Licence Renewal - Medical?

[emicen]

Last year I passed my ARDS and got my National B. I've collected enough signatures to upgrade to National A this year (havent renewed yet as I wasnt sure I was going to get a drive this year).

The renewal form appears to have a medical bit on it. I'm 29 and got a full medical last year, do I really have to get another one to renew this year?

[SWCRacing]

Unless its changed in the latest renewal notes, and so long as you are just having a national licence, you wont need a medical until you are 45 years old

[Tim Falce]

If you have a Nat B then it's hardly worth the expense of upgrading this year unless the races you want to do require a Nat A. As SWC says you wont need a medical until you are 45 unless you go for an international licence.

[emicen]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

If you have a Nat B then it's hardly worth the expense of upgrading this year unless the races you want to do require a Nat A. As SWC says you wont need a medical until you are 45 unless you go for an international licence.

I was figuring on might as well upgrade since I got the signatures required last year. Do they carry over so I could use them as and when required for upgrade?

It is a hefty mark-up when I probably wont need A spec right enough.

[Tim Falce]

I was more thinking upgrade at renewal time and save the extra £25 admin fee, or whatever it is now. You can use the signatures or race results for the upgrade.

[emicen]

Sorry, I havent made this one very clear.

When my licence expired at the end of last year, I hadnt gotten round to renewing it until this month when I got a drive lined up for September. So, I'm not paying mid season to upgrade, I'm applying for the upgrade as part of renewal for 2011.

Totally agree, absolutely no way I'd be paying an admin fee to upgrade mid season!

[MGDavid]

you can renew now at same level (unless the race you are planning to do requires a higher licence) and you can upgrade when you renew next January, the signatures are valid for a few years, up to to 5 I *think*.

But TBQH here is a thread of 7 posts and you don't have a definitive answer - surely you'd be better off to pick up the phone and call Colnbrook and get it from the horse's mouth?

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

But TBQH here is a thread of 7 posts and you don't have a definitive answer - surely you'd be better off to pick up the phone and call Colnbrook and get it from the horse's mouth?

He does have a definitive answer to his original question, SWC gave him that. All the rest is me going off at a tangent with no answer needed as emicen knows what he's doing on that front.

[emicen]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

He does have a definitive answer to his original question, SWC gave him that. All the rest is me going off at a tangent with no answer needed as emicen knows what he's doing on that front.

Indeed. Question answered and licence renewal got mailed out since I didn't require a medical.

Since it cost nothing by way of upgrade fee, I included my signatures and now have a National A at the printers. (Fair play to the MSA, their email updates are rather good)

Whilst I don't *need* a national A for the races having one sooner rather than later would mean I could consider becoming an instructor earlier so figured for an extra 20 off quid, might as well.