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Have i broken the law by accidentally lying on my provisional application?

I am terrified that i have accidentally broken the law. I made an honest mistake on my provisional driving licence application, it turns out i don't meet the minimum requirements of eyesight to drive and i thought i did, so i applied and then checked afterwards to now find out i do not, i have emailed the DVLA to explain my mistake but i am not sure what will happen. Any advice? This was around 2 hours after my application so i haven't received the licence or anything.
(edited 3 years ago)

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Original post by Anon_12341
I am terrified that i have accidentally broken the law. I made an honest mistake on my provisional driving licence application, it turns out i don't meet the minimum requirements of eyesight to drive and i thought i did, so i applied and then checked afterwards to now find out i do not, i have emailed the DVLA to explain my mistake but i am not sure what will happen. Any advice? This was around 2 hours after my application so i haven't received the licence or anything.

Do you wear glasses?
Reply 2
Original post by Muttley79
Do you wear glasses?

Yes and i still do not meet the requirements.
Original post by Anon_12341
I am terrified that i have accidentally broken the law. I made an honest mistake on my provisional driving licence application, it turns out i don't meet the minimum requirements of eyesight to drive and i thought i did, so i applied and then checked afterwards to now find out i do not, i have emailed the DVLA to explain my mistake but i am not sure what will happen. Any advice? This was around 2 hours after my application so i haven't received the licence or anything.

I'm confused. Surely you should know that you're sight impaired/have been declared as sight impaired by your opticians so how did you make this "mistake"?

If you mean you don't have glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision for driving then don't bother contacting them and just get some glasses?
Reply 4
Original post by Fermion.
I'm confused. Surely you should know that you're sight impaired/have been declared as sight impaired by your opticians so how did you make this "mistake"?


I thought my sight was good enough to meet this requirement but having actually done the test for myself i i ha found that i am wrong
Original post by Anon_12341
I thought my sight was good enough to meet this requirement but having actually done the test for myself i i ha found that i am wrong

You need to get to an optician asap!
Original post by Anon_12341
I thought my sight was good enough to meet this requirement but having actually done the test for myself i i ha found that i am wrong

What do you mean? What test? You can't test this yourself unless your instructor did a test at the start of your drivers test or your optician has declared to you that you're prohibited from driving.

If you mean you need glasses and contact lenses then just get some.
Reply 7
Original post by Muttley79
You need to get to an optician asap!

Sure, but more importantly have i done something illeagal or will they understand and simply reject my application as i have came forward with this information?
Reply 8
Original post by Fermion.
What do you mean? What test? You can't test this yourself unless your instructor did a test at the start of your drivers test or your optician has declared to you that you're prohibited from driving.

If you mean you need glasses andc lenses then just get some.

The standard guidance for driving in the UK is reading a number plate from a certain distance, which i have found out i cannot do. With or without glasses
Original post by Anon_12341
Sure, but more importantly have i done something illeagal or will they understand and simply reject my application as i have came forward with this information?

I think you need to check again - it's a pretty lax requirement and I don't see how you are coping with such bad eyesight.
Original post by Anon_12341
The standard guidance for driving in the UK is reading a number plate from a certain distance, which i have found out i cannot do. With or without glasses

So you wear glasses already? Perhaps your prescription has just changed, which doesn't necessarily mean you are prohibited from driving. You need to see an opticians as soon as possible. You've already done your part in contacting the DVLA.

Most importantly, how are you getting away with day to day life with such bad eyesight?
Reply 11
Original post by Muttley79
I think you need to check again - it's a pretty lax requirement and I don't see how you are coping with such bad eyesight

I'm aware of my eyesight issues but i am not statemented or registered, although i appreciate the concern i am specifically worried about the leagality of this situation
Reply 12
Original post by Fermion.
So you wear glasses already? Perhaps your prescription has just changed, which doesn't necessarily mean you are prohibited from driving. You need to see an opticians as soon as possible. You've already done your part in contacting the DVLA.

Most importantly, how are you getting away with day to day life with such bad eyesight?

As said just below, i am aware of my eyesight issues they are just not registered, i i specifically worried that by accidentally lying on the application, I have broken the law.
Original post by Anon_12341
As said just below, i am aware of my eyesight issues they are just not registered, i i specifically worried that by accidentally lying on the application, I have broken the law.

If you're aware of your eyesight issues your first action should've been going to the opticians and finding out if you are allowed to drive and perhaps getting up to date spectacles.

You've contacted the DVLA so that's that. You wouldn't be breaking the law unless you started to drive with your current eye issues. Nothing more can be done now. If you go the opticians you can get this sorted.
Reply 14
Original post by Fermion.
If you're aware of your eyesight issues your first action should've been going to the opticians and finding out if you are allowed to drive and perhaps getting up to date spectacles.

You've contacted the DVLA so that's that. You wouldn't be breaking the law unless you started to drive with your current eye issues. Nothing more can be done now. If you go the opticians you can get this sorted.

I really appreciate the replies, my vision isn't correctable beyond a certain point, but i wasn't aware it was below the driving requirement until after today, i hope you're right regarding the legal side.
Original post by Anon_12341
I really appreciate the replies, my vision isn't correctable beyond a certain point, but i wasn't aware it was below the driving requirement until after today, i hope you're right regarding the legal side.

The DLVA will be in contact with you with their decision on your application.
Reply 16
Original post by Fermion.
The DLVA will be in contact with you with their decision on your application.

And just to confirm, if this is a rejection i i wi not be in any legal trouble for not declaring this on my application?
Original post by Anon_12341
I really appreciate the replies, my vision isn't correctable beyond a certain point, but i wasn't aware it was below the driving requirement until after today, i hope you're right regarding the legal side.

You haven't done anyThink illegal as long as you haven't been driving. They will just reject your application. Calm down.
Reply 18
Original post by emilina
You haven't done anyThink illegal as long as you haven't been driving. They will just reject your application. Calm down.

I hope this is the case and thankyou for the information, it's just that it is technically a criminal offence to lie on the application even though this was unintentional
Original post by Anon_12341
I hope this is the case and thankyou for the information, it's just that it is technically a criminal offence to lie on the application even though this was unintentional

Yea it is a criminal offence if you had knowingly lied on the application, and then driven around under false pretences. It isn't illegal to make a mistake on a form, which you informed them of almost immediately. You aren't going to get arrested for filling in the form wrong :rolleyes:

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