# £1000 fine for not renewing photo card driving licence



## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

This link to BBC news:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20968886

We moved house 18 months ago and I renewed both our licences, mine was already a photo card one, Liz still had the old paper one.

We both received a new photo card, but on reading the BBC article I thought they would both be OK until 2020, WRONG

Mine still has an expiry date of Apr 13! Another cash cow for the government?

Check your licence date

Andy


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Bubblehead said:


> This link to BBC news:
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20968886
> 
> ...


Mine runs out this year thanks for the heads up. 8O


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Just in the process of renewing mine. I had to ring DVLA on a related subject and they sent me the form which arrived this morning.


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

Really glad we've not moved since the new licenses came in so I still have an old paper one and it's good till 2032


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Pat-H said:


> Really glad we've not moved since the new licenses came in so I still have an old paper one and it's good till 2032


Ditto - my wife still has just the paper one but I have both and we have always lived at the same address - Odd 8O


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Just got mine out of my wallet.Please can you tell me,is the expiry date showing on 4b?,
Just read that DVLA will send out a reminder when the licence is about to run out " Phew " so no need to worry.

Les


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Mrs G also has only a paper licence as she has never needed to renew.
I think it is us guys with the HGV that have renewed and that is why we have photo licences. Also I suppose if anybody has needed to send back to remove endorsements, maybe they needed a new licence with photo.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Bubblehead said:


> We moved house 18 months ago and I renewed both our licences,


Surely when you moved house you simply changed your address (which I thought was free) rather than "renewing" your licence?


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## blondel (Jun 12, 2005)

I read that we will all have to have the photo licence by 2015
"Photo-card driving licences are set to become mandatory in 2015, when paper licences are officially phased out."

on here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20968886#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa. 
I too have only the paper licence dating from 1977


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

I've always been a little perplexed by this one. If I understand it correctly then your licence can expire but not your qualification to hold a licence, ie if you allow the license to expire you can still legally drive and cannot be prosecuted for not holding a licence, only for not renewing it. Anyone know if that is correct?


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Having read the BBC article on the link, I think as is often the case all of the information is not absolutely correct. 
When we moved to France I enquired ref the validity of my UK photo licence with my last UK address on it and was informed that no change was possible or needed, only that upon the expiry date it would not be renewed unless I was once again resident in UK. 

The UK licence is valid in EU countries for as long as it is in date and you don't commit motoring offences that require points removed (the french system starts with points that are deducted upon offence).


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

I know you can get back your HGV entitlement back not sure on ordinary licence and they don't inform you if your photo is running out

joe


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## papaken (Nov 21, 2010)

Paper licences run until you are 70,  
mine which was replaced by a paper one in 98 when i changed my address runs out in 2014   and i will no doubt have to pay for a plastic one.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Thank heavens for just having a pink paper license! It is valid until I am 70 so I have several more years with it! Once it nears renewal time I'll have to get a French license which will probably be another great rigmarole but I've 11 years + before I need to do that!


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## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

lifestyle said:


> Just got mine out of my wallet.Please can you tell me,is the expiry date showing on 4b?,
> Just read that DVLA will send out a reminder when the licence is about to run out " Phew " so no need to worry.
> 
> Les


Les

Its in a small box just below the photo, mine is APR 13

Andy


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

MrsW said:


> Thank heavens for just having a pink paper license! It is valid until I am 70 so I have several more years with it! Once it nears renewal time I'll have to get a French license which will probably be another great rigmarole but I've 11 years + before I need to do that!


Sorry but it has already been established in this thread that paper licences will be history in 2015 by which time everyone must have upgraded to a photo ID one


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Afternoon all,

It would apear that they are merely moving the data onto plastic.


norm


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Bubblehead said:


> lifestyle said:
> 
> 
> > Just got mine out of my wallet.Please can you tell me,is the expiry date showing on 4b?,
> ...


Andy

They must have change the format .My expiry date is above my photo to the right.If i turn the card over ,there are numbers down the left hand side .4a =valid from
4b = valid to

Les


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Don't you need a french licence if you live in france 

joe


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

I wonder what will happen for those of us who live abroard. Currently as long as we don't earn any French penalties we can just keep our GB licenses until their expiry date. Then we need a French license unless we have returned to the UK.


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*easy peasy renewal*

Whilst back in the UK over Christmas i popped in a post office and they did my pic on a machine and sent to gov immediately. Got licence within 8 days. You can save a few bob if you have a recent electronic passport and do it online( it wouldnt work26th dec)


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## Jumbocruiser (Aug 22, 2010)

Techno100 said:


> MrsW said:
> 
> 
> > Thank heavens for just having a pink paper license! It is valid until I am 70 so I have several more years with it! Once it nears renewal time I'll have to get a French license which will probably be another great rigmarole but I've 11 years + before I need to do that!
> ...


I have seen this quoted in a number of news articles but not on any official DVLA / Government website.

The significance of 2015 seems to be when the paper counterpart to photo licences will cease to be issued.

This current document on the DVLA website clearly states

"If you hold a paper licence this is valid until your
70th birthday. At that point, you will need to
apply for a photocard licence." :

Driving Licences (DVLA)


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

I have to check the validity of driving licenses and the date of the photo section as part of Advance riding instruction I do and I enquired how my old paper style license was in terms of the changes over the last few years. When I contacted the DVLA they confirmed my paper license would be valid until I'm 70 and that's not for nearly 20 years!


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

I thought if you moved to any country you had 2 years and then had to get a licence in that country 

joe


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Joe, I can assure you that your information is wrong, as Mrs.W and I have already stated so long as you do not commit any offence requiring the removal of points the UK issued EU valid licence is good until it's expiry date.
Both MrsW and I are resident in France I've been here 6 years, no idea how long MrsW has.
If you wish to verify this claim do some government based research, do not rely on nonsense found on some expat forums.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I have just been checking my licence for a photo expiry date.

Posters above have said their's is printed below or above and to right of the photo.

I cannot find it anywhere on my current, post 70, licence nor my old one. On my new one the box below the photo has a white arrow on a blue background pointing towards the photo and the last 5 alpha/numeric of my licence number. Has somebody entered the wrong info in this box?

Further Q - on the back in the bottom RH corner there is 'AE followed by 8 digits'. Anyone know what this is, please.

I note old licence had bar code on back, which does not appear on the new one.

Geoff


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

on the renewal date is 4B

joe


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

John its not something that I had heard on any site, its just something I have picked up over the years, I only said I thought I never said it was law so why the tone in your post?

joe


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

joedenise said:


> on the renewal date is 4B
> 
> joe


Joe

If that was an answer to my question about Photo renewal date, it is incorrect as 4b is the licence renewal date. The photo lasts only 10 years and a licence (non-specialist like HGV) lasts till age 70, which could be longer.

Geoff


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

just checked my licence and expiry date on paper licence is 08/05/21 and on photocard licence 4b is 23/10/20 which is the date I need to renew my photocard.

Joe


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Joe, no "tone" intended.

Simply pointing out that two previous posts had indicated what the situation was, can't recall suggesting anything about the law.

My reference to expat sites comes from viewing some very ill informed advice given by people on them, not unlike here some will offer wrong advice / information or simply reiterate hearsay, some even suggest "urban myths" are true. 
Gassing anyone?


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

John just checked and i was right and wrong i said it was something i had picked up and it probably was as I was HGV driving before the law changed in 1997 but it was only one year before then - I wasn't aware it had changed as I stopped driving shortly after that.

So, apologies.

Joe


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Maybe this helps

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/renew-driving-licence#check

joe


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Joe

I disagree with some of the advice given in that link.

Firstly, 4b on the licence is described in the notes on the back as 'Licence valid to'.

Secondly my own experience is as follows:-

My first photocard licence was issued on 07-05-05 (4a) and expired on my 70th birthday on 15-03-12. (4b)

I renewed the licence (early) in Feb 2012. I was not clear about whether I had to send a new photo so rang DVLA and was told it was not necessary as my old photo was still valid for the remainder of the 10 years.

I did not send a new photo. DLA renewed by transferring the old photo to my new licence.

If 4b was, in addition to the licence expiry date, also the photo expiry date the above would not have been possible.

I still not definitively know the date for of the photocard renewal - it could be the 10th anniversary of the original licence (07-05-05) making it 07-05-2015, or it could be a date prior to that, e.g. the date the photo was signed as a true likeness. I do not know how long it was before I submitted the application, nor how long DVLA took to issue the licence.

Either way my licence does not have a date next to the photo, as on some Posters' licences.

Geoff


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Joe, no need to apologise, simple mis-understanding.


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

Well all this talk of photo renewal and looked at mine and thought it was ok but today I recieved a letter from DVLA informing me it expires in March.
It is 4b on my licence just to the right of photo.
Renewed online with no problems as you can elect to use your passport photo if it has been renewed within 5 years.
Costs £20 and you have to cut up your old licence and return it together with your paper bit after you recieve the new one.
One thing bugging me is my licence expires in 8 years and the photo in 10 but what if the photo expires months before you are 70.
Surely it would not be another £20?????????????????
Anyway don't worry as the will inform you when its due.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Had my photo taken today for this very reason  
Funny thing is the camera lens didn't break


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

I know there is know need to apologise and just read the thread again licence and photo card have different expiry dates and yes they would expect the money I have 1 month between

joe


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Bump

Can anybody explain why, as in my post 1356754 above, I appear not to have a photo expiry date on my licence, as others have posted that they have a date stamped below or to the right of the photo?

Maybe my licence is unique and I can sell it, like a 'Penny Black'

Oh please, will people please spell the substantive/noun as 'licence' - the verb is 'license', 'licensing', 'licensed' etc. 

Geoff ( pedant extraordinary)


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

the only people who can tell you are the DVLA phone them up

joe


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

Well new licence came yesterday and only did it online Saturday.
How is that for speed.


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