Send in passport for provisional or not?

So I got a little paranoid reading about people losing their passports in the post.  If I understand this application for provisional licence correctly, I can have a shopkeeper or someone else sign my photograph for my provisional licence, rather than mailing in my passport? 

Oh crap, the app says I have to have known them for 2 years.  So, is my only option to send my official passport in with my application?

My husband had to send his passport in last year, there was no way around it.  Also you will probably need to go to the DVLA to get it signed off because no one will have known you for 2 years.

The process might have changed since last summer though.

My husband had to send his passport in last year, there was no way around it.  Also you will probably need to go to the DVLA to get it signed off because no one will have known you for 2 years.

The process might have changed since last summer though.

So you have to mail in the application, but you still have to go to the office to have someone verify your identity?  This stuff confuses me... 

So you have to mail in the application, but you still have to go to the office to have someone verify your identity?  This stuff confuses me... 

We had to go in to the local DVLA office, get them to sign off the stuff and then they sent it away.  We didn't have the option of sending it ourselves although we included a Special Delivery envelope which they returned the passport in.

We had to go in to the local DVLA office, get them to sign off the stuff and then they sent it away.  We didn't have the option of sending it ourselves although we included a Special Delivery envelope which they returned the passport in.

OK.  I will check with the local office, then and see if the procedure is still the same.  Thanks for the info!

A person from Orkney on here just posted everything in- no need to go the nearest DMV, which from Orkney - it is Inverness, so an hour ferry ride and 3 hours by car- not close!

However, even if you don't need to have your picture signed, you still need to send your passport in- no way around that. 

A person from Orkney on here just posted everything in- no need to go the nearest DMV, which from Orkney - it is Inverness, so an hour ferry ride and 3 hours by car- not close!

I will never claim to live "in the middle of nowhere" again....