Check your Driving License

Post by **simmitc** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:58 pm

Just picked this up from another club...

Photocard License Holders could face a £1,000 fine

Many will remember the old paper driving license (or probably still have one) and know that once issued, and barring being naughty, the license was valid until the driver reached the age of 70. NOT SO with the photocard license. On the front of the card, in very small print, is a date beside the legend "4b". Believe it or not, this is an expiry date, which will normally be 10 years after issue, regardless of the driver's age. Driving after that date could render you liable for all sorts of problems.

The first batch of these licenses were issued in July 1988, and so should have been renewed last year - official DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired, only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding. With another 300,000 photocard licences due to expire over the coming year, experts fear the number of invalid licences will soar, putting thousands more drivers in breach of the law and at risk of a fine.

And now to rub salt into wounds, it will cost you £17.50 to renew the card, which will earn the Treasury an estimated £437million over 25 years. Most drivers are not aware of the problem, and will probably not be impressed by this "stealth tax".

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:19 pm

Glad i just have a paper licence - years old and in complete tatters - but good till I am 70!

Post by **taupe** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:23 pm

I had to change mine to a photocard when I moved house. Its also got to have your current permanent address on to be legal.

Post by **LouiseM** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:55 pm

The DVLA send out reminders a couple of months before the licence is due to expire so as long as you keep them notified of any changes of address, and don't ignore the reminders, you won't get a fine.

Post by **Alec** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:12 am

Hello Louise,

what you say is true, but all this extra administration is yet another cost to the long suffering motorist, which this government seems to believe has a bottomless pocket.

Alec

Post by **LouiseM** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:14 am

Alec - the point is that the original post is doing the rounds on lots of sites as though it is telling us something new, which it isn't. The fact that the photo driving licence must be renewed after 10 years was widely publicised on it's introduction in 1998. Some drivers seem to have forgotten this until they receive a renewal fee reminder but it's difficult to see how this can be described as a 'stealth tax' when we've had 11 years notice.

Driving licences are frequently used as a form of ID, not just as proof that you have passed a driving test, so the updating of the photo every 10 years is a security precaution. The same applies to passports yet no-one seems to complain about renewing these.

I've just had to (reluctantly) get a photo driving licence as my original one was so badly tattered it would have disintegrated the next time I was required to show it

£17.50 seems a lot of money but it works out at just £1.75 a year which, compared to other motoring costs, isn't that bad.

Post by **Alec** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:35 am

Hello Louise,

I didn't mention stealth tax, merely that the extra administration costs money and we have to pay for it. I am also aware that it is not new and fortunately, I too, have a non photographic driving licence.

I do not see the need to carry personal identification, and I am not alone as the very vocal resistance to the issuing of I.D. cards that this government seems intent on pushing through.

Of course any identification that carries a picture needs periodic renewal as people age. I wonder how long before someone suggests that we get 'chipped' as animals are for identification?

Alec

Post by **RogerRust** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:40 am

bmcecosse wrote:Glad i just have a paper licence - years old and in complete tatters - but good till I am 70!

Not long then!

By the way if you want to hire a car in Europe I understand you need a photo licence.

I'm just waiting for my last points to fall off before I change mine.

Post by **LouiseM** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:54 am

I didn't mention stealth tax

Not suggesting you did Alec - I was referring to the original post. I'm not going to get drawn into discussions about government and ID cards as this post is already leaning towards the 'off topic' forum rather than a 'useful tip'

Post by **jonathon** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:05 am

Roger, my parents went to tax their car last week only to be told that the PO could not accept their old (non photo) license. They are now in their 80's and the problems that they had searching out who could eventually process them and tracking down a photo booth proved very stressfull to them both. They now have a current spec license, and tax disc but a 20mins job turned out to be a 4 hour ordeal.
Is this correct then that we all need to upgrade to a picture license, as my tax is due soon. Mind you if you tax online this problem doesn't occur

Post by **alex_holden** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:19 am

jonathon wrote:Roger, my parents went to tax their car last week only to be told that the PO could not accept their old (non photo) license.

Since when did you need a driving licence to buy a tax disc?

Post by **LouiseM** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:40 am

Can't see anything on the DVLA site which states that a driving licence must be shown when renewing a tax disc. Perhaps the problem was that they were producing a driving licence as a form of ID when paying by cheque and the counter clerk noticed it was out of date? When you reach 70 your licence has to be renewed every 3 years so as they are both in their 80's they should already have photo licences, not paper ones.

Post by **jonathon** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:52 am

Hmmm! yes I see your points, must have been used as ID then. I'll inform them about the 3 year renewal. Thanks Alex, Louise