Renewing My Driving Licence

[JinnyJoan]

This is up next month but I can't do it online so got the form from the Post Office and have filled it in and when I get new photo will post it.

However at the very end of the form it wants someone to certify on the back of the photo that I am who I am but it is looking for a person with a Profession.  I was just going to ask my friend who is retired but just to put Housewife - will that pass.

[bednobs]

if they want a professional, put retired *whatever her profession was*

[TheWinner]

it means they have to be "in" a profession, or be a "retired" professional, like Fred Bloggs, Police Officer, or Freda Bloggs, Headteacher (retired). 

[TheWinner]

p.s. you could get it signed by your Doctor. 

[ladybirder]

I did that, got charged though.  About £20 I think.

[New Judge]

My doctor's practice refuses to countersign passports or driving licences. They used to charge for it (£15 I think when they stopped about 15 years ago) and were told they could not, so they stopped entirely.

They will provide certification for travel insurance claims, for which they charge between £25 and £100, depending on what intricacies the certification demands. 

[TheWinner]

Most of us know someone who has had a professional career, but Petunia, my next door neighbour (or friend), who's a housewife, won't do.

[barry1010]

Do you know a priest or vicar?

[Canary42]

Our local P O offers a verification signature service for passports, I don't know about driving licences.

[barry1010]

This has a list of who can sign 

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/having-your-photo-certified-driving-licence#:~:text=When%20making%20a%20first%20application,valid%20UK%20Biometric%20Residence%20Permit

[TheWinner]

that's a very good link barry1010.

[jno]

a retired teacher signed my passport application. Anyone respectable-sounding will probably be okay.

[davebro3]

Of course all "professionals" are completely honest and above reproach whereas "ordinary" folk aren't. 🙄

What a completely useless & anachronistic requirement. IMV

[1ozzy]

Surely a retired Catholic Priest is honest and above reproach Dave, ask any former alter boy

[JinnyJoan]

thanks for your answers

[Maydup]

From the guidance notes:

if none of the above are available, any other person employed in a position of responsibility can sign. 

so ask in the post office or local shop.

However if your appearance has not changed since you got your last driving licence - you can send in a passport type photograph without certification which means without a signature from an authorised person

[jourdain2]

Do you have a local authority voting card? Or a bus pass? You could just go to your Town Hall with your proof of identity/residence and they would then vouch for you.

We (a few of us in the village) have struggled to get a driving licence renewed for a chap who is a sheep farmer, has hit 70, and only has an old, paper licence.  He has no passport, no photo I.D. of any sort.  Eventually it got done by the things I mentioned above ..... if necessary several of us would have written a round-robin vouching for him.  The chap who eventually signed his photo was not a professional, but a well respected chap with his own ID in order.  Hope this helps.

[vulcan42]

I needed a new licence but didn't have to get a photograph validated. I went to a photo shop who having taken the picture gave me a code number to put on my form. They in turn sent a copy of the photograph also quoting the same code number.

[Hopkirk]

Maydup is correct. If your appearance hasn't changed significantly, then no signature is needed.