Photo licences issued in '98 or '99 have to be renewed to avoid £1,000 fine

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What's this about?

Plastic driving licences replaced paper versions in 1998. The rules say photos must be renewed every 10 years costing £17.50 or it becomes invalid and you could be slapped with a £1,000 fine.

Around 400,000 licences will expire this year and next, so check your licence now to see when you're due to update it with a new photo.

Check your licence now!

The DVLA will be sending reminders to licence holders around two months before their 10-year anniversary yet, just in case one doesn't reach you, check the date in section 4b on the front of your licence (inc. provisionals) yourself now.

If your expiry date is in 2008, renew your licence straight away. Either order a renewal pack from the DVLA or pick up the form D1 'application for a driving licences' from your nearest Post Office.

Those with expiry dates in 2009 should make a firm note in their diary and keep an eye out for renewal packs in the coming months.

Ignore the licence expiry date at the back of the card - many people confuse this with the photo renewal date - as this will be the day before your 70th birthday.

You're not affected if you have a paper licence

If you still have a paper licence you won't be affected by this, but if you ever need to update your information (for example an address change) you'll be 'upgraded' to a photo licence and will have to bear this 10-year rule in mind.

Are we going to get sent a reminder?

I have no idea when I upgraded to photo ... how do I find out?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Are we going to get sent a reminder?

I have no idea when I upgraded to photo ... how do I find out?

It tells you right here...

Originally Posted by The text above wot Blue didn't read properly...

The DVLA will be sending reminders to licence holders around two months before their 10-year anniversary yet, just in case one doesn't reach you, check the date in section 4b on the front of your licence (inc. provisionals) yourself now.

[yorkie_chris]

More stealth tax.

Originally Posted by Cazza

It tells you right here...

Oops!

A lesson in not reading the OP fully before posting!!


What irritates me is that ppl on the paper licence don't have to pay ... surely they should be fined for still being on a paper licence? ... else it isn't fair on the rest of us

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

... else it isn't fair on the rest of us

Oh you should know the score by now, Blue. Fairness has nothing to do with it. Fairness disappeared many years ago. I got clobbered after I sold the 650 - I posted the tear off slip on the V5, DVLA say they never received it, and that I should have been watching the letterbox for a confirmatory letter. They didn't have an answer for 'how the hell am I supposed to know to write to you about something I didn't know I should have received?' £40 fine. I kicked and screamed but they're only interested in miking everyone.

Mine expires in Dec 2010. I wouldn't have thought to renew the thing.

[Biker Biggles]

Still got a paper one.I wont be renewing that until I absolutely have to then.

[Ch00]

Also for info.

If you fail to renew your photocard the DVLA will "cancel" your licence until it is done and should you get stopped by the Police they will take your car/bike away from you.

Ch00

Originally Posted by Ch00

Also for info.

If you fail to renew your photocard the DVLA will "cancel" your licence until it is done and should you get stopped by the Police they will take your car/bike away from you.

Ch00

I didn't know that either. What is the justification?

[Ch00]

Originally Posted by Ed

I didn't know that either. What is the justification?

No Licence therefore no entitlement to drive a car/bike is the very short answer!

The slightly longer one is that you also invalidate your insurance as you are not a licence holder.

Ch00