Driving with an expired licence

[GasEngineer]

Can you drive with an expired driving licence if the online renewal application was made a few days after the licence expired?

There seem to be conflicting information on this. One source says that you must have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence before your old licence expired. Others say as long as DVLA has received the renewal application it is OK to drive.

It might take 3 weeks to receive the new licence.

Can anybody say for sure please?

[megaphone]

FYI When I applied for a new photo licence online , it arrived within a few days.

[MustangGT]

GasEngineer said:

Can you drive with an expired driving licence if the online renewal application was made a few days after the licence expired?

There seem to be conflicting information on this. One source says that you must have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence before your old licence expired. Others say as long as DVLA has received the renewal application it is OK to drive.

It might take 3 weeks to receive the new licence.

Can anybody say for sure please?

Are you talking about your photo card licence, or your actual driving entitlements have expired (through age or similar)?

[paul_c123]

Out of date photo - yes
Gone past dates on reverse of licence (for different classes of vehicle) - no

[stef1808]

paul_c123 said:

Gone past dates on reverse of licence (for different classes of vehicle) - no

Where does it say that?

[E-bmw]

stef1808 said:

paul_c123 said:

Gone past dates on reverse of licence (for different classes of vehicle) - no

Where does it say that?

Wel..... it...... would .......say ....... that ....... on .....the ....... reverse ....... of ......the ..... licence......... Just sayin'.

[paul_c123]

stef1808 said:

Where does it say that?

Where does it say what?

[LosingGrip]

GasEngineer said:

Can you drive with an expired driving licence if the online renewal application was made a few days after the licence expired?

There seem to be conflicting information on this. One source says that you must have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence before your old licence expired. Others say as long as DVLA has received the renewal application it is OK to drive.

It might take 3 weeks to receive the new licence.

Can anybody say for sure please?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64edcf3a13ae1500116e2f5d/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf

Section 88 may apply if you meet the criteria on page two.

[stef1808]

E-bmw said:

Wel..... it...... would .......say ....... that ....... on .....the ....... reverse ....... of ......the ..... licence......... Just sayin'.

Read the post. Just sayin…

[Sebring440]

GasEngineer said:

Can you drive with an expired driving licence if the online renewal application was made a few days after the licence expired?

MustangGT said:

Are you talking about your photo card licence, or your actual driving entitlements have expired (through age or similar)?

Mustang asks a pertinent question. You are 70 years old and, as you've stated, your driving licence has expired.

Or has your photocard expired? Which has got nothing to do with your licence expiring.

What is it?

[Pica-Pica]

As far as I understand it. If you have applied to renew a licence, and there no impediments (eg. medical limitations), then under Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988, you are entitled to drive. Read The Act to be sure.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
This will be a regular occurrence every 3 years after 70, or if on a 3 year medical restricted licence.
It once took months for my renewal to come through.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Sunday 27th April 23:41

[ambuletz]

Over a decade ago I renewed my license using the online service where they take your photo off your british passport. It arrived well within 7 days. I was gobsmacked.

[GasEngineer]

Sebring440 said:

GasEngineer said:

Can you drive with an expired driving licence if the online renewal application was made a few days after the licence expired?

MustangGT said:

Are you talking about your photo card licence, or your actual driving entitlements have expired (through age or similar)?

Mustang asks a pertinent question. You are 70 years old and, as you've stated, your driving licence has expired.

Or has your photocard expired? Which has got nothing to do with your licence expiring.

What is it?

It's the photocard that has expired. I (obviously wrongly) thought that was the licence.

[GasEngineer]

Pica-Pica said:

As far as I understand it. If you have applied to renew a licence, and there no impediments (eg. medical limitations), then under Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988, you are entitled to drive. Read The Act to be sure.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
This will be a regular occurrence every 3 years after 70, or if on a 3 year medical restricted licence.
It once took months for my renewal to come through.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Sunday 27th April 23:41

Thanks. Yes I have read that document.

It says that you can drive if your licence expires while DVLA are processing the new one, but doesn't make it clear if that applies when the licence has expired before you apply. Hence my OP.

[E-bmw]

GasEngineer said:

Pica-Pica said:

As far as I understand it. If you have applied to renew a licence, and there no impediments (eg. medical limitations), then under Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988, you are entitled to drive. Read The Act to be sure.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
This will be a regular occurrence every 3 years after 70, or if on a 3 year medical restricted licence.
It once took months for my renewal to come through.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Sunday 27th April 23:41

Thanks. Yes I have read that document.

It says that you can drive if your licence expires while DVLA are processing the new one, but doesn't make it clear if that applies when the licence has expired before you apply. Hence my OP.

Are they processing your new licence? - Yes.

Your licence didn't expire, they just want an up-to-date pic on your licence.

You are good.

[handpaper]

Somewhere on a driving licence application form used to be the wording "you may drive without a licence if you have previously held one and are not prohibited from driving"

Used it to beat a charge of "driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence", about thirty years ago...

[GasEngineer]

E-bmw said:

Are they processing your new licence? - Yes.

Your licence didn't expire, they just want an up-to-date pic on your licence.

You are good.

Thanks. Do you have a link to where it unequivocally says that. As I said in the OP there is conficting information and one of the links I have seen says that only applies if you have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence before your old licence expired.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

To be clear, there are two separate validities here: there’s the validity of your driving entitlement(s), and there’s the validity of your plastic photo card.

The card is usually valid for 10 years or until the earliest expiry date of your entitlements, IIRC, whereas your car driving entitlement is usually valid until you’re 70. Other entitlements (such as HGV) may expire sooner depending on medical requirements.

You can verify the validity of your driving entitlements online: https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Enter your licence number, NI number and postcode, then click on the “vehicles you can drive” tab.

[E-bmw]

GasEngineer said:

E-bmw said:

Are they processing your new licence? - Yes.

Your licence didn't expire, they just want an up-to-date pic on your licence.

You are good.

Thanks. Do you have a link to where it unequivocally says that. As I said in the OP there is conficting information and one of the links I have seen says that only applies if you have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence before your old licence expired.

No, I don't. It will be out there somewhere but the key is in definitions.

You have not lost any entitlement to drive.

Your licence has not been revoked.

You have not been disqualified in any way shape or form.

It is only your picture that needs updating.

If you applied at the start of your posting you would probably have it back by now anyway, I got a passport in barely over 72 hours last year.