Important Driving Licence Information

Important Driving Licence Information

Over two million people have an out-of-date photo card driving licence. Did you know there is a £1,000 fine if you don’t renew it so make sure you check yours today.

It is very important that all of the details on your licence are correct otherwise it could be deemed invalid.

There are three very important checks to do on your driving licence. Take a look below as to what they are:

Check the photo card driving licence expiry date

You must renew a photo card licence every 10 years – you’ll receive a reminder before your current licence ends. It’s £14 to renew online or £17 if you renew by post. There are a few dates printed on the photo card, but the one you need’s the photo expiry date printed on section 4b on the front of the card. To renew your driving licence visit www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence and the website advises that you should receive your new licence within a week if you apply online. To renew online, you need:

  • a valid UK passport
  • to be a resident of Great Britain
  • to pay £14 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron, Maestro or Delta debit or credit card
  • addresses of where you’ve lived over the last 3 years
  • your current driving licence (if you don’t have your licence you must say why in your application)
  • your National Insurance number
  • to not be disqualified from driving

Make sure you have your correct address on it

If you have an old address on your driving licence you could be at risk of getting a £1,000 fine if stopped by the police. If your address isn’t accurate, or if you’ve moved since you registered, it’s free to update and you can do this by visiting www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence to change your address. You also need to tell DVLA you’ve changed address for your vehicle registration.

Check your name is correct if you’ve changed it

Recently married? Change of name? Make sure your name is correct on your driving licence otherwise you could land yourself a £1,000 fine. You will need to send DVLA your old driving licence along with the right application form and any supporting documents to change your name or gender. You’ll get a new licence and you can still drive while you wait for your new licence. You must also update your V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book) if you change your name. For more information on your driving licence visit www.gov.uk