Ben2522
Member
Hi All. I wanted to write a post as I myself am due to finish my 40 month ban (reduced to 30 months from course, 2nd time in 8 years, long story) next week. The key thing I want to tall you right now is not to sit and stress about this entire process. I have read nearly every article in this website looking for answers and more answers. Its different for everyone so do the below and try and forget about it the rest of the time. Tough I know. No point in trawling google because most of the posts are way out of date. Like liver function test over CDT old.
Before my account of things:
The CDT, my understanding of this is that it detects the enzymes in your liver that break down alcohol. You will pass this is you don't get smashed repeatedly for the 12 weeks before you blood test. Drinking is not an issue but stick below the guidelines, or don't drink like me. It depends on how important getting your licence back is to you. Must be quite important if you reading this. 8-12 weeks and you will be safe from EVERYTHING you have consumed.
My timeline and advise from 2018 (I wouldn't read any of the others as mine is based on the questions I had and all the other threads combined here)
I should have a decision in the next 48 hours and back on the road next Friday. I will update once I get the answer. Hope this helps, the key thing is to stop over thinking and stressing. You will either get your licence back or you wont. Dont pin your hopes on it. Lastly I haven't spellchecked and dont plan to.
Good luck.
Before my account of things:
The CDT, my understanding of this is that it detects the enzymes in your liver that break down alcohol. You will pass this is you don't get smashed repeatedly for the 12 weeks before you blood test. Drinking is not an issue but stick below the guidelines, or don't drink like me. It depends on how important getting your licence back is to you. Must be quite important if you reading this. 8-12 weeks and you will be safe from EVERYTHING you have consumed.
My timeline and advise from 2018 (I wouldn't read any of the others as mine is based on the questions I had and all the other threads combined here)
- Do your course if given it, the course will send all info over to dvla so don't worry on this. You can check your licence online at https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
- Receive your letter from the DVLA stating that you need a medical (if you have moved since like me, you need to get the normal forms from the dvla website. The D1 for car and D2 for HGV
- Send off application and make sure you send a photo regardless and any changes of address all on the one form and enclose the £90 fee, I did this as a postal order and it cleared in 4 days. Cheque is apparently a long route. Do not send cash. Look on the back of your application form because there are different post codes for different departments.
- Ring the DVLA about 1-2 weeks later and go through to the medical department. From the phone. option 2 then 1, then 2 and you will join the call que.. The reason for this is so you dont have to wait for the post. They will fax your info to your appointed DVLA doctor for you and it will arrive on the same day. Otherwise you will be waiting 2 weeks for post and then 4 additional days as stated on the document for the DVLA doctor to receive theirs.
- Call the appointed doctor constantly until they scan your information onto there system. It took mine 2 days because they were "busy".
- Once your info is scanned on they will allow you to book the appointment and not before. You have 6 weeks to get this booked and attended or you have to do it all again and possibly even pay the £90 again.
- I didnt drink from 25th December until my medical on the 27th Feb 2018 , I am generally an all out drinker once every 2 weeks. Like a 12-14 hour sesh on a Friday and then nothing for 2 weeks. I arrived 15 minutes early for my appointment and got called in by the doctor, nice bloke really chilled out and didn't seem that judgey. I was also chilled out, nervs might raise some suspicion so get rid of them. The first thing he said was "im only here to do what the DVLA want, I dont have any other information about you, this wont take long its mainly filling out questions". I answered no to all the questions and said that my relationship with alcohol had changed since this incident and that I rarely drink. I said I had 4 cans of fosters over a 6 hour period on the 25th and nothing since. (i was out for 2 days on the Christmas sesh.) I then got asked to sit on the bed and he took my blood pressure, heart, breathing and felt my stomach area. They took my bloods and that's it. They get send off the same day. The CDT has to be done within 4 days to get accurate results so its in the DVLA's interest to rush this through.
- Medical was on the Tuesday 27th. The DVLA were closed on the Thursday and Friday because of the snow so I called on Monday and all my results had come in just not the paperwork. I got the doctors to send the paperwork through fax (always do fax) By Tuesday afternoon they had scanned my info on the system and gave me my result over the phone. I asked what percentage and they said there is no percentage however there is a value her of ...0.9. Boom in in the green. You want to aim for under 1% because this indicates you dont or rarely drink and that means no misuse. You do have up to 2.1% to be in the green zone. Anything above that up to 3% and they will look closer at you. 3%+ is a straight refusal.
- I then asked whats next and they said that it will now be sent for a decision and is with the team already 7th March. I asked are there any other actions like contacting my doctor etc and he said "no nothing like that" This was today.
I should have a decision in the next 48 hours and back on the road next Friday. I will update once I get the answer. Hope this helps, the key thing is to stop over thinking and stressing. You will either get your licence back or you wont. Dont pin your hopes on it. Lastly I haven't spellchecked and dont plan to.
Good luck.