Will you be fined up to £1,000?
Thousands of motorists are being fined up to £1,000 and/or facing prosecution without even knowing they have committed an offence!
I didnt know my licence expired!
In 1998 the new photo card style driving licence came into force, however, officials failed to publicise the fact that the licences had to be renewed after 10 years. In 2008 came the 1st batch of licences to expire, that year there were 16,136 licences to be renewed, of which only 11,566 renewed, leaving 4,570 still outstanding, with another 300,000 licences due to renew over the following year, experts feared that expired licences would soar. With more and more motorists getting in the driving seat this number will just escalate.
Where do I find my expiry date?
Confusion has been caused as the expiry date is not clearly marked on the licence and has conflicting information. The front of your licence shows your personal details, some dates and your licence number. Upon checking the meanings of the dates, it does state expiry date. However, when checking the meaning on the reverse of the card you will see just above it the expiry dates of your driving category’s being your 70th birthday, thus causing confusion.
What do I have to do?
To add salt to the wound, not only would you have paid £50 for your provisional licence and £50 for your full licence, you also have to pay £20 to renew your licence. The purpose of this is that apparently our faces change over a 10 year period and have to be kept updated.
For more information on renewing your driving licence, to see an example of where your expiry date is and other licence matters, visit the direct.gov website
What if my licence has expired and I have an accident?
In the event of an accident whilst you are driving with an expired licence could mean the refusal of a claim. However, each insurance company has a different stance on this. If you are unsure, contact us or your insurance broker for their advice.
What now?
So get out your Wallet, Purse, Diary, Handbag or Briefcase and check that your licence is still valid and remember to renew it!!
Whilst you have your licence in your hand, check that your address and any changes in marital status is correct as failure to do so could also result in a fine or prosecution.
And Finally; Having the correct address is the DVLA’s way of keeping in contact with you, for example to inform you that you need to renew your licence, and the same goes for all your suppliers, make sure they know where you are so that you can be contacted easily.
