AIBU to threaten to call police on my sister?

[Needsomeadvicehere]

NC because I feel bad about this. My DS's driving licence is years out of date. She can't have renewed it since she passed her test in the 1990s, because it's the old sort without a photo on it! And she has changed address several times since then. She says she never got round to updating it, and doesn't dare to do it now because she would have to declare her previous addresses.

I've told her the licence is not valid any more, so that must invalidate her insurance. It's really serious. If she has an accident and injures someone she won't be insured. She is now refusing to speak about it. I don't want to threaten to report her, but what else can I do?

FFS. Keep out of your sister's business.

My sister and I don't get on, we speak about once a year but I would never contemplate doing what you are suggesting. I think you would have to really hate someone to report them to the police.

So many people on here are obsessed with the actions of others - mind your own damn business.

Your thread title about calling the Police? Good luck with that one OP. Like they dont have other important things to deal with than a nosey interfering sister

@hellywelly3

Driving licenses need renewing every 10 years. How do people not know this!

Mine didn't. It's valid till 2024

@Needsomeadvicehere

I did look it up and found that, as long as she got the old paper licence before 1998, it could still be valid. But as you can be fined £1000 if your licence shows your old address, which hers does, surely that means it isn't valid? Which would mean the insurance isn't valid? Which is serious.

No, it just means you might be fined. The licence stays valid, as does the insurance.

@hellywelly3

Driving licenses need renewing every 10 years. How do people not know this!

No they don’t.

Her licence is valid. You are being petty. She should update her address they wont ask for all the inbetween ones they will assume shes just moved.

With respect you’re talking a load of bollocks.
It’s highly likely that the only way she’d get into bother with the police for this is she did something really stupid like drink/drug driving, and failed the attitude test. That’s when they’d throw every single minor offence they could find at her

@Needsomeadvicehere

I did look it up and found that, as long as she got the old paper licence before 1998, it could still be valid. But as you can be fined £1000 if your licence shows your old address, which hers does, surely that means it isn't valid? Which would mean the insurance isn't valid? Which is serious.

It’s still valid. It needs to have the address changed but that doesn’t impact its validity. She is still insured. The worst that will happen to her is a £1000 fine. YABU.

@hellywelly3

Driving licenses need renewing every 10 years. How do people not know this!

@hellywelly3 you’re wrong. The photograph on photographic licences need to be updated. The old paper only licences don’t have a photo and don’t need to be updated unless something like an address change.

Lovely sister you are...

"Driving licenses need renewing every 10 years. How do people not know this"

Because it's not true. I've had my paper one for about 40 years and it's good to go for at least another 30....unless I move house.

Shit my license expires next month!!!! Knew it was this year, but thought they sent out renewal letters? I don't have a valid passport currently either so need to get form from post office tomorrow, a haircut and colour, a photo, renew by post and get it back within 4 weeks! Damn.

Paper licenses are valid even with the wrong address, it does not invalidate your insurance if your address is wrong. It is an offence to not have the correct address on your license, but that doesn't invalidate the license. It is risky as if you get caught speeding you need to renew to a photo license in a hurry and you might not get it back in time.

Old style driving licences are valid and if she's bought a new car in the since the 90's (highly likely) she will have registered it to her current address with the DVLA so she will have a chamge of address on the system, just not for her licence.

All this 'call the police' stuff is just busy bodying, BUT if she doesn't sort it and does have a bump she may find herself fined a grand and not be able to drive her car until the new licence comes through.

Just advise her to sort it out. No need for the dramatics.

Meh. You are yet another Stasi wannabee, OP. Decent, normal people will shun you.

What’s actually going on between you and your sister?

@WeAllHaveWings...have you looke dto see if it can be renewed online ?

We did DS's passport erlier in the year and couldn't believe how easy it was. We didnt even have to send the photo off as the photo booth gives you a code and when you input into renewal form your picture comes up

Blummin magic

I have just renewed my paper licence for a photo one. I changed my name (got married) and moved house 25 years ago but didn't get around to updating it. It was on my mind a lot as I knew about the fine but couldn't find my marriage certificate for the name change.

In the end I bit the bullet, ordered a copy of my marriage certificate and sent it in. I was convinced I'd get in trouble as my marriage certificate was dated 1995 but nothing, just a new licence in the post!

I've told her the licence is not valid any more, - Wrong

so that must invalidate her insurance. -Wrong

It's really serious. -Wrong

If she has an accident and injures someone she won't be insured. -Wrong

She is now refusing to speak about it. - Good, it's got nothing to do with you.

I don't want to threaten to report her, but what else can I do? - Nothing, other than fuck off and leave her alone.

Why do you hate your sister? Why do you care about her driving licence?

Why do you want your sister to get into trouble?

Thanks for all helpful comments and advice here, Waxon, Curious, Malmi, Fairy and others. Mumsnet is better than googling! You've not just reassured DS and me, you've shown her what to do for the best. (I would never have called police on her, but she was getting in a state about it so I was too.)

Even when the information you find from Google is correct, it doesn't always tell you what you want to know.

Google told me "Photo-card driving licences are set to become mandatory in 2015" but I should have continued to read "when new paper licences are officially phased out". I can now see that didn't include old paper licences, so pre-1998 licences are OK. I was panicking by then, which never helps.

I couldn't find anything, by googling or on government sites, that made it clear that, though having the wrong address on a licence can land you a £1000 fine, it doesn't invalidate your insurance. So thanks Dreaming of MrsG for posting a screenshot.

Invalid insurance was the most worrying, not just because it's illegal, but it causes major problems for other people if you have an accident. DS isn't the sort of person who doesn't give a damn. That's why she was getting so upset about it. At least now the most she has to fear is a fine. But I will try to persuade her to put in a change of address application.

Off now to give her the good news, so goodbye, and thanks again all friendly posters.

My friend didn’t update her licence and was charged with driving without a valid licence and fined £1000 by the Magistrates Court. You can also be banned for up to six months for not updating your address

What bollocks You said she was refusing to talk to you about it, you kept telling her how serious it was (wrongly) and you were going to threaten her with reporting her to the Police.

Now you're saying you've just been trying to help and you're off to reassure her now? You do know your posts are still there?