Driving Licence Needed

Spipov

Hi All

i updated my driving licence in the motor tax office about 3 weeks ago. (clondalkin). I was told it would take less than 4 weeks.


Although i didnt mind that, unfortunately i actually have to travel soon and need the licence to rent a car.

anybody has any idea if there is somewhere i can contact to plead for this? its taking very long, i didnt expect it when i renewed. (had to update address) - hadnt realised i would have had to travel so soon.

bear1

This may be a stupid question (I haven't exchanged me license yet) but I thought that when you go in to have your license upgraded that you hold onto your old license until the new one arrives?
For the love of God I hope that's what happens!!

djimi

bear1 wrote: »

This may be a stupid question (I haven't exchanged me license yet) but I thought that when you go in to have your license upgraded that you hold onto your old license until the new one arrives?
For the love of God I hope that's what happens!!

Not usually. To get a new license you have to hand in the old one.

djimi

OP I think the license centers in Dublin as closed this week in an effort to handle the backlog of licenses, so perhaps they will get it sorted for you this week.

bear1

djimi wrote: »

Not usually. To get a new license you have to hand in the old one.

In that case then I'll just hold onto my old one.
Coming home for Xmas and was thinking of having my license changed but seeing as I then travel again a few weeks later I need my license, though maybe I could just keep the old one whilst I wait

Spipov

djimi wrote: »

OP I think the license centers in Dublin as closed this week in an effort to handle the backlog of licenses, so perhaps they will get it sorted for you this week.

hmm. im flying off in 10 days. ill try and give them a ring at the end of the week. does anyone know how to contact them?

Stheno

djimi wrote: »

OP I think the license centers in Dublin as closed this week in an effort to handle the backlog of licenses, so perhaps they will get it sorted for you this week.

They are indeed!

@ OP number for Clondalkin is Phone: 01 2228000.

Gumbo

djimi wrote: »

OP I think the license centers in Dublin as closed this week in an effort to handle the backlog of licenses, so perhaps they will get it sorted for you this week.

Also trying to get through the back log in postal motor tax too due to been so busy.

Spipov

Stheno wrote: »

They are indeed!

@ OP number for Clondalkin is Phone: 01 2228000.

Thanks. I thought after processing they send it somewhere for printing, amd thats where its stuck usually the longest?

Stheno

Spipov wrote: »

Thanks. I thought after processing they send it somewhere for printing, amd thats where its stuck usually the longest?

Was it the motor tax office or the new centres that you went to?

Spipov

Stheno wrote: »

Was it the motor tax office or the new centres that you went to?

Motor tax office. I didnt know they could print the new credit card style licence there

Gumbo

Spipov wrote: »

Motor tax office. I didnt know they could print the new credit card style licence there

Up until October they were processed in the local tax office but sent to the RSA for printing. Because so many people applied for them between the start of the year and October, the local tax office were overwhelmed with them.

Now, it's exclusively done at the NDLS centers.

The Gride

It took 7 weeks for my licence to be processed and posted out to me.

Spipov

The Gride wrote: »

It took 7 weeks for my licence to be processed and posted out to me.

Not good. This worries me

dastardly00

It seems to be varying hugely from county to county. My license arrived last week, 5 weeks after applying for it (Galway). But there's a thread in the Learning to Drive forum about licenses, in which a poster got his in Cork after only 5 days. Keep your fingers crossed OP.

The Gride

There was an artice in the Sunday World showing county by county. Some were only a few days while others were up to 10 weeks.

ian_m

Where do you stand if your old driving licence expired while you are still waiting for your new one? Can you drive once the application has been submitted?

Stheno

ian_m wrote: »

Where do you stand if your old driving licence expired while you are still waiting for your new one? Can you drive once the application has been submitted?

Yes

Del2005

ian_m wrote: »

Where do you stand if your old driving licence expired while you are still waiting for your new one? Can you drive once the application has been submitted?

Technically no. It's illegal to drive without a valid licence. But this being Ireland you will be Ok, as even if you renew before it expires they take your licence off and post it out. So even by being aware and renewing on time you still break the law.

Insurance policies usually allow driving on expired licences.

Del2005

kceire wrote: »

Up until October they were processed in the local tax office but sent to the RSA for printing. Because so many people applied for them between the start of the year and October, the local tax office were overwhelmed with them.

Now, it's exclusively done at the NDLS centers.

I think the NDLS are swamped, heard an ad saying only to turn up if your licence expires in 4 weeks.

Stheno

Del2005 wrote: »

I think the NDLS are swamped, heard an ad saying only to turn up if your licence expires in 4 weeks.

Same here earlier this week

prettygurrly

I took a photocopy of my expired one just to prove that I had a licence and then proof of postage of my licence to the motor tax office back in April when I got mine renewed...just in case I was stopped...there was no other way to get a licence. I then tried to renew my insurance but as I didn't have an indate licence (as it also took nearly 7 weeks for mine to arrive) I couldn't finalise my insurance and get my disc...they said they would still cover me but wouldn't send out the disc until they had a copy of my indate licence....nightmare.

bear1

In most countries in the EU, they allow you to hold onto your old license until the new one arrives. You then bring your old license to them.
In that way you will always have your license with you.
Thank God our system is still backwards cause the above reasoning sounds way too smart.

keithclancy

Del2005 wrote: »

Technically no. It's illegal to drive without a valid licence. But this being Ireland you will be Ok, as even if you renew before it expires they take your licence off and post it out. So even by being aware and renewing on time you still break the law.

Insurance policies usually allow driving on expired licences.

Went to exchange my Irish License for a Dutch one, Checked with the Police and the City Hall. A photocopy is sufficient while you are waiting for a new license to come through.

Must swap mine soon :rolleyes:

djimi

ian_m wrote: »

Where do you stand if your old driving licence expired while you are still waiting for your new one? Can you drive once the application has been submitted?

Not sure how it works with the new system but the tax office used to give you a receipt when you applied for a new license that was good enough for any Garda I have ever encountered.

The license doesnt become invalid when it expires; only the piece of paper goes out of date. Once you can prove that you have a valid license and that you have applied for a new piece of paper/plastic then you should be fine!

abrushka

I went to the Leopardstown centre first thing Monday morning. I arrived at 08:30 and was the first person there. About 10 people were in the Q by the time it opened at 9am. I was in and out within 10 minutes.

I called the helpline today and they have said that due to the backlog it will take between 8 and 15 days working days to process. I am hoping that this is the extent of the delay as I badly need the license before the new year as I will be driving abroad with work.

It is an improvement on the previous service, in that an applicant can at least track the progress of their application. Hopefully, an application can be expeditied also if it becomes urgent.

I went to Santry at 12pm last Satuday and it was chaos. My advice would be to get to a centre first thing on a weekday, if possible, to avoid the Q's.

Spipov

Update.

Surprisingly i received my driving licence today. Nice looking thin plastic thing. Im impressed. Turnaround was about 20 days. Applied in clondalkin motor tax office, it came from cork

dastardly00

Spipov wrote: »

Update.

Surprisingly i received my driving licence today. Nice looking thin plastic thing. Im impressed. Turnaround was about 20 days. Applied in clondalkin motor tax office, it came from cork

Happy days. Breathe a big sigh of relief!

Fred Swanson

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ian_m

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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I spent four hours in one a couple of weeks ago and it felt like I was in an episode of beadles about.

katiedo

Help needed.

Am going to England next week and I am without a licence - I surrendered mine on 5th November for renewal and am still waiting. I phone a number three times a week -it is a call centre and they are clueless.
1 Does anyone know a car rental company in Gatwick which will rent without licence but with my licence no?

Fred Swanson

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katiedo

The man I spoke to this morning in the call centre told me I could as people have got back to them and told them it was possible. I have called 3 car rentals but no luck

Fred Swanson

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keithclancy

katiedo wrote: »

The man I spoke to this morning in the call centre told me I could as people have got back to them and told them it was possible. I have called 3 car rentals but no luck

I doubt it, never heard of anywhere that does that.

They specifically want to see the license so they can check for endorsements and categories etc.

CiniO

keithclancy wrote: »

I doubt it, never heard of anywhere that does that.

They specifically want to see the license so they can check for endorsements and categories etc.

Is there any other country in EU putting thing as "endorsements" on licence than UK and Ireland?
Also new Irish licences don't have such information as endorsements.

CiniO

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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I recently rented a car, and guy asked if I had licence, but never took a look on it.
However it was rather a small renter - more like a guy with garage of few older car renting locally.

Rather not a hope for that in UK.

Fred Swanson

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keithclancy

CiniO wrote: »

Is there any other country in EU putting thing as "endorsements" on licence than UK and Ireland?
Also new Irish licences don't have such information as endorsements.

Really ?

Thought it was just a code on the License just like the UK ones:
http://www.ndls.ie/en/Driving-Licence/lost-or-stolen-licence.html

Free-in-lieu licence

Free-in-lieu licences are issued (provided your driving licence is current) in the following cases:

Change of name/address
Removal of endorsement (on expiry of three-year endorsement period)
If an error has been made in the issue of the licence (eg, incorrect date of birth)

CiniO

keithclancy wrote: »

Really ?

Thought it was just a code on the License just like the UK ones:
http://www.ndls.ie/en/Driving-Licence/lost-or-stolen-licence.html

In attachment you have a current list of codes used in driving licences in Ireland.
Nothing there about any endorsements.

Option for exchange of licence to remove endorsement, must apply to old licences.

Fred Swanson

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