Got a plastic driving licence issued in 1998 or 1999? Renew your photo now!

MoKa_2

bmckeand wrote: »

I got my license in 1999 and it came with both paper and photocard licenses. As far as I was aware the card isn't legal on it's own.... which also might explain why a speeding offence a few years ago had the points put on my paper license.
Is the paper license required anymore?

The new licence is in two parts - the plastic 'ID' type card and a paper counterpart licence - and you're right, the card should be accompanied by the paper licence for all 'official' uses (for things like car hires, traffic offences, etc). If you need photo ID, many organisations will accept your photocard on its own.

The paper licences that others are referring to as being replaced are the old style licences that were ONLY paper licences and didn't come with the plastic photocard.

You should keep hold of your paper counterpart as it is part of the new licence.

Hope this helps.

Ginger5693_2

elektra wrote: »

I moved house and sent paper licence off, got a reply back saying needed photo. Went to photobooth and picture came out all blotchy, didn't have any more money that day. Then forgot -month or 2 went past. Didn't think I was doing anything illegal - I had told DVLA of change of address.

Got pulled up for speeding, told police licence was already at DVLA so couldn't produce it at police staion in 7 days. He told me to phone DVLA and ask them to send it back, did that - they said they destroy as soon as they receive. Asked if I sent photo that day would licence be returned in 7 days - no more like 14.

So - case had to go to court as I could not produce documents. I got 4 points (instead of 3) and had to pay court costs. How ridiculous, what a waste of court time and money. Why couldn't the police verify with DVLA they had my licence and tell them to keep it till points added and photo supplied.

My OH had a similar incident with the courts......he got stopped speeding and couldn't produce his driving licence within 7 days as it was with the DVLA getting the address changed (to comply with the law). Got a summons as he didn't produce his licence, pleaded guilty by post but asked for the court costs not to be applied as it was due to the fact he was complying with the law that he couldn't produce.....they felt differently and charged him £30 costs !!!
This makes me very reluctant to send mine back for any changes coz you seem to be 'damned if you do' and 'damned if you don't' !!

karendb

Charis wrote: »

When I moved house and wanted to change the address I was required to get a photo and was issued a plastic licence.

Very confusing isn't it? I sent off my paper licence to change my address in 1995 and they just sent me another paper licence - no mention of a plastic one. It's possible it's changed since then?

planningmyescape

Mines up for renewal next year, even though I only passed my test last year, but I've had my provisional since 1999. I am a bit annoyed that I have to pay to change a picture, espically as its free to change address, it can't take that much more processing. Also I wish someone had told me about the apparent 'loophole' in the system, before I amended the address on my provisional when it was sent off to get my full licence.

sarah_elton

TheToothfairy wrote: »

This is interesting because my licence was one of the ones issued in 1999.
I sent it to the DVLA to have my surname updated (which they do for free) in 2006 after I got married but they didn't require a new photo.
I've just checked the date in section 4b and it shows that I don't need to update my photo now until 2016 - so my picture is going to be valid for 17 years!

Jammy so and so! Mine expires in Jan 09 and despite having my address changed on it several times the expiry date has never changed booo.

£17.50 is only £1.75 a year - I don't mind that much. It's considerably cheaper than a passport renewal and that's every 10 years as well. I think it's fair enough to make you update a photo ID every ten years - looks can change considerably in that time.

sarah_elton

Jocatz wrote: »

You're best checking that the DVLA has your current address to be on the safe side though.

Um, also because if you don't keep the address on your driving license up to date there's some ridiculous fine (£1000 I heard?)

And !!!! re the cases of people unable to produce docs because they were with the DVLA. It says on their site you can keep driving while your license is with them. I'm going to be dead nervous now.

snidey

I've still got a paper license but i'm loathed to change it for a photo one. I should really as it still has my old address (from 8 years ago) on it.

I think the license itself is free (can anyone confirm this) but i'm loathed to paying out to get pics taken for it.

Rikki

snidey wrote: »

I've still got a paper license but i'm loathed to change it for a photo one. I should really as it still has my old address (from 8 years ago) on it.

I think the license itself is free (can anyone confirm this) but i'm loathed to paying out to get pics taken for it.

Click here

You must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) immediately of any changes to your name, address or both.

arianwen

snidey wrote: »

I've still got a paper license but i'm loathed to change it for a photo one. I should really as it still has my old address (from 8 years ago) on it.

I think the license itself is free (can anyone confirm this) but i'm loathed to paying out to get pics taken for it.

Hi there,
It's a while since I worked at DVLA but PLEASE tell them of any change of address (it's free)- not so much for the £1000 fine - but for the fact that you may be driving illegally if you don't.

For instance, if you were to be caught by a speed camera, without your knowledge, and you could not be contacted at the address on record, DVLA will revoke your licence (after sending out 2 warning letters to the old address). They allow you 1 year to send your licence in to have the points added from the date of revocation, but after that you are not covered to drive. This would also affect your insurance if you were in an accident.

Also, with regard to issuing a new licence quickly for 7 day 'producers'. DVLA can issue a new licence as a priority in these cases and get them back to you in time. All you do is explain the situation to the DVLA - that it's needed by the police - & ask for the Urgent Manager's address (these change periodically). Make sure you fill in the D1 correctly (as there will be no time for correcting errors), enclose ID, etc and send it recorded or registered post with a letter explaining the situation to the manager. If you would like them to sent it back recorded post, enclose a recorded SAE or they will just send it back 1st class post (ask for that).
The managers deal with many such requests every single day and will always do their best to try to help. I gave the address out countless times when I worked there.

I must admit that I really loved working at DVLA & was sorry to leave (family committments - I now work from home) - they're the best to work for - but I'm a bit miffed at the £17.50 charge - it'll no doubt have gone up by the time I renew in 2011 too!!
PS Please remember to hold on to BOTH parts of the licence - if I had a £1 for every time I was told that the customer thought they only needed the card part & had destroyed the paper part or they never received it - which is impossible, I'd be mortgage free!!
Hope this has helped (only my second post):rolleyes:

ste_eck

The £1000 applies when your license is not up to date in anyway ie. photo, name, address, need to wear glasses etc My friend has still got hers in her maiden name at her mum n dad's address and she left home about 7yrs ago and got married about 4yrs ago she's not been fined yet but then again she hasn't been pulled for a traffic offense either

Who enforces this £1000 fine? Last year I was given a producer for jumping a red light. I produced my doc's which included my old paper licence showing my old address which I moved from in 1998. The police didn't seem concerned that my address was wrong when I pointed it out to them, they just said I should have my address updated with DVLA. I got my old paper licence returned to me with the 3 points added in writing and no more problems. I intend to keep my old licence until those 3 points have expired.

For instance, if you were to be caught by a speed camera, without your knowledge, and you could not be contacted at the address on record, DVLA will revoke your licence (after sending out 2 warning letters to the old address). They allow you 1 year to send your licence in to have the points added from the date of revocation, but after that you are not covered to drive. This would also affect your insurance if you were in an accident

This can't be correct m8 regarding "being caught by a speed camera and you could not be contacted at the address on record". If you get caught by a Gatso, etc the speeding ticket will be sent to the address of the DVLA registered owner of the vehicle, so nothing to do with who's name is on a driving licence. Whether or not the vehicle is registered in your name won't matter either as the registered DVLA keeper of the car that got caught, is duly bound to provide the name and address of the driver who was using the car at the time of the offence. The registered keeper will then provide the name and address of the offender and not the driving licence number.

Bottom line I think is, if you still have a paper licence then just stick hold of it, until you are unlucky to get points added and only then surrender to the new photo licence. In my own experience the Police did not bother that I'd not updated my address for nearly 9 years and I'd moved house twice in that period!

Cheers


Ste