Driving licence extension

Andy_sinclair

Just got a reminder in for licence due to expire on 17/01/21
Went on to do this and saw that anyone whose licence has expired Feb - Dec 2020 is getting an 11 month extension
Is the going to be extended into 2021 - if not why not? COVID has not changed - lockdown is extended
Just want to know before I pay

calcotti

How can any one know in advance whether the government will extend the extension again? It was originally 7 months and then extended to 11. At the moment the period covered is, as you say, 1st Feb to 31st December.

the extension beyond 31st August was only announced on 1st September.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expired-driving-licences-automatically-extended-by-11-months

Andy_L

Andy_sinclair said:

Just got a reminder in for licence due to expire on 17/01/21
Went on to do this and saw that anyone whose licence has expired Feb - Dec 2020 is getting an 11 month extension
Is the going to be extended into 2021 - if not why not? COVID has not changed - lockdown is extended
Just want to know before I pay

Probably because DVLA have sorted out their WFH/Covid secure workplaces & can now process applications quickly enough to keep up with demand

hb2

My OH was 70 this month so had to renew his driving licence. To our surprise, it came through very quickly (several weeks).

dogvomitsnore

Just a word of advice. If you need your licence for any type of identity validation. Get it renewed asap. I've got a thread on here if you can find it.  It may be legal to continue to drive with the extention but other agencies may not (as in my case) do not recognise it as a valid licence for their purposes.

epm-84

dogvomitsnore said:

Just a word of advice. If you need your licence for any type of identity validation. Get it renewed asap. I've got a thread on here if you can find it.  It may be legal to continue to drive with the extention but other agencies may not (as in my case) do not recognise it as a valid licence for their purposes.

I'm sure an expired driving licence or passport still counts as valid ID for 2 years after the expiry date, even though the document may no longer be valid for its original purpose.

Jeremy535897

Not according to the above poster's thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6219784/cant-log-in-to-hmrc#latest

jonesMUFCforever

epm-84 said:

dogvomitsnore said:

Just a word of advice. If you need your licence for any type of identity validation. Get it renewed asap. I've got a thread on here if you can find it.  It may be legal to continue to drive with the extention but other agencies may not (as in my case) do not recognise it as a valid licence for their purposes.

I'm sure an expired driving licence or passport still counts as valid ID for 2 years after the expiry date, even though the document may no longer be valid for its original purpose.

I don't think so. For example if you want to use either as ID to open an account it must be in date.

MattMattMattUK

Why not just renew it anyway, it is easy to do online.

GaleSF63

MattMattMattUK said:

Why not just renew it anyway, it is easy to do online.

I think OP is hoping to put off a payment.

Do you definitely have to pay, OP? Easiest just to pay and do it, surely?

I renewed mine - age 70 - in July, online, on a Monday evening, and licence arrived Friday of the same week. I don't have a passport but the photo didn't need renewing.

MattMattMattUK

GaleSF63 said:

I think OP is hoping to put off a payment.

Renewal is £14, or free if you are over 70, I would imagine the inconvenience and issues caused if it expires (rather than being covered by an extension) it is not worth delaying spending the £14.