Millions of UK drivers urged to check key detail on licence NOW with motorists at risk of £1,000 penalty
MILLIONS of UK drivers are at risk of a £1,000 penalty if three details on their driving licence are incorrect.
Around 2.3 million driving licences are set to expire this year – scroll down for the three big checks.
Incorrect address
When you move house, certain documents need updating such as your driving licence, VHC, TV licence, electoral roll and council tax.
You will also need to notify your bank and insurance providers of your change of address.
This is not an exhaustive list; however, should you forget to update your driving licence with your change of address, you risk a hefty fine.
In the circumstance you are stopped by the police and your address is wrong, you could be fined up to £1,000.
We recommend checking your licence now.
If your address is wrong, simply update it online via Gov.uk, or by post.
There’s no limit to the number of times you can do this, it’s totally free – super handy if you move away again in the future.
When amending your address for your driving licence, it is compulsory to update your VHC as well. You should also update your VHC
To begin the application, you need your driving licence to hand.
You also need to be a resident of Great Britain.
Then, provide the address you have lived at for the last three years.
Ensure you are not banned from driving.
Then provide your driving licence number, National Insurance number and passport number.
You can still drive while you await your new licence, just make sure DVLA has received the application.
If you are moving abroad, these steps do not apply.
It’s useful to note that you can also change your photo on your licence when you update your address if it’s valid for under two years.
If it’s valid for more than two years, you’ll need to renew the licence altogether.
Expired photocards
DVLA says 2.3 million licences will expire in 2025, so check the expiry date printed on section 4b of your licence now.
Photocard licences replaced paper licences in 1998 and must be renewed every 10 years
Conveniently, you can do this online.
Either send DVLA the same photo as your passport or a recent passport-style photo.
This costs £14 unless you are over 70 years-old.
You can also renew your licence by post or in person at selected post offices for a greater cost.
When your photo is close to expiry, you should receive a reminder and a form to fill out a month in advance.
DVLA says you should receive your new licence within a week when you renew it online.
Medical driving licences can take a bit longer to process so the renewal reminder is sent 90 days in advance.
Renewing late won’t result in a fine but make sure DVLA has received your renewal application before you drive.
Incorrect name or gender
Research by insurer Direct Line published back in 2013 found 3% of married women had an out-of-date name on their licence.
So if your name or gender is wrong on your driving licence, you may be liable to a £1,000 penalty.
To change these details on your licence, order the “D1 application for a driving licence” form from gov.uk.
Post it to the DVLA along with the relevant documents.
Again, there is no limit to the amount of times you update your name – it’s totally free.
If you’re only updating your address or name on your licence and your photo is in date, you don’t need to send a new photo.
However, if you want to include a new photo, it’ll cost £14 online.