Martin Lewis is full of nifty money-saving tricks – and this time, he’s warning anyone with a driving licence to dig theirs out or face a £1,000 fine.
According to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), a whopping 2.3 million UK driving licences are set to expire in 2025.
And if you set off on the road without one that’s up to date, you could end up in hot water.
The moneysaving expert has explained that there are three quick checks to be aware of, and the first is relatively simple: the expiry date.
Back in 1998, photocard licences replaced the original paper versions – and these need to be renewed every 10 years.
You’ll need to look out for the date given on the front of the card under section 4B, and act quickly if the clock is ticking.
Fear not: if it turns out that yours is due an update and you do in fact need to renew it, it’ll cost you £14 online or £17 via post. You’ll just need to make sure your passport is still valid as proof of identity.
If you’re renewing it over the age of 70, you’ll need to do this every three years rather than every 10 – but the good news is that if you’re just renewing it, this is free.
The same rule applies if you have a short-term medical licence.
‘The DVLA says if your licence expires while it is processing your renewal application, you should be able to continue driving as long as you meet certain conditions,’ say the site’s consumer gurus.
These include ‘only driving vehicles you were entitled to drive on your previous licence, not being told by a doctor or optician that you shouldn’t drive, and you aren’t disqualified from driving.’
‘If you’re waiting for a medical driving licence – in other words, you have declared a medical condition to the DVLA – you must make sure you meet the medical standards for fitness to drive before doing so,’ they add.
Next up, you’ll need to inspect your address and ensure it’s still correct to avoid that £1,000 fine.
This is also relatively simple to change, as this can be done online via Gov.UK or post.
The number of times you can make this change for free is completely unlimited too, so don’t fret if you end up moving again in the future.
And finally, you’ll also need to check that your name (including your first name and surname) and gender are correct if you’ve changed either.
Again, this is a quick fix, as you can update either by ordering a form called the ‘D1 application for a driving licence’ via the Gov.UK website.
You’ll then need to post this to the DVLA along with the relevant documents – and, the same as address updates, there’s no cap on the number of times you can update your name for free, so you won’t be shelling out cash each time.
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