Hundreds of drivers are still waiting on licence renewals – three months after applying by post, new DVLA figures show.
Pensioners are waiting 12 weeks for updates to their licences due to ongoing Covid delays exacerbated by strike action.
It is mandatory for over-70s to renew their driving licence every three years.
However, a backlog that began at the height of the pandemic means many retired drivers have been left without valid documents.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has apologised for the disruption which it blames on Covid and social distancing at its main office in Swansea, Wales.
The wait applies to all postal applications – including those who have been disqualified or had their licences revoked.
There is a similar delay for licences with new photos, which are required every 10 years.
Those requesting a new licence because they have changed their name or address are waiting nine weeks, and the wait for a first provisional driving licence is 10 and a half weeks.
Overall, the DVLA had a backlog of more than 400,000 paper licence applications last year.
A statement online says it is sorry for any inconvenience and staff are "working hard to reduce waiting times".
The website added: "There may be additional delays in processing more complex cases, for example, if medical investigations are needed as part of your driving licence application."
A spokesman said: "We handle millions of transactions every year and there are no delays with our online services, which have been working as normal throughout the pandemic and we encourage customers to use these where possible."
It is understood that there are currently no delays for those looking to renew their driving licence online.
Most motorists waiting for their applications to be processed are still allowed to drive.
But there are certain situations where you can’t, including if your doctor says you can’t drive and if the DVLA hasn’t received your application within the last 12 months.
Driving licences aren't the only delays motorists are facing right now.
The Mirror reported how learner drivers looking to take their practical test are facing five month delays due to a backlog after lockdown.
Test centres are experiencing “extremely high demand” for bookings due to a backlog of learners who haven’t been able to get a slot following the coronavirus crisis.
Driving tests had to be suspended in January last year because of the third lockdown and didn’t restart until April at the earliest.
