According to new data released by the Driver and Licensing Agency (DVLA), almost one million UK drivers could be about to receive a £1,000 fine because they have not renewed their photo-card licences which expired over the last 12 months.
Following an FOI (freedom of information) investigation from the Press Association, figures from the DVLA revealed that more than 926,000 people who had a driving licence in Britain on September 3, 2022 were out of date in the 12 months to the end of August. With regards to the number of legal drivers in Britain, this accounts for more than 2% of all drivers – with a very small number of them having stopped driving altogether and not told the DVLA.
Driving licence photo-cards must be renewed every ten years up until the age of 70, where they must be renewed every three years to legally be allowed to drive on UK roads. And according to DVLA rules, failing to return an expired licence is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 – and this can lead to a fine of up to £1,000. If you renew it past the expiry date, you will not receive a fine. The DVLA will contact drivers 56 days before their licence is due to expire.
In order to remain road legal, check section 4b on the front of your card – this is the expiry date.
If you have noticed that your licence has now expired, don’t panic. Visit the DVLA website and follow their advice and get a new photo-card. A new application costs £14, and it takes five working days to process. If you use a third party, you could also have to pay other fees. Renewing by post costs £17 and £21.50 at your local Post Office.
However, if the licence has expired while the DVLA is processing a renewal application, you can continue to drive. You could be hit with a further fine after you haven’t handed over your expired photocard.
You could be hit with a further fine after you haven’t handed over your expired photo-card and if you continue to drive without renewing your licence, you could be prosecuted further by the police.
