Check your driving licence discussion

23rdian

Still have my paper one and have no intention of swapping. Can't see why anyone would bother until you have to. i.e. 2033. Why risk a fine if they decide to get more pro-active in the future?

matchmade

Re. Paper driving licences. My accountant believes that if you are living at a different address from the one shown on your paper driving licence (highly likely if you got your license when you were young), you must by law pay £20 to get a photocard. I've checked the DirectGov website and can't see anything about it being a legal requirement, but my accountant says it is because the police need to know where you live.

But really, what *is* the problem? The DVLA and police already know who you are and where you live from your vehicle registration and your insurance. Why add the driving license to yet another database that needs constant updating, paid for by the long-suffering British public? How often does this database ever get used productively? Because if they were really cross-checking databases and using their data effectively, they'd be on at you to change your license every time you moved house and changed your insurance, your "keeper" address, the address for your TV license, your address with HMRC, and so on and so on.

Flyboy152

matchmade wrote: »

Re. Paper driving licences. My accountant believes that if you are living at a different address from the one shown on your paper driving licence (highly likely if you got your license when you were young), you must by law pay £20 to get a photocard. I've checked the DirectGov website and can't see anything about it being a legal requirement, but my accountant says it is because the police need to know where you live.

But really, what *is* the problem? The DVLA and police already know who you are and where you live from your vehicle registration and your insurance. Why add the driving license to yet another database that needs constant updating, paid for by the long-suffering British public? How often does this database ever get used productively? Because if they were really cross-checking databases and using their data effectively, they'd be on at you to change your license every time you moved house and changed your insurance, your "keeper" address, the address for your TV license, your address with HMRC, and so on and so on.

No they don't. The DVLA and police know who the car's registered keeper is, not the person driving it. The police are not automatically provided with the policy holder's details, unless formally requested and that still does not mean that the person driving the car is the policy holder.

It is an offence to not have your current details on your driving licence, but if you are changing from the old green/pink paper licence, I believe there is no charge (not sure if this is correct, you will need to check).

outofmoney

Hubby had to change his due to us moving. He went from a paper version to card and he had to pay. It is only if you move once you have a card that you do not need to pay.

norman

how far in advance can I renew my photocard licence?

AnythingButChardonnay

norman wrote: »

how far in advance can I renew my photocard licence?

You can update your photograph at any time if you're prepared to pay £20 for the privilege, and lose any remaining validity of the previous photo'.

Personally I'm going to leave it 'til the last day, then maybe a bit longer afterwards unless I actually hear some real evidence of anyone actually having been fined for having an out of date photo'.

Flyboy152

AnythingButChardonnay wrote: »

You can update your photograph at any time if you're prepared to pay £20 for the privilege, and lose any remaining validity of the previous photo'.

Personally I'm going to leave it 'til the last day, then maybe a bit longer afterwards unless I actually hear some real evidence of anyone actually having been fined for having an out of date photo'.

Why would you do that?

AnythingButChardonnay

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Why would you do that?

Many reasons:

The main is that's all I'm required to do. As long as I post my renewal before it expires, I've fulfilled my duty.

If I renew earlier than required then I 'lose' days/weeks/months of my photo's validity. That means I have to get a new photograph sooner than I would have to.

I don't agree with having to renew my driving licence photograph at all, anyway.

It doesn't affect my entitlement to drive by having an 'expired' photograph.

And, finally, the only reason we have these wretched photo licences at all is because the EU has forced us to have them, and I don't like that.

Flyboy152

AnythingButChardonnay wrote: »

Many reasons:

The main is that's all I'm required to do. As long as I post my renewal before it expires, I've fulfilled my duty.

If I renew earlier than required then I 'lose' days/weeks/months of my photo's validity. That means I have to get a new photograph sooner than I would have to.

I don't agree with having to renew my driving licence photograph at all, anyway.

It doesn't affect my entitlement to drive by having an 'expired' photograph.

And, finally, the only reason we have these wretched photo licences at all is because the EU has forced us to have them, and I don't like that.

In other words, "just being bloody minded" and anti-Europe just for the sake of it.

AnythingButChardonnay

Flyboy152 wrote: »

In other words, "just being bloody minded" and anti-Europe just for the sake of it.

I am not anti-Europe; indeed it's because I love Europe that I am anti-EU. There's an enormous difference.

Additionally saving money, as MSE is meant to be all about, is not being 'bloody minded' at all.

You asked me to explain my views and I have. You live your life and I'll live mine.