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Original poster

Renewing photo driver's license

40 replies

AllSoComplicated · 03/07/2019 20:53

I got a form in the post saying I have to renew it as 10 years are up and it's going to cost.. Actually I can't remember how much.

I haven't done it yet but I don't know anyone in real life who has had this. How come I don't? Is it cos they were introduced gradually or something.

Can anyone tell me I'm not the only one!

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 03/07/2019 20:56

Don’t know anyone in real life who has had what?

If you have a passport it’s very easy, they use your passport photo! About £20 I think.

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 20:57

www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence says you get a reminder. I have renewed mine before

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 20:57

Only £14

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Original poster
AllSoComplicated · 03/07/2019 21:02

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat I don't know anyone who got the letter to renew.

Thanks @dementedpixie. Glad someone else has done it. Just found it weird that nobody I know seems to have heard of renewing or had to do it!

OP posts:
PurpleWithRed · 03/07/2019 21:04

I’ve just done mine. Cheap and easy and quick.

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 21:04

Maybe theirs have expired then!

Rememberallball · 03/07/2019 21:10

Be glad they send out reminders because, when they first went over to photocard driving licences, they didn’t but you can be fined up to £1,000 for not renewing it when it expires. A lot of people got caught out in the early days. I waited to change my name and address on mine until it was nearing its 10 year renewal date so I didn’t have to change then change again because, unlike passports, they only send out name/address changes until the previous expiry date so you couldn’t end up changing it twice in a short time (in my case was 10 months before it was due to be renewed that we moved so we waited)

LIZS · 03/07/2019 21:13

I had to do it a couple of years ago and dh has just done his. Costs about £20 iirc. Took about a week to get new one.

Bumply · 03/07/2019 21:14

It's cheaper if you've renewed your passport recently as they can use the one they have on record for that.
In my case it means I have the same awful (look like someone out of cell block H) on both as I'm a cheapskate.
I've did mine years ago, so it's not that new a requirement.

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 21:17

Just need a valid passport, doesn't need to be new

ToEarlyForDecorations · 03/07/2019 21:18

I changed my address. I got a message on the website saying that my licence would need to be renewed next August. So I agreed and paid the fee. I got my licence which will last ten years until 2029. I've cheated myself out of over a year on my licence.

Why let people renew their licences so early if the old licence runs concurrently with the new one. So, it's only really valid for eight years.

wisteriablossom · 03/07/2019 21:23

Everyone with a photo drivers license has to renew it every 10 years , if you don’t it’s classed as driving without a license.
I can’t remember ever receiving a letter to renew mine just had to make sure I didn’t miss the 10 year expiry date

BikeRunSki · 03/07/2019 21:29

It did it in February, very quick and easy. I received a letter from the DVLA about 6 weeks before the 10 years were up and just followed the instructions.

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 21:31

It's free to change your address

sacope · 03/07/2019 21:34

You probably haven't heard anyone talk about it because it's not really an exciting topic of conversation. It's just a basic admin thing.

AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 03/07/2019 21:45

Yep. Every 10 years the photo needs renewing. Maybe none of your friends have been driving 19 years yet?

NemosPoorlyFinn · 03/07/2019 21:45

I did my last month by post
Cost me £17 that I sent in postal order format as suggested on the form
You are definitely not the only one that has to do it
Everyone has to update their photo
It's just not that much of an interesting conversational topic

Cookit · 03/07/2019 21:48

I didn’t get a reminder when my expired a few years a go ... I didn’t realise for about two years Shock

Thankfully I hadn’t driven in that period.

Was easy to renew though.

Original poster
AllSoComplicated · 03/07/2019 21:54

No admittedly it's not v interesting! But I didn't realise you had to do it and of the people I mentioned it to they all thought I was talking rubbish and hadn't heard of having to renew! They're all longer term drivers than me who would have had paper licenses that they had to swap at some point.

OP posts:
Cookit · 03/07/2019 21:55

Well maybe they should check when their photo cards expire ...!

dayswithaY · 03/07/2019 21:59

Are paper licences still valid?

sacope · 03/07/2019 22:00

Sorry but how can it be a surprise, the expiry date is printed on it?

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 22:08

Yes passport ones are still valid. You only need to change to a photo card one if you need to amend or add to the current licence

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 22:08

Paper ones*

dementedpixie · 03/07/2019 22:09

So unless they had to make changes to their old one they might still have the paper version