Driver's License renewal - Travelling to France

whippet

My license is expired at the end of May and I am driving to france on the first week of June. I sent my license away for renewal a week ago and I am starting to get worried that I might not get it back in time !!!

Has anyone any idea how long it is taking .. .the local authority are useless for information and keep telling me it will take a couple of weeks

CiniO

whippet wrote: »

My license is expired at the end of May and I am driving to france on the first week of June. I sent my license away for renewal a week ago and I am starting to get worried that I might not get it back in time !!!

Has anyone any idea how long it is taking .. .the local authority are useless for information and keep telling me it will take a couple of weeks

Very likely you won't get it on time.
Nothing you can do really. Cancel your trip to France - that's probably what motortax office would tell you if you asked what to do.

whippet

the only option then is to drive without a license in France for a couple of weeks.

In this day and age having to wait months to renew a drivers license is unreal ...

CiniO

whippet wrote: »

the only option then is to drive without a license in France for a couple of weeks.

If you get pulled over, and they find out you are a foreign person without a licence, it's nearly guaranteed trouble.

In this day and age having to wait months to renew a drivers license is unreal ...

Agree.
Last year I was told it takes 10 weeks for my new licence to arrive. This was in Mayo motor tax office.
I couldn't wait that long, as I needed my licence for driving abroad for work.
When I asked person in motortax office if I should quit my work as without licence I won't be able to do my duties, she replied that I'm being ridiculous.

Eventually I got a licence in few days, in different motor tax office, but to do this, I had to give address in other county. But this solved my problem.

At the moment, when waiting times are long in all counties due to fact that licences are issued by RSA centrally, there's very little you can do...

You could have applies for licence earlier, but now it's too late.

whippet

stupid me thinking in 2013 applying 6 weeks before expiry was plenty of time .. it is pathetic really.

I am willing to take the chance in france ... either that or telling two children and a wife that due to the inability of our public / civil sector bodies to process a complex document like a drivers license renewal inside of 6 weeks their holiday is cancelled.

So .. the fact that I have posted the application form to the local co. co. they don't process it ? why couldn't I have sent it to the RSA direct?

lisaj

There's a backlog as the card Driving Licence has been introduced and they're being processed through a central office.
I think the fact that its the new card, lots of the old licences are going through the washing machine etc... I was told six weeks.

CiniO

whippet wrote: »

So .. the fact that I have posted the application form to the local co. co. they don't process it ? why couldn't I have sent it to the RSA direct?

Because so far procedure is that it must go through motor tax office.
AFAIR from September it will be all centralised including applications, so motor tax office won't have anything to do with driving licences.
It obviously doesn't mean is going to be any quicker.

whippet

i've just been on the RSA's website and they have a note about the delays at present ... citing that should there be an emergency requirement they my process earlier .. i've fired off an email and asked them what they can do.

On another note .. isn't it a requirement to have your license with you at all times when driving? if you are stopped you don't even have receipt to show you have a renewal in progress, if you are then asked to 'produce' at the station within 10 days .. what could you produce?

CiniO

whippet wrote: »

i've just been on the RSA's website and they have a note about the delays at present ... citing that should there be an emergency requirement they my process earlier .. i've fired off an email and asked them what they can do.

Keep us informed.

On another note .. isn't it a requirement to have your license with you at all times when driving?

It is.

if you are stopped you don't even have receipt to show you have a renewal in progress, if you are then asked to 'produce' at the station within 10 days .. what could you produce?

Nothing.
Motortax offices claim that gardai are aware about delays, and I believe they surely are.
But it's not an argument for our government to require us to carry a licence by law, and at the same time organise a process of exchanging, renewing, replacing, etc your licence to last for several weeks and leave anyone without a document for that long.
It's not normal, and I don't think it works like that in any other country.

whippet

just been on to the council offices, they have asked me to 'FAX' in confirmation of my travel booking and they will try to speed up the process.

Now to travel back in time and locate one of these FAX machines; actually when I am back in the past, I might just drop my renewal in earlier!!

Fred Swanson

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pcardin

It is shocking actually when in 2013 it takes months to get you licence renewed here. In most countries this process takes from 10min to half an hour max and it's been like that since 1990 at least. Well, before I moved to Ireland, I was told about this too relaxed attitude towards work and everything but 6 weeks for little piece of paper, common... ?!

I filled up an application just yesterday as I wanted to apply for replacement ( changed my address) and get the new style as I have a trip accross the Europe comming up from 12th July but after reading this I will better not risk.

Fred Swanson

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slimjimmc

pcardin wrote: »

It is shocking actually when in 2013 it takes months to get you licence renewed here. In most countries this process takes from 10min to half an hour max and it's been like that since 1990 at least. Well, before I moved to Ireland, I was told about this too relaxed attitude towards work and everything but 6 weeks for little piece of paper, common... ?!

I filled up an application just yesterday as I wanted to apply for replacement ( changed my address) and get the new style as I have a trip accross the Europe comming up from 12th July but after reading this I will better not risk.

I renewed mine last autumn. I was told 2 weeks and sure enough had the new one in 2 weeks. As stated before, there's a backlog due to a change in driver licence format and systems. I agree it's unacceptable, but it's not the norm.

PS In the UK it's about 3 weeks or longer for postal renewals (2 weeks if done online) so apparently we're not the only ones with "this too relaxed attitude towards work";)

Fred Swanson

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whippet

Just an update ... I faxed over confirmation of travel dates and received my new license in the post today, so a week after requesting an escalation it landed in the letter box!!

Fred Swanson

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CiniO

What's shocking, is that they don't treat their customers equally.

OP solved his problem.
I couldn't have it sorted last year.

ironclaw

CiniO wrote: »

What's shocking, is that they don't treat their customers equally.

OP solved his problem.
I couldn't have it sorted last year.

No, whats shocking is the overall system. Its like Passports. 10 weeks in some cases. Why? Mine was stolen in the States and a mate of mine was with me who is Australian. We both applied for replacements around the same time. His returned, from Australia to Ireland, within 7 working days.

Its the usual go slow from the public service sector. I vowed if I ever was in elected office it would be a case of be efficient or find a new job. I have no time for the dead weights in our work force. Its no wonder Ireland as a 'company' is on its knee's given the workforce that run its administration.

bmstuff

Make sure your passport is up to date too, a driving license is not recognised as a valid ID in France, in Ireland it is commonly accepted even though not an official ID here either. In France, no way. You could get arrested for not carrying a valid ID.