Renewing driving licence photo - medical short-term licence

[TankRizzo]

Hi guys,

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have a 3-year short-term driving licence which I have to renew every three years.
I last renewed in 2007 and on the back of my photocard licence, my entitlement for my driving groups expires 14/11/10, so no problem there.

However, I've noticed today on closer inspection that date 4b on my photocard, "Licence valid to", expired on 04/07/09 so effectively I have been illegally licensed for a fair few months now. I'm presuming this is for the photo as I passed my test in 1996 and remember getting my new photocard licence in 1999.

Looking at the DVLA website section for renewing your photo, here, they state:

"In most circumstances, you’ll need to renew the photo on your driving licence before it expires, as the photo’s only valid for 10 years. If you’re a short period licence holder (over 70 or medical short period) you’ll only need to renew your photo when your driving entitlement expires."

So I presume I can just wait until next November to change the photo when I renew my entitlement.

However, is this expired date going to cause me a problem if I get pulled over and show the copper my licence? What date do you guys look at on a licence?

[dirty doug]

I'm in the same medical group as yourself (renew licence every 3 years/new photo every 10) & I'm very surprised you didn't get a reminder from the DVLA . Are you sure you haven't just mislaid/forgot the reminder? Because you could be in deep do-do if you were stopped

[TankRizzo]

dirty doug said:

I'm in the same medical group as yourself (renew licence every 3 years/new photo every 10) & I'm very surprised you didn't get a reminder from the DVLA . Are you sure you haven't just mislaid/forgot the reminder? Because you could be in deep do-do if you were stopped

No, no reminder for the photo. I only noticed it by chance the other day; I always get a 3-year renewal for medical so I wasn't even going to start thinking about it until next year - and I always get a reminder for that.

As far as I can see I'm still entitled to drive, as my entitlement runs until next year.

Edited by TankRizzo on Wednesday 2nd December 11:24

[dirty doug]

TankRizzo said:

dirty doug said:

I'm in the same medical group as yourself (renew licence every 3 years/new photo every 10) & I'm very surprised you didn't get a reminder from the DVLA . Are you sure you haven't just mislaid/forgot the reminder? Because you could be in deep do-do if you were stopped

No, no reminder for the photo. I only noticed it by chance the other day; I always get a 3-year renewal for medical so I wasn't even going to start thinking about it until next year - and I always get a reminder for that.

As far as I can see I'm still entitled to drive, as my entitlement runs until next year.

Edited by TankRizzo on Wednesday 2nd December 11:24

In that case I would hedge your bets & claim to have lost it & re-apply for it forthwith, I would say your licence is expired with obvious consequences.

[TankRizzo]

dirty doug said:

TankRizzo said:

dirty doug said:

I'm in the same medical group as yourself (renew licence every 3 years/new photo every 10) & I'm very surprised you didn't get a reminder from the DVLA . Are you sure you haven't just mislaid/forgot the reminder? Because you could be in deep do-do if you were stopped

No, no reminder for the photo. I only noticed it by chance the other day; I always get a 3-year renewal for medical so I wasn't even going to start thinking about it until next year - and I always get a reminder for that.

As far as I can see I'm still entitled to drive, as my entitlement runs until next year.

Edited by TankRizzo on Wednesday 2nd December 11:24

In that case I would hedge your bets & claim to have lost it & re-apply for it forthwith, I would say your licence is expired with obvious consequences.

Why would I pretend to have lost my licence? I'm either ok to drive or I'm not - if not then I'll have to get it renewed.

It's just that that DVLA page says I should be ok.

[dirty doug]

TankRizzo said:

Hi guys,

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have a 3-year short-term driving licence which I have to renew every three years.
I last renewed in 2007 and on the back of my photocard licence, my entitlement for my driving groups expires 14/11/10, so no problem there.

However, I've noticed today on closer inspection that date 4b on my photocard, "Licence valid to", expired on 04/07/09 so effectively I have been illegally licensed for a fair few months now. I'm presuming this is for the photo as I passed my test in 1996 and remember getting my new photocard licence in 1999.

Looking at the DVLA website section for renewing your photo, here, they state:

"In most circumstances, you’ll need to renew the photo on your driving licence before it expires, as the photo’s only valid for 10 years. If you’re a short period licence holder (over 70 or medical short period) you’ll only need to renew your photo when your driving entitlement expires."

So I presume I can just wait until next November to change the photo when I renew my entitlement.

However, is this expired date going to cause me a problem if I get pulled over and show the copper my licence? What date do you guys look at on a licence?

I think the problem is that originally your licence was valid for longer i.e. 'driving groups expires 14/11/10' but then it's been curtailed to 3 years i.e. 'expired on 04/07/09'. If I was you I would take the 04/07/09 date as the time your licence expired. The expiry date on mine is the same so it's the only explanation I can think of. I would get it renewed on the 'qt' if you can.

[daimatt]

I'm in the exact same medical boat and had my photo expire 1 year before my 3 years were up. No reminder but as there had been alot of talk on the internet about the photo I checked and sent mine off with a new photo. I did think the DVLA would use their nouse to do a medical check at the same time but no, I received a licence with one year on it that I will be sending off this week to be renewed again.
I called the DVLA and they were helpful about what to do to renew the photo when you don't get a reminder

[TankRizzo]

dirty doug said:

I think the problem is that originally your licence was valid for longer i.e. 'driving groups expires 14/11/10' but then it's been curtailed to 3 years i.e. 'expired on 04/07/09'. If I was you I would take the 04/07/09 date as the time your licence expired. The expiry date on mine is the same so it's the only explanation I can think of. I would get it renewed on the 'qt' if you can.

Ah I see. I don't think that's it, however, as the date of issue of my licence is 15/11/07. That tallies with 3 years until the expiry of my entitlement on 14/11/10. So it's definitely the photo expiry rather than the entitlement expiry.

I would presume that the police are more concerned with the entitlement date rather than the photo date. I suppose I should ring the DVLA and ask them though.

[TankRizzo]

OK I just rang the DVLA. Amusingly they couldn't give me a definite answer as to if I need to change the photo or not. They said that as far as they are concerned, I am entitled to drive until next November and that's what any enquiry from the police would return from the DVLA. However, they said it would be up to the police if they stopped me whether they fined me up to £1000 for not keeping the photo up-to-date (I must say I haven't really changed much in 10 years anyway), and they don't have any official position on if I should update the photo or not - it's entirely up to me.

So clear as mud then.

[DaveL86]

TankRizzo said:

OK I just rang the DVLA. Amusingly they couldn't give me a definite answer as to if I need to change the photo or not. They said that as far as they are concerned, I am entitled to drive until next November and that's what any enquiry from the police would return from the DVLA. However, they said it would be up to the police if they stopped me whether they fined me up to £1000 for not keeping the photo up-to-date (I must say I haven't really changed much in 10 years anyway), and they don't have any official position on if I should update the photo or not - it's entirely up to me.

So clear as mud then.

Would be stupid not to update it then, better safe than sorry else you could come a cropper with "driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence" which afaik is 3-6 points and upto £1000 fine?

[Kevin VRs]

Silly as it may seem the DVLA answer is correct. Your driving licence is still valid, but your photo is not. This does not invalidate the licence but does leave you open to the fine 'option' should you fail to renew the photo. DVLA does not send out reminders for photo updates it is down to the individual.

[vonhosen]

Photo licence expired & no licence are separate offences.

If stopped by Police & your photo card has expired you are likely to be reported & as said it's up to £1000 fine.

[TankRizzo]

Thanks guys. I'll get it updated then.

[jhfozzy]

Kevin VRs said:

DVLA does not send out reminders for photo updates it is down to the individual.

I got a reminder from the DVLA to renew my photocard licence along with the renewal form.

I knew it expired 12/09 and the reminder arrived in October.

My new licence arrived in 5 days, but saying that, I didn't trust the post, I handed the application and fee straight into my local DVLA office.

[Cyberprog]

Just to chime in here, not on a short-term license just a standard until I'm 70 photocard holder. Mine expired last month or so, and I was sent a reminder about 30 days beforehand by the DVLA. So they do send them.