How long did it take to get your provisional licence?

I found a very similar thread about this but since it's from 2006, I thought I'd check about more recently acquired licences.

If you have recently received your provisional licence, how long did it take?

I wanted to go visit a friend in Sweden next month so I'll need my passport, but since I have to send it away (argh) I can't make any plans until it's back. Just wondering if anyone can give me an estimate on how long that might be.

Also, stupid question I'm sure but, do I just apply for a first provisional licence since American licences aren't exchanged like EEA ones? Or do I still tick the box to "exchange a non-UK licence for a British one" because they say to exchange a licence you must send in your old one and that they won't return it, I really don't want to do this.

I wanted to go visit a friend in Sweden next month so I'll need my passport

I wouldn't send your passport now if you plan on needing it in October.  Sometimes DVLA will get documents back quickly, but sometimes you'll wait 6 to 8 weeks or more.  (And sometimes they'll lose them and you'll never get them back!)

Also, stupid question I'm sure but, do I just apply for a first provisional licence since American licences aren't exchanged like EEA ones? Or do I still tick the box to "exchange a non-UK licence for a British one" because they say to exchange a licence you must send in your old one and that they won't return it, I really don't want to do this.

Just apply for a first provisional the same as any British learner.  The exchange option is only for licenses which can be swapped without taking the test.  Do not under any circumstances send them your U.S. license for any reason whatsoever: If you do, there's a good chance you'll never see it again.

Mine took less than a week, and I had my passport back in four days.

And sometimes they'll lose them and you'll never get them back!

Thanks Paul! I hate sending my passport away, you really don't know if you'll ever see it again! I think I might just wait a while since I can still drive and practice on my US licence, I still have plenty of time on my 12 months.

Wow! That's incredibly fast historyenne! I think I might hold off for a little while but that is very positive news Of course now saying that it'll probably take mine about 8 weeks lol

I had about the same turnaround as historyenne.  I had my passport back within 7 working days at the most.

The post office at which I applied for my provisional licence did a service called something like "check and send" --- ?? I may have got that wrong but it's something like that. What they do is just look at your passport and personally verify that you are you, signing off on the application, then sending only your application through.

This way I didn't need to part with any of my personal documents including my passport. They hand it all back to you there and then, after verifying. After that, I got my provisional licence sent to me in about two weeks.

Someone might want to add to this information (or give the correct name of this procedure).

EDIT:

Yep, it's called Check and Send, a counter service for a small additional fee ( a few pounds).

Not all branches do this; a small branch in a local shop nearest me did not, so I had to go to a main post office further afield.

They can hand your passport back to you right there if it's digital, non-digital still have to be sent away with the application, according to this:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jsessionid=AF3N20V22WULOFB2IGVUNZQUHRA0UQ2K?catId=19100187&mediaId=105000821

Midnight blue, check and send isn't an option if you don't have UK or EU citizenship.

As far as I am aware, check and send isn't available to those of us with US passports.

x-posted with springhaze

Where is your passport from Midnight Blue? Mine is a digital US one and I would love to use check and send to avoid sending my passport away, but like springhaze and meg I was under the impression that you could only do that with a digital British passport.

Where is your passport from Midnight Blue? Mine is a digital US one and I would love to use check and send to avoid sending my passport away, but like springhaze and meg I was under the impression that you could only do that with a digital British passport.

Midnight Blue is British, so that's why she was able to use the check and send service

Dang! I figured she probably was but I was hoping

I just did mine in August and it took a week for mine to get back.  I sent it in a Priority Overnight envelope and I included a pre-paid Priority Overnight envelope for the return.  Was very fast! 

When things go right, sometimes DVLA can surprise you and get documents back very quickly.  But when they screw up......   Well, better be patient!     

Midnight blue, check and send isn't an option if you don't have UK or EU citizenship.

I just now saw these latest posts -- wow I did not know that! 

That seems kind of unfair; I'm sorry this is not available for US passport holders -- that pretty much sucks. I see that ancmc used a priority overnight service there and back; this looks like the best option.

Sorry, you guys, that I didn't know this service is only for UK and EU passports;   that's a shame, as it would help out those who need to keep travel plans.