DVLA question

[MistySkiesAfterRain]

Passed my driving test in 1998. Was insured on the family car. Drove it once. Car was sold in 1999.

From 1999 to date, did not drive any car.

My paper license must have expired at some point and now I need a photo one as about to do refresher lessons.

Went on the DVLA website. Can't find my paper license so don't know my driver number and it said to call them.

Bit worried I was meant to do something sooner and am going to be fined. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

Paper licences do not expire, and if you haven't moved house since ?1998 ? you can still drive on them, and there is a work-around for car hire (you get a code)

You don't need to renew, you need to find your licence (as you need to show it to instructor at first lesson)

If you really can't, then just ring up - they'll be able to locate you in the system from dob and address. As long as you have not moved house, you've done nothing wrong

Paper licences don't expire unless you've changed address since the photo cards were brought in. My cousin still has a valid paper licence.

Just explain the situation, I'm sure they'll help.

My old paper license (it was a provisional) had an expiry date of age 70.

I can't see you would be fined for anything though. You can be fined for not updating your address but I think that's if you have been driving on a license at wrong address.

My friend passed her test in 1991 and had never got her paper licence updated to a photocard as she hadn't driven since about 1996.

Last year, she started a new job and, because she ticked that she had a driving licence, they routinely wanted a copy, and it had to be the photocard one.

She had married and moved house a couple of times and couldn't find her paper copy.

She sent a letter with all her previous details on to DVLA along with her marriage certificate, council tax bill and a £20 postal order, fully expecting to be fined.

Within a week, she had a new photocard licence, all her documents back and her £20 postal order returned. She was never fined.

Um okay I was omitting the piece of information which is that I have moved house, a lot. I actually lost the license sometime in 2001 I think. I knew I was meant to contact them at the time then I just sort of forgot about it as I wasn't driving. Now shame faced .

I haven't driven though, they will know this as there won't be a record of any car in the, erm big car database, won't there?

I wasn't sure what to tell them but I always go with honesty as the best policy.

Thank you @BarbarasStripedHands, that is encouraging!

@MistySkiesAfterRain

Thank you *@BarbarasStripedHands*, that is encouraging!

It's fair to say she was fully expecting a fine but got nothing.

I forgot to say I think she filled out the form as much as she could and put a covering letter in with the address she was last at when she had her licence, proof of current address and marriage certificate and then the payment.

She did a happy dance when it came back ok!