DVLA urges drivers to renew their licence or risk £1,000 fine

2023-02-21

DVLA issues warning to drivers who passed their test before 2014 to renew their licence or risk £1,000 fine

In a tweet, the DVLA urged drivers to make sure that they renewed their licences
Driving with an expire licence could result in a hefty fine or seizure of vehicle

Drivers could face a a fine of up to £1,000 if they fail to renew their license every ten years, with those having passed their test before 2014 needing to renew next year.

In a tweet last week, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) warned drivers that driving with an expired licence could result in hefty fines and seizures of vehicles.

In the new warning on Wednesday, the agency urged drivers to to make sure they renewed their licences, reassuring them that the process is quick’ and ‘easy’.

Driving with an expired licence would mean that your insurance will not be valid, and you could therefore be breaking the law.

The DVLA wrote: ‘You must renew your driving licence every 10 years. Renew online today – it’s easy, quick and secure at: http://gov.uk/renewdrivinglicence. Your licence should arrive within a week if you apply online.’

Drivers could face a a fine of up to £1,000 if they fail to renew their license every ten years

Figures from the DVLA published in October 2022 show 926,000 people, which accounts for two per cent of UK drivers, needed to update their driving licence.

However, some drivers were suspected of having stopped driving altogether.

The system for renewal affects all those with photocard driving licences, which were first introduced in 1998, and are only valid for a decade after they are issued.

Paper licences, which were issued before 1998 remain valid until the holder turns 70, but were axed in June 2015.

How to renew your license online

To renew your licence online through the Government’s website, you will need:

a valid UK passport
to be a resident of Great Britain – there’s a different service in Northern Ireland
to pay £14 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card (there’s no fee if you’re over 70 or have a medical short period licence)
addresses of where you’ve lived over the last 3 years
your current driving licence (if you do not have your licence you must say why in your application)
your National Insurance number (if you know it)
to not be disqualified from driving

These therefore do not require renewal if your personal details have not changed, although all driving licences must be in the photocard format by 2033 – you can find out more about upgrading to the new version.

Despite the DVLA sending warnings a few months before to motorists whose licences are due to expire, figures from the last 12 months show that around 2.5 million people only renewed it after it had expired or within 56 days of the expiry date.

If unable to renew online, the government website offers alternatives.

To apply for a new licence through the post, you need to pick up a ‘D1 pack’ from a post office that deals with DVLA photocard renewal or vehicle tax.

This process will cost you an extra £3 compared to renewing it online with an overall price of £17.

Alongside the completed form, you must include:

No fee is required if you are over 70 or are renewing a medical short-period licence.

If you have changed your name, you will also need to include your passport with your application.

If you apply this way, you can expect your new licence to arrive in three weeks, but it may take longer if your medical or personal details need to be checked.

You can also complete the process through your local post office, which is the most costly alternative at £21.50.

More information can be found on the government’s website.

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