Driving Licence Question

[joolz1910]

Hi, I had a letter from the DVLA today with an application form to renew the photo on my licence. I've never had this before ( I got my licence in 1990) and it seems that you have to update your photo if it's 10 years old. The cost of this is £20 and you can be fined £1000 if you fail to update it!

Anyone else had this before?

 

[florida sun]

Yes I had to do mine about 3 years ago, to be honest, I didnt know as I never got the letter, it was only when I went to hire a car they spotted it and told me my photo was almost 8 months past its expiry date.

I phoned the DVLA when I got home and they confirmed a letter had been sent to me 10 months earlier although I never got it.

They informed me that the licence was still valid as it lasts for years and years however the photo has to be updated every 10 years because we change so much apprently lol, and it can be used as an official form of photogrphic I.D.

They made a note on their system, to say that I had acknowledged the need for it to be changed and it was in the post. I was very lucky because in that 8 months if I had been stopped by the police I could have been fined.

 

[Tinks1984]

Yep, mine came through last week

It's got to be done too, don't fancy a £1000 fine for not updating!

 

[BethEJo]

My license actually has a date on the front of it 10 years ahead of the date that i passed my test.

It says my license is valid until that date, and I always assumed I would just have to get a new one every 10 years.

Pain in the derriere that you have to pay for it though

 

[alisonbestford]

Not got there yet but mine's due for renewal Dec 2012

 

[tennisfan]

Yes, the new photo licences have to be renewed every 10 years due to the photo. Fortunately mine had to be renewed a couple of years ago & it fell in line with me getting my cat C1 so it all worked out nicely.

 

[MazdaUK]

I had never bothered to get a photo part (having passed the test when you still had a man with a flag in front) until we were applying for DS(17)'s provisional and the explanatory leaflet explained about the fine So anyone who hasn't got a photo part send off for one I really think DVLA should write to everyone who needs one, but I suppose there's people who dopn't drive, and they expect to get everyone else if they change their name or move house - but I was married 20 years ago (child bride of course) and moved house 13 years ago, and as I've never had points to add to my licvence (touch wood) there's been no other reason for me to contact DVLA. The good(ish) news is that if your passport is the new sort they can use that photo so you can do it all online. Shocking expense though just for red tape

 

[joolz1910]

I had never bothered to get a photo part (having passed the test when you still had a man with a flag in front) until we were applying for DS(17)'s provisional and the explanatory leaflet explained about the fine So anyone who hasn't got a photo part send off for one I really think DVLA should write to everyone who needs one, but I suppose there's people who dopn't drive, and they expect to get everyone else if they change their name or move house - but I was married 20 years ago (child bride of course) and moved house 13 years ago, and as I've never had points to add to my licvence (touch wood) there's been no other reason for me to contact DVLA. The good(ish) news is that if your passport is the new sort they can use that photo so you can do it all online. Shocking expense though just for red tape

You can do it online? It had never occurred to me that you would have to change the photo on your licence, but I suppose it brings the photo ID inline with your passport.

 

[A Small World]

You can do it online? It had never occurred to me that you would have to change the photo on your licence, but I suppose it brings the photo ID inline with your passport.

Yes I did mine online a few yrs ago and I just had to give my passport number and they 'transported' that photo into the licence.
I was lucky really as Id never got round to changing it when we moved house - up til then I still had the old style without photo - I'd kept meaning to and putting it off. Then one day the Police were doing spot checks near my office but fortunately I didnt have the car with me that day. It was a wake up call though and I changed it that night in case they were there again the next day.

 

[scottishgirl87]

I had never bothered to get a photo part (having passed the test when you still had a man with a flag in front) until we were applying for DS(17)'s provisional and the explanatory leaflet explained about the fine So anyone who hasn't got a photo part send off for one I really think DVLA should write to everyone who needs one, but I suppose there's people who dopn't drive, and they expect to get everyone else if they change their name or move house - but I was married 20 years ago (child bride of course) and moved house 13 years ago, and as I've never had points to add to my licvence (touch wood) there's been no other reason for me to contact DVLA. The good(ish) news is that if your passport is the new sort they can use that photo so you can do it all online. Shocking expense though just for red tape

So you absolutely have to have the photo licence now?! I didn't know that but I know my mum still has the paper part. My dad only switched to the photo card recently but I think that was for work purposes.

Like Beth, my licence has an expiry of 10 years on it.

 

[paulh]

just got mine back and am disgusted sent off plastic wallet and they don't send it back, so if you have one don't send it
Paul

 

[strawberry blonde]

I never gave a thought to changing my licence but having read this thread, I've just done it in a couple of minutes online. Good that they take your signature and photo off your passport.

Can't see anywhere that's it's illegal to have the old paper ones, just that you would get a photo one if you renew or loose the old one.

That was a quick £20 DH can renew his own if he wants to change

 

[joolz1910]

I never gave a thought to changing my licence but having read this thread, I've just done it in a couple of minutes online. Good that they take your signature and photo off your passport.

Can't see anywhere that's it's illegal to have the old paper ones, just that you would get a photo one if you renew or loose the old one.

That was a quick £20 DH can renew his own if he wants to change

Can you tell me how to do it online, please? I've looked on direct.gov.uk/photorenewal but I can't see how to do it online!

 

[MazdaUK]

Its easiest to find through the driving licence application bit -even if you've got one already

 

[joolz1910]

Its easiest to find through the driving licence application bit -even if you've got one already

Still can't find it. Perhaps you can only use the passport option if you are changing from a paper licence to a photo licence? I am renewing the photo on my photo licence.

 

[strawberry blonde]

Can you tell me how to do it online, please? I've looked on direct.gov.uk/photorenewal but I can't see how to do it online!

I just typed ' exchanging your paper driving licence for a photo one' on google and it brought up this site
direct-gov-uk/en/motoring/driverlicensing/needaneworupdatedlicence/DG 4022084

I then clicked on apply online and answered a few questions. Really easy.

Hope it helps.

Just had another look for you and I'm not sure you can renew photo online. Like you I can't see it anywhere. Mine was exchanging from old paper one. Maybe someone can confirm this??

 

[strawberry blonde]

Just found this on another site

Renewing a Photo Driving Licence
If your photo driving licence has expired, you can be fined up to £1000. It should be renewed every ten years, but if you fail to do so, it can result in your driving licence becoming invalid. You can choose to update your photo sooner than this if your appearance changes significantly. This can be done by filling in the DVLA's D1 application form, which you can get online, from the DVLA form ordering service or from certain Post Office branches. To check the status of your photo driving licence, the front of the card should show the expiry date of the photo. The DVLA will usually send a renewal application pack before the photo needs to be renewed. Renewing the photo licence is usually £20.00 (as of Sept 09) Your new licence should be sent back to you within three weeks, although it may take longer than this if medical and personal details need to be verified. As long as you have previously held a UK driving licence and are not likely to have your renewal rejected for medical reasons, it should be fine for you to drive while you await your new licence.

It may seem confusing to people looking to renew their photo licence, as on the DVLA's D1 form it does not mention renewing the licence. What you are really doing is renewing the Photo on the licence as this is what expires.

 

[joolz1910]

Just found this on another site

Renewing a Photo Driving Licence
If your photo driving licence has expired, you can be fined up to £1000. It should be renewed every ten years, but if you fail to do so, it can result in your driving licence becoming invalid. You can choose to update your photo sooner than this if your appearance changes significantly. This can be done by filling in the DVLA's D1 application form, which you can get online, from the DVLA form ordering service or from certain Post Office branches. To check the status of your photo driving licence, the front of the card should show the expiry date of the photo. The DVLA will usually send a renewal application pack before the photo needs to be renewed. Renewing the photo licence is usually £20.00 (as of Sept 09) Your new licence should be sent back to you within three weeks, although it may take longer than this if medical and personal details need to be verified. As long as you have previously held a UK driving licence and are not likely to have your renewal rejected for medical reasons, it should be fine for you to drive while you await your new licence.

It may seem confusing to people looking to renew their photo licence, as on the DVLA's D1 form it does not mention renewing the licence. What you are really doing is renewing the Photo on the licence as this is what expires.

Thank you.
I've had a look and the D1 form is sent to you in the post. Looks like it's a trip to the post office for me.

 

[KemlynUltra]

online, dead easy, they just get the info of your passport