Renewing (Card) Driving Licence

[oddoneout]

I can't predict for 2025, but the PO service recently for one of our passports was very quick, and didn't cost very much more than trying to do it in other ways. Seems that they can do the photographs for the passports now, rather than expecting you to take along your own, and get them signed on the back etc., though maybe that only works for renewals.

I suspect you don't actually want a passport - so you wouldn't need all the countersigning by a GP, JP etc. Maybe they'll be able to do you a new photo for your driving licence too - providing they are sure it's really you - but as you say - if Post Offices and PO and Royal Mail workers still exist in 2025.

The passport expired 10 years ago and since by then I had the photocard driving licence, and my mother, whose affairs I was managing. had died I didn't need it for ID purposes. As the years have gone by the chances of me wanting it for travel purposes have virtually disappeared but I'm still a bit undecided since I have some family in Holland, and occasionally worry about if there is a need to travel at short notice. If after all this time it still counts as renewal rather than a new one then yes I would pay the extra to get it all done at the PO - and in fact when I added up the cost of getting a photo and then getting it countersigned if necessary( don't have any eligible friends to do it for free now), the PO fee didn't seem so bad. I paid £7 for photos from a booth for my bus pass and although the booth said they were compliant I don't think the quality would be acceptable for passport purposes.

[Bryn]

The passport expired 10 years ago and since by then I had the photocard driving licence, and my mother, whose affairs I was managing. had died I didn't need it for ID purposes. As the years have gone by the chances of me wanting it for travel purposes have virtually disappeared but I'm still a bit undecided since I have some family in Holland, and occasionally worry about if there is a need to travel at short notice. If after all this time it still counts as renewal rather than a new one then yes I would pay the extra to get it all done at the PO - and in fact when I added up the cost of getting a photo and then getting it countersigned if necessary( don't have any eligible friends to do it for free now), the PO fee didn't seem so bad. I paid £7 for photos from a booth for my bus pass and although the booth said they were compliant I don't think the quality would be acceptable for passport purposes.

Did you a to provide your own photograph for your bus pass? My local council sits one in front of its dedicated bus pass camera and takes a suitable shot without charge.

[Serial_Apologist]

Did you a to provide your own photograph for your bus pass? My local council sits one in front of its dedicated bus pass camera and takes a suitable shot without charge.

Is that at your local council offices, Bryn? - sounds like a good option.

[Bryn]

Is that at your local council offices, Bryn? - sounds like a good option.

Yes, and conveniently located about a minute's walk from the town bus station. too. The pass takes a couple of days thereafter to arrive in the post. Despite having been a Tory council for many years, they have a far more 'socialist' approach to buses than nearby Slough, which has a Labour council. Here we can use our passes 24 hours a day with the one exception of travelling here from London, when free travel ends at 11 PM (boarding time, is). However, the relevant bus company withdrew its late evening buses from Victoria a couple of years ago, anyway. In Slough, the pass cannot be used is boarding before 9.30 AM or after 11 PM, except at weekends and bank holidays.

[Dave2002]

I paid £7 for photos from a booth for my bus pass and although the booth said they were compliant I don't think the quality would be acceptable for passport purposes.

The world seems to have moved on. Definitely some post offices will now take the official photos for passports, so if you can squeeze in a renewal it might be a good way to go. Do you still have your old passport? - that might make things easier.

I really dislike the photo booth things, as my eyesight no longer allows me to read the instructions without glasses, which is absolutely hopeless for taking photos in those booths - though it is easier if someone else comes with me, and we alternate between reading the instructions, pressing buttons, and putting glasses on or off.

Some photobooths - if you want to use them - do now offer a digital option as well as a printed copy. The code for the digital copy lasts for about 3 months, and can - apparently - be quoted on some official forms.

[oddoneout]

Did you a to provide your own photograph for your bus pass? My local council sits one in front of its dedicated bus pass camera and takes a suitable shot without charge.

The local councils don't deal with issuing bus passes, it's done online through the County Council which seems to have decided to continue with arm's length Covid working. The head office of the district council has over the years quite effectively managed to remove itself from public contact; it used to be in the town centre then went to an out of town site but with a small office still in town then removed that as well. I can't imagine it doing anything to help provide bus passes to those who aren't online or who have other barriers to application. I managed to get a printed form from the library, I think a batch from a previous year as I haven't seen them since, not sure what one does if those aren't available - no indication about alternatives to online on the website. This

You can take a photo at the time of applying with a webcam or you can upload one from your computer

wasn't possible so it had to be a physical photo, but when I tried to do a hybrid application(online form and physical photo to follow) it didn't work so it was all done snailmail. Arrived safely within the week.

[Bryn]

The local councils don't deal with issuing bus passes, it's done online through the County Council which seems to have decided to continue with arm's length Covid working. The head office of the district council has over the years quite effectively managed to remove itself from public contact; it used to be in the town centre then went to an out of town site but with a small office still in town then removed that as well. I can't imagine it doing anything to help provide bus passes to those who aren't online or who have other barriers to application. I managed to get a printed form from the library, I think a batch from a previous year as I haven't seen them since, not sure what one does if those aren't available - no indication about alternatives to online on the website. This wasn't possible so it had to be a physical photo, but when I tried to do a hybrid application(online form and physical photo to follow) it didn't work so it was all done snailmail. Arrived safely within the week.

We don't have a county council but a unitary authority. The Royal County of Berkshire was one of these divided up into unitary authorities in the 1990s.

[oddoneout]

The world seems to have moved on. Definitely some post offices will now take the official photos for passports, so if you can squeeze in a renewal it might be a good way to go. Do you still have your old passport? - that might make things easier.

I really dislike the photo booth things, as my eyesight no longer allows me to read the instructions without glasses, which is absolutely hopeless for taking photos in those booths - though it is easier if someone else comes with me, and we alternate between reading the instructions, pressing buttons, and putting glasses on or off.

Some photobooths - if you want to use them - do now offer a digital option as well as a printed copy. The code for the digital copy lasts for about 3 months, and can - apparently - be quoted on some official forms.

Yes, I found the booth totally unhelpful, and a rather nasty experience, with all sorts of odd questions/options that I didn't understand/didn't want. It never used to be that hard - or time consuming. And after all that, and £7, to get something that looked as if I'd rubbed camouflage paint over part of my face was the last straw. I complained to the PO, in whose foyer the machine stands about both the poor quality and the fact that all over the booth it said the cost was £6. The member of staff was sympathetic, and I wasn't the only person to have complained, but it's not their machine, they just provide the space. Needless to say any way of contacting the booth firm direct was non-existent in effect.
The PO do everything, including taking the photo, for the passport, and can also renew the driver licence card plus photo. You get to see the photo before it's sent and the fee still works out cheaper than using the photo booth and countersignature if you don't have an alternative.

[Nick Armstrong]

The so-called Driving Licence Agency are refusing to refund me as they claim I cancelled after the 'three day trial' period (I wasn't aware there was one, and there was no mention of such in any of the emails they previously sent me). They claim that as my licence has arrived (yesterday) I have 'used' their service. Yet I wasn't aware I'd signed up for their service.

I'll speak to my credit card company in the week.

Did you have any joy?

I’ve noticed that the DVLA have been putting out information adverts on social media lately, which suggests that they’re aware of problematic alternative agencies…