Hi Duncan,

Mine lists AM, A, B1, B, BE, and right at the bottom fkinpq. They are printed on the reverse of the plastic licence.

They all appear to indicate they apply to my 73rd birthday and have 01 in the next issue (?) column.

The fkinpq ones have a 118 code in addition to the 01. I’m not sure what this lot means

These codes are all listed on the front of the licence on a single line with / between each one.

I used to drive my 7 1/2 tonner up until my ticker problems but not since. I expect I would have been OK until my 70th birthday, but I had no intention of trying that one.

Not a clue as to the origin date(?) for AM (dated as 15.08.17, so I am guessing it was a new spec on the licence. All the rest indicate before tJuly 7 1975 – long after I got my A,D,E licence.

I guess I was 16 or 17 when I passed my m/cycle test and not long after to drive a car. I never took an agricultural tractor test, but my brother did.

Hope that helps.

Duncan

Take a copy of your licence. They have been known to make a mess of transferring the data. A lady in Somerset, some years ago, ended up with a motorcycle only licence. She had never ridden one.

I had to replace my licence three years ago, when I was 70, and everything was rolled over including full motorcycle licence.

JA

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Duncan,

There have been some cases where the old driving test records have been lost, particularly for motorcycles. A friend of mine who exchanged his green licence for the photo card after moving house found some months later that full motorcycle was not included on his new licence. He chased this up with DVLA, who were adamant that he could not have it reinstated and would have to retake a driving test. Unfortunately he couldn't challenge this because he had surrendered his green licence ( without making a copy) so had no evidence of his entitlement. At this point I was rather concerned as I also had the green licence and was riding around on a BMW R1200RT. I spoke to DVLA who checked my record and confirmed that I was okay. The lady I spoke to was very helpful, sympathetic and open about the problems some riders were facing. She pointed out that you can log in to the DVLA service, register then check the record of your entitlement on line. I guess the moral of the story is to check you record on line and hang on tightly to your old licence as evidence in any dispute.

I gave up riding a couple of years ago after some clot ran into the back of me while I was just pulling away entering a roundabout. Next thing I know, flat on my back in the middle of the roundabout looking left to see the bike wobbling off on a journey of it's own, shedding bits of panniers, lights etc in its wake. Suddenly realise where I am, look right straight to the fronts of three cars that have managed to stop (one of them within arms reach). Fortunately, apart from bruised dignity, all was well health wise, but after 40+ years of riding I felt that the standards of driving and traffic awareness shown by many nowadays it was time to call it a day. Yes I miss motorcycling and will probably not bother to take it up again, but would be brassed off if the entitlement were to suddenly disappear from any licence renewal. Who knows, I might get a sudden rush of blood to the head and go out and buy another one day. Wont be a Norton though….

Edit – started this post over an hour ago, but got side tracked. Having completed it an posted, others have responded with the same advice before me

Edited By Mike Woods 1 on 01/02/2020 17:23:20

Nick, just looked him up. Yes, a legend indeed.

Anyone with a motorhome may need to retain the 7.5t licence, otherwise you are only allowed to drive vehicles up to 3.5t, the weight used is that stated in the Registration Document as MGW which in many cases is above 3.5t.

Emgee

I renewed mine for the 3rd time 6 months ago.

I did actually take a tractor test back when I was 17 and retained that right up to age 70 when it magically disappeared, however as by then I also had a car/van licence complete with grandfather rights to class BE which, as I understand it, gives me rights to tow a trailer of any weight (source: https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules/y/car-or-light-vehicle/no/licence-issued-before-19-Jan-2013, and a motorcycle licence, I wasn't all that bothered.

Peter G. Shaw

Hi Guys,

Just my 2pw here ! My motorcycle licence got left of mine when I renewed at 70. When I queried it, I got told that if I wanted to ride MC again I would have to retake the test !

Duncan, I'm not sure exactly which classes exactly are legitimately able to roll over, but that aside, several folks have suggested taking a copy of your licence.
I would add to that; get a certified copy of your licence.
This should be available via a solicitor, or your bank amongst others, at minimal expense, and is likely to hold more weight in court.
The DVLA seem to have "interesting" interpretations of some legislation, allegedly frequently to the detriment of the licence holder.

One of those stories twice removed, so to speak.
Mt friend's wife's ex-teacher sent her licence off for renewal, I think due to an address change, but I'm not sure.
The DVLA claimed they had no record of her having passed a test and refused to send replacement licence.
They said she had to re-take her test.
I'm 63, my mate is a year or so younger, so I guess his wife's ex teacher must be in the order of 80. She couldn't face a new test and thus had to sell her car.

Now I appreciate the argument that older drivers should need to prove their competence, but that really isn't the method which should be used.

Bill

This thread made me get out my licence to see my 'codes', and they are exactly the same as yours. I did opt out of the 7.5 tonne class on one of the previous renewals, not having driven one for 20 years!

I am up for my 82 year old renewal next year, and it really surprises me there are no mandated tests to renew your licence. My eldest son and one of my son in law's both in their early 50's have health and eyesight checks every 3 years before they can renew their HGV licences, neither of them actually drive HGV's for a living, but hang on to them 'just in case!

What should DVLA have done in this circumstance? They can't assume everyone is honest and just issue a new licence. No-one would ever need to learn to drive if they did that!

The licence is proof that at one time in the past the holder had enough control of a vehicle to pass a test. In the past these tests were simpler in many ways – not least because the roads were quieter! Apart from low standards, the system was once distinctly sloppy, for example my father held a full UK Driving Licence and an International Licence despite his only formal test being taken on a borrowed motorbike. (He achieved this trick accidentally because his job took him through a number of British Empire countries each of which issued a better license based on what he already had. Never had an accident.)

Statistically, elderly drivers aren't a problem on British roads. They are more careful than average and usually stop driving when health makes it obvious they should. Not always, there are a fair number of stubborn BFs about.

I guess most of us see examples of poor driving on every outing. Yesterday, in heavy slow moving traffic, I was overtaken on a blind corner by a gent of my age in a 4×4 and had to brake sharply as he pushed back in. He carved up another car before getting firmly stuck in the solid stream of traffic. Both manoeuvrers were dangerous and pointless. Eight miles later, with me still just behind, the fool pulled into his driveway. He had trouble getting his car through the gateposts, which reminded me at least 50% of the cars at my local supermarket are too big for British parking spaces…

I'm in favour of everybody having to retake the test every time the test changes. Be fun to see how well grandads cope with the latest theory and hazard recognition requirements! But the main advantage would be taking out the large number of over-confident incompetent men on the road. Of course everyone on the road is a dangerous clown. Apart from me…

Dave