NDLS - National Driver Licence Service centres (Qs, waiting times, etc)

Datacore · 15-01-2021 11:18pm

kksaints wrote: »

Try and apply for the renewal on the NDLS website if you have a MyGovID.

You need a PSC Card to compete it. Can’t be done like a passport. It’s a bit of a joke of a system.

You’d think during a massive pandemic they would be trying to move fully online, not throw up hurdles.

When you think about it, for the vast majority of renewals there is really no reason why we have to attend in person. It’s just renewing an existing licence.

You can renew your passport online without all this nonsense. I can’t see why you can’t renew your driving licence similarly.

mgbgt1978 · 15-01-2021 11:22pm

Datacore wrote: »

How long do I have to renew if my licence completely expires?

You have 10 years from expiry to renew your licence.

the14thwarrior · 15-01-2021 11:42pm

i was in the same boat just recently.
forgot the licence was up, until i got a letter
don't have a gov.id so had to book an appointment on line
not able to do by telephone

nearest one was three weeks, i went last week, citywest one
guy has a clipboard with names of people and appointment times. lets about five in at a time, and closes the door. comes back out when a few seats are free.
you can sit very safely at a distance.
then you go to the booths, all very safe.

in my case i made it a week before my expiry date
and made sure to bring all documentation needed.
in and out in no time

despite it saying essential workers only, no way was everyone there an essential. in fact one guy turned up who was not on the list but said he only made the appointment that morning (and got one before me) which was strange unless someone cancelled and he managed to get a cancellation.

so my advice is to book the nearest one, before the slots get filled up, and don't drive until your license is in date.
well and good if they issue an extension in the meantime

Datacore · 15-01-2021 11:45pm

They were about 6-7 weeks here, so booked in December and got Feb.

It’s in walking distance though.

I’m hearing the licences are taking up to 8 weeks to issue too. Not sure how accurate that is, but it’s what I heard

Miscreant · 16-01-2021 12:11am

Datacore wrote: »

I’m hearing the licences are taking up to 8 weeks to issue too. Not sure how accurate that is, but it’s what I heard

I renewed mine online last week and got the licence in the post on Tuesday so it's not taking 8 weeks.

kennethsmyth · 17-01-2021 11:07pm

pippip wrote: »

From the looks of their website it looks like they wont entertain you. Even asks non essential to cancel theyre appointments so essentials can take it. Id just phone them and ask are you getting an extension

Nope you can make an appointment, they are asking if you are non essential to try not and do that but they have no right to ask your work or to let your licence expire.

leahyl · 18-01-2021 11:11am

My licence was up in early December - of course completely forgot as it's the first time I've had to renew it, received the notice in the post in late November I'd say. I went online to book an appointment, nothing available until the 15th January :eek: - so I booked that. I had read somewhere that the guards had been informed that there is a backlog with licence renewals and perhaps they would be a bit more lenient with people if they were stopped and had evidence of an appt.

I would have done it online but have no PSC :rolleyes: Anyway, went to the NDLS centre last Friday - appt was at 9.30 - only to be told that their "systems are down" and that they were a bit behind - there was one guy in front of me standing outside, so I figured maybe one or two inside, so didn't think it would take too long, the girl at the door then told me there was a seat inside, went in to see there were about 6/7 in front of me and NOTHING was moving - the people behind the desks were just sitting there. I naively thought maybe their systems would be up and running again soon - 40 minutes later, still nothing happening. Had to leave as my dad was waiting in the car outside. I made another appointment for the 17th February - so, still no licence.

I need the car for going shopping once a week, so I'm still driving it like. The supermarket is 5 minutes down the road so think I'll take the chance for the next few weeks. Also, when I came out of the centre, there was a queue all the way down the street....certainly not essential workers. The majority of people need their car for shopping and things like that, so how they expect people just to hold off is beyond me.

maik3n · 22-01-2021 10:26pm

Happy to say all went swimmingly for me during the week.

Had an appointment booked for late afternoon and arrived 20 mins early.
Not a sinner in sight and only 1 inspector who let me in, asked if i had an appointment and processed my application straight away.

Only slight hiccup is that they did mention it will take around 2-3 weeks to get to me. I'm hoping that is just worse case scenario and that it will actually come in the post earlier.

waxmelts2000 · 22-01-2021 11:25pm

My driving licence is up end of Feb, however I did not have a public service card. I went to my nearest intreo/social welfare office last Thursday(had an arranged appointment) very nice lady there . Got the public service card on Tuesday this week, completed my driving licence renewal online Tuesday night and my new licence came in the post yesterday . So in one week both were done, I was very impressed.

ofcork · 23-01-2021 8:00pm

Got a text on friday from ndls telling me new licence on the way about 2 weeks after going in there.

26 years in Dublin · 02-02-2021 9:48pm

I went to renew my driver licence in the middle of December and over 3 weeks ago I received a text message from NDLS saying my licence would arrive within 3-5 business days.
It still hasn't come yet, so I rang NDLS today (02/02/2021) and they told me my licence was dispatched only on the 29th of January (4 days ago). How come they sent the message over 3 weeks ago?
Has anyone else experienced something similar with them?

maik3n · 03-02-2021 2:02pm

26 years in Dublin wrote: »

I went to renew my driver licence in the middle of December and over 3 weeks ago I received a text message from NDLS saying my licence would arrive within 3-5 business days.
It still hasn't come yet, so I rang NDLS today (02/02/2021) and they told me my licence was dispatched only on the 29th of January (4 days ago). How come they sent the message over 3 weeks ago?
Has anyone else experienced something similar with them?

Was in NDLS to renew my license on 22/01/21.
Staff said wait is usually 2-3 weeks.
Got a text yesterday from NDLS to say that processing times are usually 3 weeks so I'm not sure if they mean 3 weeks from when I applied or they mean 3 weeks from now.

I sure hope it's the former and they are just reassuring me abut why it hasn't arrived yet. :P

nhg · 03-02-2021 9:44pm

OH's Truck licence due to expire, car licence still valid for a number of years yet. If he don't renew truck licence now can he renew it when renewing car licence or will he lose it if he don't renew it now. He doesnt drive trucks but would hate to lose the licence. It's in the expiry date extension period currently.

Think he will need to get a medical done to renew the licence. Doesn't have a public service card.

Emailed NDLS about 3 weeks ago asking this question but still no reply from them.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 04-02-2021 4:47am

nhg wrote: »

OH's Truck licence due to expire, car licence still valid for a number of years yet. If he don't renew truck licence now can he renew it when renewing car licence or will he lose it if he don't renew it now. He doesnt drive trucks but would hate to lose the licence. It's in the expiry date extension period currently.

Think he will need to get a medical done to renew the licence. Doesn't have a public service card.

Emailed NDLS about 3 weeks ago asking this question but still no reply from them.

I had it confirmed with NDLS and RSA for different reasons but I had trucks, buses, motorbikes etc and I was told that from the day I exchange my licence to another country that i have 10 years to come back and reclaim all my categories.

So your husband has another nearly 5 years to renew his trucks.

Only thing is though he might not be able to do CPCs if he has no licence so will have to go through all that again to keep up cpc when the licence is renewed

26 years in Dublin · 04-02-2021 8:03pm

maik3n wrote: »

Was in NDLS to renew my license on 22/01/21.
Staff said wait is usually 2-3 weeks.
Got a text yesterday from NDLS to say that processing times are usually 3 weeks so I'm not sure if they mean 3 weeks from when I applied or they mean 3 weeks from now.

I sure hope it's the former and they are just reassuring me abut why it hasn't arrived yet. :P

Well, they were good enough to text you about processing times.
I was told nearly 4 weeks ago that my licence would arrive within 3-5 business days! My old licence expired 2.5 weeks ago:‑(
Hope you receive yours very soon.

TallGlass2 · 11-02-2021 1:51pm

Are the phone lines down for NDLS?

maik3n · 12-02-2021 12:08am

26 years in Dublin wrote: »

Well, they were good enough to text you about processing times.
I was told nearly 4 weeks ago that my licence would arrive within 3-5 business days! My old licence expired 2.5 weeks ago:‑(
Hope you receive yours very soon.

3 weeks waiting today and I don't hold out much hope for getting it tomorrow, Friday.

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Are the phone lines down for NDLS?

Was ok for me later in the afternoon.

MyOMY12 · 13-02-2021 6:30pm

Mymomy.... It, s just not working. Doesn, t accept my correct PPS.... Invalid it sayssssss.

jbv · 15-02-2021 11:04am

Renewed my Driving Licence online. Monday application filled in, Thursday got my new licence.

WildWater · 18-02-2021 6:57pm

I do wonder what the process behind the scenes actually is. I get that one process eg GovID+Online would be more efficient than another. But what exactly is left to do after you have present all your documentation at the counter and had your photo taken that it takes so much longer than the GovID route?

My licence was out of date in on Jan 26th. In early Jan or late Dec (before I got my letter) I booked an appointment for the 20th. I don’t recall their being any issue about being an essential worker. Turned up on the 20th, all paper work in order, paid my fee, had my photo taken. I was then told to expect a delay and given my receipt. My new licence arrived two days ago. 4 weeks to the day.

My question is, what happened in that 4 weeks? I’m guessing the answer is that my application spent 99.5% of that time not being processed. But if all my documentation is checked at the desk, photo taken and fee paid why is the process from that point not as efficient as the online process? One would expect that all the agent has to do after checking the documents is tick a box to say print licence. Or is all the documentation, needlessly, checked again?

My daughter, much to her delight, got her first learner permit last week quite efficiently (though not super efficiently) with the GovID/Online route.

SweetCaliber · 18-02-2021 7:31pm

NDLS sent my permit with the wrong categories on it? Applied for A permit and got A1, had A1 and A2 before so dont know how they sent me A1.

Happened 2 months ago by the way.

Rang them, 2 hour waiting time, emailed them four times and no reply in the last 2 months. Ended up sending it back with the letter to their PO Box stating wrong category about a month ago and still nothing.

Shambles of an operation.

maik3n · 18-02-2021 11:11pm

WildWater wrote: »

I do wonder what the process behind the scenes actually is. I get that one process eg GovID+Online would be more efficient than another. But what exactly is left to do after you have present all your documentation at the counter and had your photo taken that it takes so much longer than the GovID route?

My licence was out of date in on Jan 26th. In early Jan or late Dec (before I got my letter) I booked an appointment for the 20th. I don’t recall their being any issue about being an essential worker. Turned up on the 20th, all paper work in order, paid my fee, had my photo taken. I was then told to expect a delay and given my receipt. My new licence arrived two days ago. 4 weeks to the day.

My question is, what happened in that 4 weeks? I’m guessing the answer is that my application spent 99.5% of that time not being processed. But if all my documentation is checked at the desk, photo taken and fee paid why is the process from that point not as efficient as the online process? One would expect that all the agent has to do after checking the documents is tick a box to say print licence. Or is all the documentation, needlessly, checked again?

They are really taking the pi**, lol.
Finally got my license today, exactly 4 weeks since I popped in to NDLS centre and applied for it.

22-02-2021 11:36pm

Nine weeks since my renewal appointment, still no licence. Received a text about five weeks in saying it's taking at least three weeks for most applications and not to worry....followed by another text about a week ago saying there are still delays. I'm also baffled about where the delay is coming from once you've completed the process at the office - when I saw all my paperwork going into an envelope behind the counter I assumed it was for scanning/archiving....not into some pit of doom never to be seen again.

CVB · 22-02-2021 11:45pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Nine weeks since my renewal appointment, still no licence. Received a text about five weeks in saying it's taking at least three weeks for most applications and not to worry....followed by another text about a week ago saying there are still delays. I'm also baffled about where the delay is coming from once you've completed the process at the office - when I saw all my paperwork going into an envelope behind the counter I assumed it was for scanning/archiving....not into some pit of doom never to be seen again.

Is it a UK exchange or normal renewal of irish driving licence your application for ?

Piollaire · 24-02-2021 1:38pm

Over a month waiting for my renewed licence to arrive. I have a plain vanilla licence. Have had to get lifts everywhere since my old one expired. Got a text to say I should get it next week.

GBX · 24-02-2021 1:40pm

I need to renew my license which expires in April. I cant renew online as Ive never had a PSC card. Intreo said they are only giving appointments for urgent needs and to contact the NLDS. Has anybody had their license renewed without a PSC or is it a necessity?

Piollaire · 24-02-2021 1:46pm

GBX wrote: »

I need to renew my license which expires in April. I cant renew online as Ive never had a PSC card. Intreo said they are only giving appointments for urgent needs and to contact the NLDS. Has anybody had their license renewed without a PSC or is it a necessity?

You can get an appointment with NLDS without a PSC. I am however waiting over 4 weeks since my appointment for my renewed licence. If you look back over the posts in this thread you'll see that those who applied online with a PSC got their new licenses much faster.

GBX · 24-02-2021 5:28pm

New update from NLDS/RSA of extensions to driver license expiry period. So i'm good for a while.

https://www.ndls.ie/#new-extension-period-for-driving-licences-find-out-more

Piollaire · 24-02-2021 7:00pm

GBX wrote: »

New update from NLDS/RSA of extensions to driver license expiry period. So i'm good for a while.

https://www.ndls.ie/#new-extension-period-for-driving-licences-find-out-more

Glad to hear it!

Although it is ironical that if I hadn't renewed my licence I'd be able to get behind the steering wheel:rolleyes:. .

dobman88 · 24-02-2021 8:07pm

Applied online 15th Feb with my PSC and my licence arrived on the 22nd. Seems to be hit and miss as my better half was waiting over 3 weeks for hers to arrive after going to out nearest NDLS centre to apply in person.

NeuralNetwork · 02-03-2021 12:38pm

Mine arrived exactly 4 weeks agree after the application went in.

terminator74 · 10-03-2021 10:36am

My license arrived this morning - mirroring other posters, it took exactly 4 weeks to arrive after visiting the NDLS offices on February 10th.

What gets me about the current delays is that my license was registered and active on the RSA customer portal from February 12th. Its took 17 working days for the system to issue a physical one.

I don't think COVID restrictions or changing work practices can justify that wait time, especially considering online applicants with PSC takes significantly less time.

eastie17 · 10-03-2021 12:35pm

This is happening all over the public sector, COVID is the greatest excuse ever for them. There is no logic to these delays and they are not just in NDLS, dept of ag is a joke since COVID as well. in the rest of the world admin type processing productivity went up after the initial transition to working from home.
Lazy shower of f*ckers, licenses will be processed between the morning breakfast show and Live at 3 (is this still a thing?)

NeuralNetwork · 10-03-2021 1:06pm

I’m actually finding a lot of companies and businesses are much slower than usual. It’s not just the public bodies. I’m getting response times of days from some and it’s often because they’re not really able to work from home as efficiently as they were in the office.

It’s very dependent on the level of digitalisation and a lot of other factors about what they do.

Things like dealing with older or less tech savvy colleagues who still struggle with email, never mind zoom and hours being spent supporting really minor IT glitches that come down to lack of tech savvy can be extremely frustrating.

Like when you’re spending 35 mins on FaceTime to an iPhone, trying to explain Dropbox to someone who responds to “open a browser” with “what’s a browser? Or snaps at you- “must you use jargon?” or “oh you mean THE INTERNET button! Why didn’t you just say that?” or tells you “I can’t get Windows to work” when you then discover they think Microsoft Word is “windows”

Or you say “plug in the Ethernet cable” and they plug in they plug in a mains plug for a desk lamp...

You’re suddenly realising that people interacting with IT systems often just barely know how to use them and follow procedures and were utterly reliant on local support.

memorystick · 18-03-2021 11:34am

Trying to update license on the website but keeps taking me back to login. Any advice? Really pissed off and spent 3 minutes on phone to be told there 17 calls ahead of me.

reubenreuben · 23-03-2021 5:57pm

Friend of mine living in Sweden with a UK licence can still use it there even post brexit.
Interestingly Ireland doesn't allow this and they must be changed to an Irish one.
Is that anything to do with over 100k Brits living here and having to pay for a new licence.
Bit of a money spinner for Ireland don't you think.

thelad95 · 24-03-2021 12:16pm

Given that Ireland have maintained a common travel and work area with the UK it was a disgrace that UK license holders have to swap for an Irish one. They could have easily legislated around it for fück sake our rules of the road are a copy and paste of the UK system and we require a change of license.

A bureaucratic wet dream and a money spinner.

Cerco · 24-03-2021 5:35pm

Do Irish licence holders resident in the UK have to change their Irish licence to a UK one after a period?

24-03-2021 5:46pm

Cerco wrote: »

Do Irish licence holders resident in the UK have to change their Irish licence to a UK one after a period?

Yes. Especially now as it’s no longer part of the EU N

burdenedgnome · 25-03-2021 3:12pm

A friend's licence expired in March. On website they were told it has been extended to January 2022. Also told can not apply for renewal until 3 months before new expiry.
But they may need to rent a car or travel abroad (essential work travel) in the meantime, how do they prove they're licensed?

biko · 25-03-2021 3:18pm

I don't think they can hire a car abroad with an expired, but extended, licence.
Or maybe, they should email the renter and explain the situation.

NeuralNetwork · 29-03-2021 5:57pm

The problem in with retaining a U.K. licence if resident in Sweden for example is that it is linked to a U.K. address. So you’ll need to exchange it anyway at some stage and won’t be able to renew from a non U.K. address.

The issues crop up in most countries, where if you haven’t exchanged it during the transition period, you may potentially have to take a test. They were trying to make it easier but it’s still far from straight forward.

If you’re a U.K. national and permanently resident in Ireland it’s just far easier to use an Irish license.

mcw92 · 29-03-2021 5:58pm

My ROI licence is expiring at the end of this year. I currently live and work in Northern Ireland, but still have a ROI bank setup on my southern home address.
I cannot renew online as I need to verify MyGOV ID and I need a Public Services Card to do so (which I seem to have lost over the year), so I need to apply online and meet in person to get a new one.

Will it be an issue if I say I am living and working up north?
My pay is into my NI bank account, so I do not pay any tax down south.

Should I say I am living down south instead (but still working up North) ?

NeuralNetwork · 29-03-2021 6:00pm

You’ll be asked for proof of address such as a utility bill. If you’re resident in the Republic, you’re entirely entitled to an Irish driving licence. Working cross border isn’t relevant to that, only your place of residence.

If you live in NI you should really exchange it.

You should be able to exchange it back to an Irish one again should you move to the Republic and an EU licence would be far easier to deal with if you’re ever planning to live on the continent.

You’d still have hassle driving a U.K. car, with U.K. insurance to an EU country though. You’d need all the insurance & other paperwork as a 3rd country resident, similar to what was needed in the 1980s. The Irish licence wouldn’t really make all that much difference. Although they might be wondering why an Irish licence is being used by a U.K. resident in a U.K. car. I know you can obviously be Irish or British or both in Northern Ireland but it’s not in the EU anymore, so other documents are impacted.

You’d be better off exchanging it if that’s where you’re living. If you’re planning to exchange it I would also do it now rather than waiting until close to expiration.

mcw92 · 29-03-2021 6:30pm

NeuralNetwork wrote: »

You’ll be asked for proof of address such as a utility bill. If you’re resident in the Republic, you’re entirely entitled to an Irish driving licence. Working cross border isn’t relevant to that, only your place of residence.

If you live in NI you should really exchange it.

You should be able to exchange it back to an Irish one again should you move to the Republic and an EU licence would be far easier to deal with if you’re ever planning to live on the continent.

You’d still have hassle driving a U.K. car, with U.K. insurance to an EU country though. You’d need all the insurance & other paperwork as a 3rd country resident, similar to what was needed in the 1980s. The Irish licence wouldn’t really make all that much difference. Although they might be wondering why an Irish licence is being used by a U.K. resident in a U.K. car. I know you can obviously be Irish or British or both in Northern Ireland but it’s not in the EU anymore, so other documents are impacted.

You’d be better off exchanging it if that’s where you’re living. If you’re planning to exchange it I would also do it now rather than waiting until close to expiration.

Annoyingly I plan to move back to the South again in coming years though, which may complicate things.

I've lived in NI for 6 years, and had AXA NI insurance on a UK reg car with the Irish Licence for that time. They've told me Brexit will have no impact to me (but maybe they don't know for sure yet)

So I don't really mind getting an Irish Licence again.
I have a bank statement to prove my South address(and ROI passport, existing licence etc. to prove identity) so I should be sorted then ?

NeuralNetwork · 29-03-2021 6:47pm

All I can tell you is you’re eligible for an Irish driving licence if you’re resident within the state, and you’ll have to prove that with whatever documents are required on the renewal form, and you’ll be signing paperwork to that effect.

rightmove · 20-04-2021 8:35pm

where can I pick up a form for renewal - the garda told me to print out but I dont have a printer.

tvnutz · 25-04-2021 3:40pm

Has anyone actually managed to renew their Licence online?
I went through a head melting process to actually set up a mygov ID account and get it verified.

Having finally gotten it done, when I click on the drivers licence renewal, it brings me to a page where it says I need to verify mygov ID, which Ive already done. So I click the link anyway, log in and its verified and when I click on the renewal licence again, it just brings me back to the same place saying I need a verified mygov ID. Its head melting!!

biko · 29-04-2021 10:44am

A couple months back I changed my address on the licence. All online, no hassle. Got new licence in post as expected a couple weeks later.

Irish Steve · 30-04-2021 1:43am

tvnutz wrote: »

Has anyone actually managed to renew their Licence online?
I went through a head melting process to actually set up a mygov ID account and get it verified.

Having finally gotten it done, when I click on the drivers licence renewal, it brings me to a page where it says I need to verify mygov ID, which Ive already done. So I click the link anyway, log in and its verified and when I click on the renewal licence again, it just brings me back to the same place saying I need a verified mygov ID. Its head melting!!

Try using a different browser, it's possible that there are "issues" with the link between the systems, their IT is at best flaky, and at times just wrong. there are also times when the validate mygov ID doesn't work because the data in the system is wrong, and there's no way to know what is wrong, we had huge hassles getting my wife's ID validated, and that turned out to be that someone has mis spelled one of the fields used for validation when her PSC card was created, but it didn't give the reason on line.

I did manage to renew on line a few months back, but it wasn't easy, if you have a PSC card, one of the steps to validate the Mygov ID is sent out using the postal system, and there's no way during the process to change the address on the system, so if you've moved and not updated your PSC details, that may result in the letter going to the old address.

I got there eventually, but when I was able to request the new licence on line, they got the new licence dates wrong, and I'm still waiting to hear back about that, but as I've got the new licence, it's not a massive problem.

NDLS are incredibly slow at responding to E-mails, which is not helping.

NDLS - National Driver Licence Service centres (Qs, waiting times, etc)

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