How Exactly Do You Update/Renew Your Driving Licence? Let’s Find Out!

Like other personal ID documents, driving licences need to be renewed after they reach their expiration date. To stay on the right side of the law, it’s important to know if your driving licence is valid - and to renew it once it isn’t. 

But is that as easy as it sounds?

In this blog post, we’ll discuss: 

• How to renew an expired driving licence
• What do I need in order to update my driving licence?
• How much does it cost to renew a driving licence?
• When to renew an expired driving licence
• What to do if I haven’t got my DVLA renewal reminder?
• How long does it take to renew a driving licence?
• Can I drive whilst my driving licence is being renewed?
• Are points removed once a driving licence is renewed?

How to renew expired driving licence documents

The quickest and most convenient way to renew your expired driving licence is online, in this case on the GOV.UK website. However if you’re not too internet-savvy or if you need to take a photo of yourself for the driving licence, the Post Office might be a better option as they provide that service for you for a small fee. 

What do I need in order to update my driving licence

To update your licence, you will need to provide some important details, including:

• Another form of valid ID like a passport
• Proof of residency in the UK
• Addresses from the past 3 years
• Your current driving licence
• National Insurance number 

How much does it cost to renew a driving licence?

The renewal fee for your driving licence is £14 if done online through the GOV.UK website and £17 when done through the Post Office, plus a £4.50 fee for the official ID photo. 

When do I need to renew my driving licence?

Your driving licence photocard should be renewed based on its expiration date. If it has already expired, you will need to apply for a new one. Generally, driving licence renewal happens every ten years. However, once you turn 70 years old, you will need to renew your licence every three years.

Similar to receiving a V11 for road tax, the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will send you a reminder when your licence is due for renewal. However, it is not recommended to solely rely on this letter for your reminder. Make a note of your licence's expiry date and stay on top of your renewal application. 

What to do if I haven’t got my DVLA renewal reminder?

In case you don’t receive a renewal reminder from the DVLA, you can request it at the post office using the D798 Renewal Reminder form. 

However, if your details haven’t changed, you can still renew your driving licence without the reminder. If there have been changes to your name or address then you’ll need to apply for renewal directly with the DVLA through the GOV.UK site. 

How long does it take to renew a driving licence?

This can be anywhere from one to four weeks depending on whether it’s been submitted online or via post. Because of this, we’d advise you to renew your driving licence about a month before its expiration date. 

Can I drive whilst my driving licence is being renewed?

If your driving licence is in the middle of being renewed, we advise that you wait until it arrives before you start driving again in case you get into anything serious whilst driving. Failure to hold a valid driving licence when stopped by the police could result in a fine of up to £1,000 and points on your licence. 

Are points on a renewed driving licence removed?

Points on a driving licence are not removed when it is renewed. Depending on the offence, points can last up to ten years. Even if a point was gained in the final year of the licence's validity, it will remain after the card is renewed. After this period, however, the points will expire and the DVLA will remove them.

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