Every day, thousands of UK drivers are facing the threat of prosecution without even realising that they are doing anything wrong. Could you be one of them?
Am I doing something wrong?
If you didn't know that you need to renew your photocard driving licence after 10 years, then you may well be one of the more than 40,000 drivers across the UK who are breaking the law – many of whom are doing so unwittingly.
My licence is valid until I’m 70 – isn’t it?
Many motorists believe that their photocard - like the old style green paper licences - are valid right up until they turn 70. In actual fact, they expire after a relatively short ten year period.
I didn’t know this – does it say it on the card?
It’s thought that many motorists are being caught out because the small print about licence renewal is exactly that – very small print. It’s tucked away on the back of the photocard under the section named ‘4b’. To find out what section ‘4b’ pertains to, the driver has to check the even smaller print on the reverse of the card, and when they do, they’ll see that it refers to a photocard ‘valid to’ date, which will be 10 years from the date of issue. The DVLA have sent out reminders to everyone who needs to get their photocard licences renewed but it seems that people aren't reading them or don't understand what is being asked of them. This could be because confusingly, next to the 'valid to' date, is another date which is the day before the driver turns 70 years old, and this is the date when the actual driving licence expires – not the photocard.
What do I have to do to get my photocard renewed?
To get your photocard renewal, you have 3 options:
Renew online
Rewew by post
Renew at a Post Office
1. Renewing by Post
To renew your licence by post you need to take the following steps :
If you have had a renewal application pack (should arrive approximately 2 months before your licence is due to run out) then you should:
Complete the form as detailed in the pack
Include a new passport style photo taken within the last 30 days. You don't need to get this signed.
Return the photocard and the paper counterpart of your driving licence
Enclose a cheque or postal order for £20.00 (unless you have a medical short period licence or you are aged over 70 in which case it is free)
When you have completed the application form, send it to the DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH.
If you haven't received the renewal pack then you need to get a D1 form from the Post Office or from the DVLA online form ordering service (link at the end of this article). The form name is 'Application for a Driving Licence'.
2. Renewing online
You can also renew online for the same fee. It's very easy to do simply visit the government website and follow the steps (link at the end of this article). To renew online, you will need:
The renewal form you received from the DVLA and your Driving Licence details
Your passport details (the DVLA will attempt to retrieve your photo image and signature from your passport)
Your passport must have been renewed within the past five years to do this
Means of payment by debit or credit card
Once you've completed the online process save the reference number and/or a screenshot of the the final screen. You will be sent an email confirmation too. Usually - you will receive your licence within 2 to 3 weeks.
3. At the post office
You can also renew your photocard licence with your reminder (mentioned above) at participating Post Offices for an additional fee.
For more information visit the Direct Gov website.
So can I drive while my licence is renewed?
According to a DVLA spokesman, qualified drivers are still entitled to drive a vehicle if their licence has expired, but what they must be aware of is that they could be charged with the offence of failing to renew their licence. If the matter went to court, then the motorist could end up with a £1,000 fine. The spokesman went on to say that the reason photocard licences needed to be renewed every ten years was because people's faces would change over that period, so updates are essential.
What happens if I have an accident in the meantime?
You may find that if your photo card has expired, then your insurance company may refuse to pay up for any claims you make. If this happens, you will be able to appeal, and if your photocard is being processed then you will usually be ok. However, it will often come down to the insurance company themselves and what their policies are in this type of situation. If you were involved in a bump, you would still be covered for third party claims, regardless of whether or not your photocard was still in date.
Re-applying for driver's licence
If you have been disqualified from driving and need to re-apply for your driving licence, read our article on this site which explains exactly what you need to do.
More on the photo licence?
We've produced a complete guide, to renewing your photo licence here.
Source: http://www.yourdrivinglicence.co.uk/renewing-your-photo-driving-licence-every-10-years.html