Heads up for UK drivers - check your licence!

[ralphy]

Best check your driving licences, gentlemen.

A massive 300,000 photo card licences are due to expire in the next 12 months, yet a significant proportion of drivers are unaware that the new photo-style licences require updating every 10 years.

Unlike the superseded paper licence, which was valid 'for life', the new identity card versions feature a 'valid until' date, at which time motorists must shell out an extra £17.50 for a new card. :roll:

This summer marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the new photo card licence and of the cards due for update a massive 28% are still outstanding, according to the DVLA. These drivers could face a £1,000 fine.

Though the expiry date is printed on the front of the photo cards, it can only be identified as such when the owner turns the card over and reads the small print. (Look for the date after 4b on the front).

Making matters more confusing is the presence on the back of the cards of a date until which time the motorists is registered to hold the licence - their 70th birthday.

I’ve just checked mine and it runs out next Sept! :(

R

[Merlinxlm]

still using my paper one !

[dogpuf]

This does twang a distant memory about me thinking 'every ten years what a con'

Just checked my Licence and the date after 4b is 23-06-10 so I'm ok for a bit

Surely they issue reminders

Lee

[Jay]

I remember hearing about this on Talksport the other day and agree that it's a complete con.

I haven't got around to changing from the paper one and can't see any reason to do so, apart from the fact it's falling apart and held together with tape!

[ralphy]

I remember hearing about this on Talksport the other day and agree that it's a complete con.

I haven't got around to changing from the paper one and can't see any reason to do so, apart from the fact it's falling apart and held together with tape!

A 'complete con' seems apt; £5.25 million of revenue generation and that's assuming everyone complies, £1000 fine each for those who don't. :twisted:

Good luck to those who still have the 'lifetime' paper ones, until you move address anyway!

R

[Merlinxlm]

Imagine a dumb American Car hire guy at 3 am .Checking out my Paper license !! he did not know what to make of it ! took a few calls to get his brain to kick in and admit it was legal !

[macbigyin]

Surely they issue reminders

Lee

No mate they don't. We've had this in Norhern Ireland since I have been driving. The wife had to take her driving licence into her work last year to get validated for their mileage scheme to discover it was 7 months out of date! :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Women eh!

[hogthrob]

What's the situation regarding insurance, if your licence is out of date?

[Dave E]

Mine's good until May 2010, but that means that it's the life of the photo, not just the last time you moved. For some reason I thought it would be from the last time I changed address, but that doesn't seem to be the case!

I kept my paper one as long as I could, but it's also an offence to have one with the wrong address on it, so if you've moved, you've got to get a photo one.

[VinceR]

I lost my paper one when I lost my wallet in 2003, but as I was working abroad & had no UK address getting a replacement was a pain. What's odd is that after checking mine it expires in 2011, after just 8 years (valid from date is 2003). Yet more of this governments making money on their favourite cash cow - The Motorist :twisted:

[Merlinxlm]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

[Dave E]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

Nope, although at 18 years with a license I've just lost my first (and only) 3 points.

[Griff]

Mines OK till Jan 2014 but I still think they are a shower of festering toe rags!!!! :evil:

[pinkwindmill]

The DVLA state that they will send reminders two months before.

However, the renewal is your responsibility at the end of the day. According to one news report:

Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with "failing to surrender their licence", an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.

Personally, I can see the logic that any photocard ID should have to be updated on a regular basis, and that there would be a cost attached to that. However, not knowing how efficient the processes are, I'm not sure whether £17.50 is a fair charge or not. They may be making some money out of it, but it certainly won't be £17.50 per head.

Cheers,

Guy :)

[hogthrob]

The DVLA state that they will send reminders two months before.

However, the renewal is your responsibility at the end of the day. According to one news report:

Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with "failing to surrender their licence", an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.

Personally, I can see the logic that any photocard ID should have to be updated on a regular basis, and that there would be a cost attached to that. However, not knowing how efficient the processes are, I'm not sure whether £17.50 is a fair charge or not. They may be making some money out of it, but it certainly won't be £17.50 per head.

Cheers,

Guy :)

If they put some biometric data on there instead, it wouldn't need to be updated :D

[pinkwindmill]

The DVLA state that they will send reminders two months before.

However, the renewal is your responsibility at the end of the day. According to one news report:

Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with "failing to surrender their licence", an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.

Personally, I can see the logic that any photocard ID should have to be updated on a regular basis, and that there would be a cost attached to that. However, not knowing how efficient the processes are, I'm not sure whether £17.50 is a fair charge or not. They may be making some money out of it, but it certainly won't be £17.50 per head.

Cheers,

Guy :)

If they put some biometric data on there instead, it wouldn't need to be updated :D

But then I'm not sure my local RM sorting office will ever be equipped to check my biometrics when I collect a parcel! :lol:

Cheers,

Guy :)

[Rod]

still using my paper one !

Me too and still have my provisional one when I was learning with the Police - a little red thing. :)

Rod

[andrew]

Best check your driving licences, gentlemen.

Anyone wishing to emigrate to Australia :) will do well to check the small print. Licences cost anything up to $300 including taxes, fees, handbooks, logbook s(yes, you need a driver's logbook), two-stage provisional licences, umpteen tests - it's like the US down there - and are renewed every three to five years at cost similar to the UK's. BTDT.

Although it depends on where you live - in some places it's a great deal more expensive if you have to replace the photocard. Oh, sorry, did everyone think the UK was the only country in the world (that did this)? :D

[jd]

I'll be keeping my paper one as long as I can. I never liked the photo licence, as I suspected it was a way of getting us used to carrying ID cards. Why else issue a photo card that's not a valid licence in itself?

I'm probably being paranoid, but given that you still need the paper part to have a valid licence, what have you actually got? An ID card, and one that most of the population will end up carrying.

[surestep]

I hadn't actually realised this and can't even check mine as it's away having a change of address done again, would be ironic if it came back out of date.

[alas58]

Just realised that mine is out of date next year :(

Cheers for the heads up. :bounce:

[DeusIrae]

Anyone wishing to emigrate to Australia :) will do well to check the small print.

They would be well served to check the legislation too. Don't believe what the Embassy says. All states in Australia have legislative provisions to recognise base level driver licences, i.e. motorcycles and vehicles up to 4.5t GVM. Heavy vehicle driver licences are a different matter.

For example, in Queensland no road rules test is required for those holding a licence issued in most western countries, although they must pass a practical driving test.

Licences cost anything up to $300

Excluding the practical driving test a 5 year licence will generally cost less than 50 quid.

logbooks (yes, you need a driver's logbook)

The only drivers that require logbooks are heavy vehicle drivers in the upper reaches of heavy, i.e. road trains. Where on earth did you hear that common car drivers need a logbook?

[ewan.w]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

27 years and 5 months with not a blot (he says, touching wood!!)

[Merlinxlm]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

27 years and 5 months with not a blot (he says, touching wood!!)

do you drive performance cars and drive fast at times?
i do, just happen to be sensible when and where. Never also killed anyone but that made no difference when i tried to get my insurance down last month !

[Gruntfuttock]

Hi,

I remember receiving my licence when I was 18 and thinking how far away the expiry date of 2032 seemed. It doesn't seem so far away now... :cry: :lol:

[ewan.w]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

27 years and 5 months with not a blot (he says, touching wood!!)

do you drive performance cars and drive fast at times?
i do, just happen to be sensible when and where. Never also killed anyone but that made no difference when i tried to get my insurance down last month !

I've had fast cars in the past but never been a particularly fast driver as such. Prone to a bit of pseudo fighter pilot stuff on the motorway at times in the past but I'm an old fart now :-) Driving in Thailand also gives you plenty of time to sit and contemplate your surroundings!!

[ralphy]

I've just received my reminder from the DVLA to renew my licence by submitting a completed form and an updated photo.

It is now £20 to do this - and they cheerfully inform me that I will be required to do so every 10 years from now. :evil:

So it's off to find somewhere to get a pic of my mug - do they still have those booths you used to see at railway stations?

R

[Dazzler]

A 'complete con' seems apt; £5.25 million of revenue generation and that's assuming everyone complies, £1000 fine each for those who don't. :twisted:

Good luck to those who still have the 'lifetime' paper ones, until you move address anyway!

R

Yeah right and it probably costs £730m to administer the scheme but provides jobs for 5,000 people.

[miked10270]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

33years, all points-free!... Then again, I did used to have a superb "Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free" card.

Nowadays I just have to behave myself. :lol:

Mike.

[PeterM]

And who else has a 25 years "points free" license? :P :P And i dont drive slow !

27 years and 5 months with not a blot (he says, touching wood!!)

26 and a half... not sure how it's stayed clean to be honest.

Flash cars but I drive like Thora Hird nowadays.

I still haven't had the address changed onto those one of new fangled things 5 years after moving :shock:

33years, all points-free!... Then again, I did used to have a superb "Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free" card.
Nowadays I just have to behave myself. :lol:

Plod or Government Minister?

[seikopath]

Best check your driving licences, gentlemen.

A massive 300,000 photo card licences are due to expire in the next 12 months, yet a significant proportion of drivers are unaware that the new photo-style licences require updating every 10 years.

Unlike the superseded paper licence, which was valid 'for life', the new identity card versions feature a 'valid until' date, at which time motorists must shell out an extra £17.50 for a new card. :roll:

This summer marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the new photo card licence and of the cards due for update a massive 28% are still outstanding, according to the DVLA. These drivers could face a £1,000 fine.

Though the expiry date is printed on the front of the photo cards, it can only be identified as such when the owner turns the card over and reads the small print. (Look for the date after 4b on the front).

Making matters more confusing is the presence on the back of the cards of a date until which time the motorists is registered to hold the licence - their 70th birthday.

I’ve just checked mine and it runs out next Sept! :(

R

how many ppl actually get done though ?

[brettb]

I got a new licence recently as I lost mine but they re-issued the old photograph so going to have to shell out again for the new pic version next year.Its a rip off!

[Nick]

.
I renewed my license just over 12 months ago as its every 5 years for HGV drivers when you become a knackered old sh1t

I have just checked, and it runs out in December this year....bloody Con

I have not had a point since 1972 (it was endorsments then) = 37 years of undetected crime :mrgreen:

Big Thanks to Ralphy for this post

Regards

Nick

[ralphy]

.
I renewed my license just over 12 months ago as its every 5 years for HGV drivers when you become a knackered old sh1t

I have just checked, and it runs out in December this year....bloody Con

I have not had a point since 1972 (it was endorsments then) = 37 years of undetected crime :mrgreen:

Big Thanks to Ralphy for this post

Regards

Nick

You are welcome, Nick; 37 years is very impressive IMO!

As an aside to all this, there is growing evidence of licences being returned with 'missing' catagories; especially (but not exclusively) motorbike qualification. It would seem that if you had passed your motorcycle test long enough ago to not be part of the DVLA computerisation system, then your entitlement does not appear on the new licence.

A classic case has recently emerged of the return of a licence to a biker, showing that he had not passed his bike test. Despite the fact he was a biker of many years - and also was employed as a police motorbike engineer :D he was no longer allowed to ride motorbikes - as the (DVLA) computer said !

R

[eldrich]

Uk license: pink paper - 22 yrs no points, absolutely no desire to get a plastic license
Taiwan license: 6 yrs no points but I did get a 20 pound fine for going the wrong way down a one way street on a motorbike on a national holiday.

[watch-nut]

still using my paper one !

same here

[Griff]

2018 when I'm 70

[birchgra]

I also heard of a license being reissued without the motorcycle category that was present on the license sent in. When this was questioned the DVLA stated that they never had any record of the rider ever having passed his test! Highly recommend that anyone thinking of sending a license anywhere should photocopy it all before posting to help back-up any claims should a similar thing happen to you.

[jez]

I also heard of a license being reissued without the motorcycle category that was present on the license sent in. When this was questioned the DVLA stated that they never had any record of the rider ever having passed his test! Highly recommend that anyone thinking of sending a license anywhere should photocopy it all before posting to help back-up any claims should a similar thing happen to you.

Very good point made. The DVLA are constantly making errors over licence entitlements , be very careful , motorcycle riders especially , many horror stories around. Renewed mine lately , ticked the box licence lost ! but kept it safe just in case. Sending it off, could result in you having no proof of entitlement,thats an expensive mistake given the new mod 2 test. HEADS UP !

Jez.

[seikopath]

just got my reminder through the post

[sestrel]

Good job you spotted that one Ralphy, have put in my yahoo mail calender for next year. No doubt lots of us will forget otherwise, me for one.

I have still got my pink paper one, the address on it is 7 years out of date, so I ought to get round to getting a new photo one.