Last month I sent my driving licence to the DVLA for renewal, enclosing a D4 medical examination report which was valid at the time but due to the delay has now expired. The medical examination was carried out by a firm that specialises in medical examinations for drivers, by a doctor who does many hundred such examinations every year. I sent the application by Special Delivery, and it was signed for the following morning.

The application has been returned saying that a non-mandatory field was not filled in, I must ask the doctor to fill it in and countersign the form.

The fields in question concern blood pressure readings, Section g2 which reads: "please provide three previous [blood pressure] readings if available." They were and are not available, so as in the past the fields were left blank. The reading at the time was well within the window of what is considered normal.

One of my concerns is that when I return the form to them it will have expired, even though they first received it well within its validity. Having a fresh medical examination is not a viable option because both it will be expensive and because it will probably not be possible to get an appointment before the licence expires, at which point I would have lost the right to drive the classes concerned and would have to submit a completely new application for the licence.

Another concern is that previous readings are not available - the form says explicitly "if available".

My instinct is to return the application as it stands with a very firmly worded (but not abusive) letter pointing out that returning the application was out of order since there was no obligation to have the field filled in (and that it was not possible).

What is your opinion, where do I stand, what would you advise me to do?