Forgot to renew photocard driving licence

[volvos60s60]

Hi

Looking for some advice.

Photocard licence expired in mid Dec 2022. I did receive a notice to renew but mistakenly assumed it was sent in error as the reverse side showed multiple categories expiring in 2030. I did not realise it has to be renewed every 10 years. There has been no change of address

In Feb I received a speeding notice, filled in the details & duly paid my £100 fine & expect to get 3 points for that.

I then had need at the weekend to check my licence online & realised to my horror that it really has expired & so I renewed it promptly online, 3 months & a few days after it expired.

Given the police will know it's expired, and maybe processed the speeding notice before I renewed online, what kind of action/points/fine can I expect?

Thanks

[Scrump]

I have no direct experience but doubt any action will be taken over the expired photo card.

[Bigends]

Your licence was still valid - only possible offence is failing to keep information up to date on your photocard licence

[Terminator X]

Perhaps o/t but I had my licence revoked by mistake and didn't find out for 5 years during which time I received various speeding fines etc and drove past many anpr camera's.

Ride it out imho and just say nowt.

TX.

[Kaelic]

Had a guy in my carrier that I had stopped for 54 in a 40 and PNC'd him, comms came back with all the standard info but not that his licence was expired, it had been expired over a year too.

Dealt with the speeding and just gave him a contact card and 30 days to get his licence updated with a new one, and email me proof, if not then he will get a visit.

[bongtom]

Kaelic said:

Had a guy in my carrier that I had stopped for 54 in a 40 and PNC'd him, comms came back with all the standard info but not that his licence was expired, it had been expired over a year too.

Dealt with the speeding and just gave him a contact card and 30 days to get his licence updated with a new one, and email me proof, if not then he will get a visit.

You wot mate?

[GasEngineer]

Terminator X said:

Perhaps o/t but I had my licence revoked by mistake and didn't find out for 5 years during which time I received various speeding fines etc and drove past many anpr camera's.

Ride it out imho and just say nowt.

TX.

.. are you sure your licence was revoked by mistake?

[vikingaero]

I don't think there will be any action.

About 6 years ago my Dad forgot to renew his licence. (3 yearly as he's over 70). He skidded on diesel on a roundabout and stuffed it into a bank. The Police attended, did the usual checks and claimed as he had no valid licence, he was therefore uninsured and issued a notice to prosecute. I renewed his licence online that same day for him.

I did my due diligence and attended Court with him. I printed out copies of his insurance policy for the magistrates and the prosecutor which stated that he was insured even with no valid licence. The wording was something along the lines of "... must hold a valid full UK driving licence or have held and not be disqualified, or prevented from holding or applying for a licence..." My argument was he did have a licence, he just forgot to renew it, he was not disqualified and not prevented from holding or applying for a licence as evidenced by renewing the licence the same day. It wasn't even case dismissed. The Police prosecution officer and the crown prosecutor stood up and withdrew the case.

[catso]

I've still got the old paper licence, often considered getting a new photo jobbie just for the convenience of an ID rather than my passport but, on balance I think I'm better to leave it so I don't fall foul of any rules.

[Terminator X]

GasEngineer said:

Terminator X said:

Perhaps o/t but I had my licence revoked by mistake and didn't find out for 5 years during which time I received various speeding fines etc and drove past many anpr camera's.

Ride it out imho and just say nowt.

TX.

.. are you sure your licence was revoked by mistake?

TX.

[volvos60s60]

Thanks all, some very useful and encouraging replies so far

[kerplunk]

Ditto mine ran out last March and I only realised when I tried to use it as photo ID at haringey car pound last month to spring my car from the pokey (stolen/recovered). Applied online straight away and it arrived about 5 days later. From what I read you're only ok to continue driving without a current DL if you've applied for a replacement.

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Edited by kerplunk on Tuesday 21st March 09:49

[Master Of Puppets]

kerplunk said:

Ditto mine ran out last March and I only realised when I tried to use it as photo ID at haringey car pound last month to spring my car from the pokey (stolen/recovered). Applied online straight away and it arrived about 5 days later. From what I read you're only ok to continue driving without a current DL if you've applied for a replacement.

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Edited by kerplunk on Tuesday 21st March 09:49

How do you take and transfer the new picture if doing it online?

[vikingaero]

Master Of Puppets said:

kerplunk said:

Ditto mine ran out last March and I only realised when I tried to use it as photo ID at haringey car pound last month to spring my car from the pokey (stolen/recovered). Applied online straight away and it arrived about 5 days later. From what I read you're only ok to continue driving without a current DL if you've applied for a replacement.

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Edited by kerplunk on Tuesday 21st March 09:49

How do you take and transfer the new picture if doing it online?

You can upload new selfie photo or if you applied for a new passport fairly recently, I think you can input your passport number, tick a box or two giving consent and they can take the photo from that.

[Cat]

The expiry date on shown at 4b on the front of your photocard has no bearing on your entitlement to drive. It relates to the "administrative validity period" of the photocard.

Your licence entitles you to drive until the "Valid to" date shown next to the category on the back of the photocard. For the majority of people this date will be the day before their 70th birthday for cars, vocational categories will have an earlier date.

If the valid to date has not been reached you do not commit an offence in terms of section 88 of the RTA - driving other than in accordance with a licence - even if the 4b expiry date has passed.

There is an offence under section 99 of the RTA of failing to surrender an expired photocard. This offence is commited where the photocard is not renewed by the 4b expiry date. I have never seen anyone reported for an expired photocard they are usually just advised to renew it.

Cat

[kerplunk]

vikingaero said:

Master Of Puppets said:

kerplunk said:

Ditto mine ran out last March and I only realised when I tried to use it as photo ID at haringey car pound last month to spring my car from the pokey (stolen/recovered). Applied online straight away and it arrived about 5 days later. From what I read you're only ok to continue driving without a current DL if you've applied for a replacement.

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Edited by kerplunk on Tuesday 21st March 09:49

How do you take and transfer the new picture if doing it online?

You can upload new selfie photo or if you applied for a new passport fairly recently, I think you can input your passport number, tick a box or two giving consent and they can take the photo from that.

Yes - I did the latter

[Pica-Pica]

vikingaero said:

Master Of Puppets said:

kerplunk said:

Ditto mine ran out last March and I only realised when I tried to use it as photo ID at haringey car pound last month to spring my car from the pokey (stolen/recovered). Applied online straight away and it arrived about 5 days later. From what I read you're only ok to continue driving without a current DL if you've applied for a replacement.

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Edited by kerplunk on Tuesday 21st March 09:49

How do you take and transfer the new picture if doing it online?

You can upload new selfie photo or if you applied for a new passport fairly recently, I think you can input your passport number, tick a box or two giving consent and they can take the photo from that.

To clarify: if you have a valid passport, they use that image from the passport office (or whatever it is called). Passports are valid for 10 years only, so for the DVLA that passport photo is up-to-date enough.

[MustangGT]

Pica-Pica said:

To clarify: if you have a valid passport, they use that image from the passport office (or whatever it is called). Passports are valid for 10 years only, so for the DVLA that passport photo is up-to-date enough.

Not quite, there is a time limit the photo is acceptable, it may be 6 months only.

[BertBert]

kerplunk said:

I foolishly mentioned it to my insurer which caused me a lot of anxiety that they would cancel my insurance/claim but nothing came of it and the claim has been settled

Just wondering what your logic was in deciding to do that?

[Pica-Pica]

MustangGT said:

Pica-Pica said:

To clarify: if you have a valid passport, they use that image from the passport office (or whatever it is called). Passports are valid for 10 years only, so for the DVLA that passport photo is up-to-date enough.

Not quite, there is a time limit the photo is acceptable, it may be 6 months only.

Wrong. My Driving licence expired in Feb 2021. I renewed that driving licence using a passport that expired later that year.