UK Driving liceence renewal - a warning!

[elanfan]

Firstly apologies if this is a repost or common knowledge - have to admit I did not realise!

Please be aware of the following information regarding photo card driving licences.


Motorists face £1,000 fines as thousands of photo card driving licences expire because they are unwittingly driving without a valid licence. They risk prosecution after failing to spot the extremely small print on their photo card licence which says it automatically expires after 10 years and has to be renewed, unlike the old paper ones - even though drivers are licensed to drive until the age of 70.

This issue has come to light a decade after the first batch of photo licences was issued in July 1998, just as the they start to expire.

Drivers will have to a pay £17.50 to renew their card.

Official DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired this summer, so far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding.

With another 300,000 photo card licences due to expire over the coming year, experts fear the number of invalid licences will soar, putting thousands more drivers in breach of the law and at risk of a fine.

At the heart of the confusion is the small print on the tiny credit-card-size photo licence. Just below the driver name on the front of the photo card licence is a series of dates and details - each one numbered. Number 4b features a date in tiny writing, but no explicit explanation as to what it means. The date's significance is only explained if the driver turns over the card and reads the key on the back which states that '4b' means 'licence valid to'.

Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with 'failing to surrender their licence', an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.

Suggest all those with photo card licences check their expiry dates!

A nice little earner for the gubberment then - 4500 drivers x £1000 fines = £4.5M 16000 drivers in 1998 alone x £17.50 renewals nearly £300K.

The motorist punished again!!

[CivicMan]

Always good to have a reminder.

[Hedders]

Bur think of all the benefits of the system. We no longer have uninsured and unlicensed drivers on our roads.

And with picture ID's etc, PCSO's in the future won't have to be able to read.

It's all progress...

[elanfan]

Shocking revalation that ... PCSO's can read!!

[off_again]

Likely to be the least of these peoples problems. Since they will have received a reminder notice to their registered address, they either have chosen to ignore it or it has gone to the wrong address. Therefore there is a bigger problem - i.e. not updating your registered address!

Still, its not an automatic fine process anyway. Chances are you can update this and not worry. As far as I am aware, its not big issue.

[bigTee]

but i like my photocard.


I have hair.

If I update that photo there will be no evidence of my ever having hair..

[Chairman LMAO]

bigTee said:

but i like my photocard.


I have hair.

If I update that photo there will be no evidence of my ever having hair..

[Hedders]

off_again said:

Likely to be the least of these peoples problems. Since they will have received a reminder notice to their registered address, they either have chosen to ignore it or it has gone to the wrong address. Therefore there is a bigger problem - i.e. not updating your registered address!

Still, its not an automatic fine process anyway. Chances are you can update this and not worry. As far as I am aware, its not big issue.

I forgot to update the address on my DL when i moved. I produced it with the wrong address four years after moving and nothing was said. I had to get the address updated to get points put on it recently though and they just said "You really should have done this when you moved".

[Buffalo]

Dunno - I still have my paper licence..! Bit tatty these days mind, and I never did claim my prize for 9 points... I think they've expired now :sigh:

[Hedders]

Buffalo said:

Dunno - I still have my paper licence..! Bit tatty these days mind, and I never did claim my prize for 9 points... I think they've expired now :sigh:

When and if you do get a photo license, make sure you keep the old paper one for trips abroad.

[Puff Puff]

Hedders said:

Buffalo said:

Dunno - I still have my paper licence..! Bit tatty these days mind, and I never did claim my prize for 9 points... I think they've expired now :sigh:

When and if you do get a photo license, make sure you keep the old paper one for trips abroad.

You can't, it's surrendered when you get a photo licence (at least mine had to be when I changed address and got a photo licence for the first time). However, all you need do is photocopy the paper part - in colour if you're smart.

[funkyrobot]

Hello. Slightly off topic but I still have my old paper licence that I was issued with in 1996.

Should I have changed this to a photocard one now??

Thanks all.

[Hedders]

Puff Puff said:

Hedders said:

Buffalo said:

Dunno - I still have my paper licence..! Bit tatty these days mind, and I never did claim my prize for 9 points... I think they've expired now :sigh:

When and if you do get a photo license, make sure you keep the old paper one for trips abroad.

You can't, it's surrendered when you get a photo licence (at least mine had to be when I changed address and got a photo licence for the first time). However, all you need do is photocopy the paper part - in colour if you're smart.

Oh, in that case, i don't still have mine :P

[Finlandia]

Puff Puff said:

Hedders said:

Buffalo said:

Dunno - I still have my paper licence..! Bit tatty these days mind, and I never did claim my prize for 9 points... I think they've expired now :sigh:

When and if you do get a photo license, make sure you keep the old paper one for trips abroad.

You can't, it's surrendered when you get a photo licence (at least mine had to be when I changed address and got a photo licence for the first time). However, all you need do is photocopy the paper part - in colour if you're smart.

Or say you've lost the old paper one

[Hedders]

funkyrobot said:

Hello. Slightly off topic but I still have my old paper licence that I was issued with in 1996.

Should I have changed this to a photocard one now??

Thanks all.

If you get a producer or some such, i am not sure they will accept your old paper license.

[lunarscope]

The licence does not expire when the photocard expires.
Therefore you can drive without a valid photocard and still be legal and insured.
There is a different offence for not producing a valid photocard.

[sleep envy]

CivicMan said:

Always good to have a weekly reminder.

EFA

[funkyrobot]

Hedders said:

funkyrobot said:

Hello. Slightly off topic but I still have my old paper licence that I was issued with in 1996.

Should I have changed this to a photocard one now??

Thanks all.

If you get a producer or some such, i am not sure they will accept your old paper license.

Just rang the DVLA and was told that if there is no reason to change the old licence, e.g. change of address etc, then the old paper format is still valid. This may change within the next 3 years though.

I was also informed that they should take the old licence in the case of a producer etc.

[Hub]

It is £17.50 to renew the licence, but free to change your address. I did both at the same time and they sent the cheque back - bonus! (but they didn't for my OH!)

[elanfan]

So I guess it's cheaper to move back with your parents for a few weeks and then move home again!

Not that I'm suggesting avoiding the fee of course!