Forced to renew Driving License?

oranabana

Recently I have received a letter from the DVLA stating that I need to pay 20 GBP and apply for a new drivers license. How can that be, when infact it clearly states on the back of my license that it expires in 2038?

Utterly confused. This is some kind of sick joke by the DVLA to get us to spend more money for providing yet more personal details to them?

comeandgo

The paper part lasts til 2038, the picture card licence only lasts 10 years and has to be renewed.

PollyOnAMission

What does it say for the "Licence valid to" date (4b. on the front of the card)?

Is it for a replacement photocard, which needs to be done every ten years?

maninthestreet

OP - do you (like me) still have the old style 'paper only' licence?

oranabana

@mannthestreet no, its one of the photo card new style license. Issued in 2003 if I remember correctly.

1. Do they want me to have a new licence, because I have a new address (outside of the EU, but have post going to a UK address, incl SORN registration for an unused vehicle?

or

2. Do they want to force a new photo ID on me. My appearance has not changed, and I would only send them the same photo again

on top of that, I have no idea where my license is, as I have not used it in nearly four years. Better look for it.

Aretnap

The obligation is to surrender the licence when the photograph expires (10 years after it was issued). If you don't do that then you commit an offence, though not one which many people seem to be prosecuted for. If you don't need the licence and don't want to pay £20 for a new one then you can surrender it and not renew it, but then you won't have a UK licence until you do reapply for it - which may or may not be a problem for you.

In theory your entitlement to drive remains in place until you surrender the licence even though the photograph has expired, though if you use it to drive abroad it's not a point I'd fancy arguing with a foreign policeman if he noticed the 2013 expiry date. Even the British police don't always understand it.

Strider590

Just pay it, the DVLA would love for you not to.....
Send all correspondance by recorded post so they can't accuse you of not sending it (and issue a "fine") when their incompetent staff lose it.

If you can't find your license, you need to tell them when you renew.

If you do it online, it's a real ball ache, with tonnes of pointless questions to fill in.... As the DVLA are known for selling peoples details, it wouldn't surprise me if they're also collecting marketing information with some of the questions they ask online.

thenudeone

oranabana wrote: »

2. Do they want to force a new photo ID on me. My appearance has not changed, and I would only send them the same photo again

No British citizen is forced to get a photo ID in the UK.

But just about every country in the world requires some form of driver testing and registration.

If you choose to drive, you have to comply with the rules regarding licences. That is not unreasonable.

That means you have to send back your licence with an up to date photo every 10 years.

Whilst no-one likes shelling out readies for something as intangible as a driving licence, there really are more important things to worry about than having to this once every 10 years.

Gloomendoom

thenudeone wrote: »

Whilst no-one likes shelling out readies for something as intangible as a driving licence, there really are more important things to worry about than having to this once every 10 years.

But it's two whole pounds a year!

Daylight bloody robbery. :mad:

Strider590

Gloomendoom wrote: »

But it's two whole pounds a year!

Daylight bloody robbery. :mad:

Or for the DVLA it's £128million a year...... £1.3billion over 10 years.
Well.... Yeah ok it's more like half that (with 30 million drivers), but it's still a lot of money they weren't making 20 years ago.

Richard53

We go from a paper licence that was free and lasted until you were 70 to a plastic thing that you have to pay £20 every ten years to renew. Has the service improved to reflect the increased cost? No.

They slipped that one by us very nicely.