Renewing licence photo (10 years)

[surveyor_101]

Other half got her renewal through for jan.

Said you can do it online if you have a passport, she has its 9 years old.

She did the online form and today a licence came with what looks like the same photo taken from her 9 year old passport.

Is she legal?

[speedking31]

Yes. But I thought the photo had to have been taken (for passport purposes) within the last 5 years Seems like a simple check to put in place.

[surveyor_101]

Not sure seems like a serious flaw as the photos look almost the same expect you can see a 2mm more torso in the new licence. valid till 2026!

This is what happens when the DVLA is in wales!

[Red Devil]

Er, forgive me, but I don't get the point of your second sentence. It's irrelevant to the OP's question about the DL. If the photo has already been accepted for the issue of a current passport (which has a 10 year life span), it's valid for the transfer to the DL. No ifs, no buts.

But given that you have brought it up it's one month,* not 5 years, for the passport photo. See page 16 here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

 * Quite how they can validate this for a first time application I have no idea!
    The counter-signatory is merely declaring it to be a true likeness.

[Slidingpillar]

Red Devil said:

But given that you have brought it up it's one month,* not 5 years, for the passport photo. See page 16 here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

Hmm, on that basis, I suspect 99% of renewals that use the passport picture are illegal. Quite reasonable to insist one uses that system on the first usage, but how many people have passport and photocards needing renewal at pretty much the same time?

Won't be the first time an official web site appears to make something a legal requirement when it's not

[speedking31]

Red Devil said:

Er, forgive me, but I don't get the point of your second sentence. It's irrelevant to the OP's question about the DL. If the photo has already been accepted for the issue of a current passport (which has a 10 year life span), it's valid for the transfer to the DL. No ifs, no buts.

But given that you have brought it up it's one month,* not 5 years, for the passport photo. See page 16 here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

 * Quite how they can validate this for a first time application I have no idea!
    The counter-signatory is merely declaring it to be a true likeness.

You misunderstood. I'm sure that in the early days that you could only use your passport photo for your driving licence if it was less than a certain age, IIRC 5 years. In the OPs case the photo will be 19 years old when the licence next expires. That seems a long time and negates the validity of the photo id element.

[shovelheadrob]

I did mine using my passport last year, can't remember the date when the photo was taken but I look younger in the more recent licence pic, although a bit blurry by the time they have scanned/resized or what ever digital magic they perform on it!

[Slidingpillar]

Actually, and I apologise for not posting earlier, those are the rules for passport photos. Some of the rules could, and evidently are, different for driving licence photos. As I renewed my passport last year, and need a new photocard from April 2021, I'll have a go, in a few years!

[speedking31]

Not just me.

This website under "Renewing Your Driving Licence". May well be out of date now by the looks of it.

[_dobbo_]

surveyor_101 said:

Not sure seems like a serious flaw as the photos look almost the same expect you can see a 2mm more torso in the new licence. valid till 2026!

This is what happens when the DVLA is in wales!

Sorry, you used a simple renewal process, got a new license with no hassle, and have decided that this process is seriously flawed because the DVLA is in Wales? WTF?

[Red Devil]

speedking31 said:

Not just me.

This website under "Renewing Your Driving Licence". May well be out of date now by the looks of it.

It refers in several places throughout to the paper counterpart which was abolished on 8th June 2015. That's the problem with technology. It isn't yet clever enough to recognise when something needs changing. It still needs human intervention.

speedking31 said:

You misunderstood. I'm sure that in the early days that you could only use your passport photo for your driving licence if it was less than a certain age, IIRC 5 years. In the OPs case the photo will be 19 years old when the licence next expires. That seems a long time and negates the validity of the photo id element.

Ah, ISWYM, my apologies. Yes, you're correct, that particular requirement still holds. For online DL renewal applications the issue date of the passport can't be more than 5 years ago.

[zombeh]

Red Devil said:

 * Quite how they can validate this for a first time application I have no idea!
    The counter-signatory is merely declaring it to be a true likeness.

All first passport applications get an interview these days, I assume "is it the person in the photo and does it appear to be a recent one?" is on their list of things they are supposed to check whilst confirming that you know where you said you live and how you got to the interview from there.

[julianc]

surveyor_101 said:

Not sure seems like a serious flaw as the photos look almost the same expect you can see a 2mm more torso in the new licence. valid till 2026!

This is what happens when the DVLA is in wales!

Careful - I might be offended by this, but you didn't mention sheep as well, so that's OK.

[Red Devil]

zombeh said:

All first passport applications get an interview these days

If so, that could be fun if you live somewhere remote. In one case I know of the nearest office is a 135 mile round trip and there is no public transport, so if you don't drive or know someone willing to give you a lift both ways you're stuffed. The nearest office which is accessible by public transport is a 200 mile round trip taking four and a half hours each way. The snag is that you can't do both directions on the same day, so an evening meal plus an overnight hotel/b&b have to be factored in. You won't get much change out of £100 which makes it a very expensive chat.

[PAULJ5555]

surveyor_101 said:

Not sure seems like a serious flaw as the photos look almost the same expect you can see a 2mm more torso in the new licence. valid till 2026!

This is what happens when the DVLA is in wales!

Racism eh!!!