UK. Would a foreign police force look kindly on a slip of paper?

The driving licence is a neccessary document and the delay of that duration is just unacceptable

galway co co will do it for you while you wait providing your produce proof of travel outside ireland that is!

aujopimur

You should have applied by post when you got the reminder sent to you.

CiniO

2 years ago there was backlog bigger than 5 weeks in Mayo. At least I was waiting longer.

Anyway - don't hand over your licence to them. Keep it, and tell them you will surrender it, when they'll have your new licence ready.

Our man in Havana

There used to be 2 month delays in Wicklow at one stage. It got so bad that a judge publicly gave the council a bashing from the bench for delaying people and causing the court work which it did not need.

Our man in Havana

CiniO wrote: »

2 years ago there was backlog bigger than 5 weeks in Mayo. At least I was waiting longer.

Anyway - don't hand over your licence to them. Keep it, and tell them you will surrender it, when they'll have your new licence ready.

Will that work? Normally they make you surrender with the application.

djimi

ei9go wrote: »

Sure these are excuses but what if you were going abroard and was going to hire a car or bringing your own car to the UK. Would a foreign police force look kindly on a slip of paper?

The driving licence is a neccessary document and the delay of that duration is just unacceptable

I agree the wait is excessive but in fairness if you know you need your new license for a trip abroad then you really shouldn't leave it until the last minute to renew!

aujopimur wrote: »

You should have applied by post when you got the reminder sent to you.

I've never gotten a reminder to renew my license?

djimi

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Will that work? Normally they make you surrender with the application.

No it wont work; you must give in your old license.

djimi

djimi wrote: »

No it wont work; you must give in your old license.

What if it's "lost "?

Our man in Havana

Anaya Spoiled Termination wrote: »

What if it's "lost "?

Don't go there!

Nforce

I got a reminder for my licence renewal about 6 weeks ago (2 weeks before the old one elapsed). Posted it off the following day to Westmeath CC and got the replacement last Monday,so 5 weeks wait sounds about right.

Our man in Havana

Posting is never a good idea when it comes to renewing licences as you are left exposed with no papers if you get stopped.

Boskowski

As the other guy said the backlog is due to staff shortage.
The people at the counter are taking all the stuff in which then needs to be processed in the back office. But with the public service being cut down on all fronts there simply isn't enough staff for manning the counters and doing all the back office simultaneously. Somethings got to give.
In fairness the obvious and easy solution would be not to appear on the very last day with your expiring drivers license but allow for a weeks of processing time.

L1011

Boskowski wrote: »

In fairness the obvious and easy solution would be not to appear on the very last day with your expiring drivers license but allow for a weeks of processing time.

This will change nothing - you need to surrender the old licence no matter what. You will be left for the processing time without a licence in hand regardless.

Boskowski

MYOB wrote: »

This will change nothing - you need to surrender the old licence no matter what. You will be left for the processing time without a licence in hand regardless.

Didn't realize that, cheers. Will the receipt/carbon copy of application form suffice as a temp license?

L1011

Boskowski wrote: »

Didn't realize that, cheers. Will the receipt/carbon copy of application form suffice as a temp license?

Legally no.

In reality, yes.

Although its absolutely no use for hiring a car / abroad.