Check your driving licence discussion

gilligansyle

My license expires in 2029 and the photo in 2012, but this is a replacement and I was certain that it used to state something different. I asked my sister to look at hers, as she has had it since they were first issued and sure enough both her photo and the license expire in 2031!!!

The_Edge

I still have a paper licence. I actually left the UK in 1998, and when I did I called the DVLA and said what do I do with my licence.

All I was told was you have to ask in the Country where you are living which at the time was Gibraltar. As I didn't need to drive over there I just left it, and used my UK licence.

Since then I have worked in loads of countries, only actually driving in Antigua - where I had a licence for 2 years (granted on the basis I had a UK licence). This has now expired.

I am currently living in Eastern Europe (but don't drive here), although I do return to the UK every 3 months or so. I have a car (for nearly 10 years) which is taxed & insured and I normally leave with friends when I am away which is registered at my parents address - which they rent out!

But my UK driving licence still has an address on it I haven't lived at for over 10 years - didn't change to my parents address as really I don't live there either & I don't always get the post forwarded.

I still use this paper licence for renting cars when required, and as I said it's still valid. Fortunately, never been stopped by the Police as it may be a tricky conversation!

Any advice on what I should do? I was advised in 98 by the DVLA to do nothing - but surely this cannot be correct?

outofmoney

Mine is up for renewal later this year. However, I have not driven for a few years and probably won't for some time. Do I need to renew mine?

wealdroam

outofmoney wrote: »

Mine is up for renewal later this year. However, I have not driven for a few years and probably won't for some time. Do I need to renew mine?

No, you do not have to renew a driving licence if you are not going to drive.
It is, after all, a licence to drive.

garlix

I have lived in the UK for 30 years - being originally German.
I took my driving test in the UK, only have a license in the UK.
But I have moved in the last 10 years twice.
Therefore I am required to inform the DVLA and get a new license.
However, as a foreign national I have to submit not only my license but also my passport to the DVLA for up to 6 weeks.
That is all my ID in one fair swoop.
I refused to do this after my first move as my father was seriously ill and later died. Now my mother, also 87 years old, is also very ill and I am still refusing to hand over license and passport as I would not be able to go and visit my mother without, or, have it at home in an emergency, if I am called to my mother's bedside suddenly.
This means I am driving in constant fear of getting points, as I am now totally illegal on the roads, having not renewed my address for the past 8 or 10 years and having still only a paper license.
I have written to the DVLA about this and they have no advice for me at all. They will not accept a copy of my passport even with a sworn statement as to my ID nor will they let me come to any of their offices to produce my passport and myself.
I am sick of it - I pay taxes in this country for 30 years yet cannot vote which party I pay it to - but also do not have a vote in Germany as I am not a resident.
any advice anyone has on the driving license issue gratefully received - I simply would not be able to afford a fine at all....

Doooford

Mine was 2 years out of date when I renewed as I needed it to drive abroad. I wouldn't worry about renewing, the DVLA are all teeth and no bite.

sysky

Does anyone know about german licenses?

mine has a photo but is the older version pink sort of paper one, its a sort of 3 page fold out twice the card size, doesnt have a valid to date at all as they never did before the card format but I have lived in UK since 2001(before they had them in Germany) but not been driving or have a car for ages now and dont anticipate getting a car in the next year either but want to make sure I get it changed at some point.

just worried about someone saying they dont renew classes properly, as my license covers up to 7.5t which s now an extra class on the licenses how I understand and dont want to loose that, as you never know when it might come in handy.

also can you go and take it to a DVLA office in person dont want it to get lost in the post.

voice_actor

The photo renewal website does not tell you that the new licence will run from the date you apply (not the date your old licence expires).
So if you renew as soon as you receive the notification, as I did, you'll do yourself out of 2 months' validity.

So, being organised is punished!

I've asked the website to make this clear, but only had some bluff and bluster back from the customer services dept.

jno

garlix wrote: »

I am sick of it - I pay taxes in this country for 30 years yet cannot vote which party I pay it to - but also do not have a vote in Germany as I am not a resident.

This made me laugh - originally from UK I have lived in Austria over 10 years also - I also have no vote here - WELCOME to the wonderful European Union, where people are supposed to be able to "work and travel freely without discrimination". This of course is all hogwash, and people on the "Hauptland" wonder why Brits are so cynical about being part of Europe - know you know why.

The best way I would say, is do nothing and say nothing - been using British licence for well over 10 years in Austria and no one seems to care as police here generally don't seem to care less unless it involves them finding a major drug dealer or illegal Eastern European (lots of prejudice in this country - i.e. stop foreign cars but not stop local ones) - British they don't care about. Alternatively, if you have relatives with a fixed German address, why not take it to Germany, change to German licence and just leave it at this fixed address there.

For all moneysavers moaning about the 20 quid change by the way, be happy - the cost of doing a driving licence/lessons etc where I am comes in at about 1750-2000 Euros and the costs in the UK are a lot cheaper. I actually once calculated it would be cheaper for an Austrian to fly into the UK and do an intensive course for 2 weeks on Ryan Air, get the UK licence and fly back again and change the licence over - extreme money saving idea.

Incidentally, on the Austrian licence the photo NEVER expires and unless Austrians lose them, they never need to renew - yet again, MORE EU inconsistency in which Brits do things that others don't have to. And, don't even get me started on the "points system" - there is also massive inconsistency between countries on what points you get for what offences + why don't UK insurers TELL YOU your insurance policy is valid EU wide (third party cover) and just fail to tell you this? Driving is so much stress!

cycle_widow

My husband's just received a letter from the DVLA to advise him that his photo expires in September, so maybe they're getting ahead of the game.