Drivers Licence renewal fee

_Adrian_

I passed my test a looong time ago, when only the green paper licence was issued and at the time of issue the licence was valid until my 70th birthday.  Any changes to the licence during that period (eg. address, name, etc.) were supposedly free of charge.  Then, a couple of decades back I had a change of address and was told that I'd need a photo card to go with the new paper licence.  Other than the cost of a photo, there was no charge for this.

At the last renewal I sent a cheque with the renewal form and, astoundingly, it was returned with my new licence.  The renewal is on the horizon again, but I appear to be limited to either online or at a Post Office, both of which will require a payment.

So, my question is, should I really be paying a fee, given that my original licence as issued would still have a fair few years validity on it and the photocard only came along after my licence was issued ??

Thoughts, anybody?

MikeJXE

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, do it online and it takes about 5 days, do it by post and it could take 5 weeks or not at all due to getting lost in Royal Mail chaos

I'm 82 and done it a few times, last November I dit is on a Sunday and it was in the mailbox the following Friday

serpico100

MikeJXE said:

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, 

A renewal is only free if you are over 70

Bigwheels1111

MikeJXE said:

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, do it online and it takes about 5 days, do it by post and it could take 5 weeks or not at all due to getting lost in Royal Mail chaos

I'm 82 and done it a few times, last November I dit is on a Sunday and it was in the mailbox the following Friday

That’s not true regarding the post office.
When they click send your application is in the queue at the dvla and as they have your old license 
nothing else needs doing.
Last year during covid mine took 6 working days to come back.

MikeJXE

serpico100 said:

MikeJXE said:

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, 

A renewal is only free if you are over 70

He passed his test a looooong time ago and his license is up for renewal.

He has not stated he is moving and there are not many requirements to renew your license except when you reach 70 years old 

Aretnap

MikeJXE said:

serpico100 said:

MikeJXE said:

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, 

A renewal is only free if you are over 70

He passed his test a looooong time ago and his license is up for renewal.

He has not stated he is moving and there are not many requirements to renew your license except when you reach 70 years old 

He has a photo card licence, having moved a couple of decades ago. He has to update the photo card. (On a very pedantic level updating the photo card is not the same as renewing the licence, but normal well balanced people refer to it as a renewing the licence)

There is a fee for updating the photo card. That's just how it is. A handful of people who still have old style paper licences can avoid paying for new photo cards every ten years, however this requires, among other things, you not to have changed address since photo cards were introduced. Once you move house you need to get a photo card. Hopefully the new house is nice enough to be worth spending a few pounds a decade on DVLA fees for.

The OP says that last time he updated his photo card his cheque was returned. I suspect that this was a mistake and he was lucky; he should have been charged that time as well. I won't tell the DVLA if he doesn't. 

serpico100

MikeJXE said:

He passed his test a looooong time ago and his license is up for renewal.

He has not stated he is moving and there are not many requirements to renew your license except when you reach 70 years old 

The OP stated that if he still had his original paper licence (which would also last until he is 70) it would still be valid for a fair few years yet, so therefore he is under 70 years old. 

As photo licences have to be renewed every ten years, unless you’re over 70 (when it’s every 3 years) he unfortunately would have a fee to pay when renewing

hareng

The OP stated that if he still had his original paper licence (which would also last until he is 70) it would still be valid for a fair few years yet, so therefore he is under 70 years old. 

Correct i am still on pink and green last updated 1997 with a change of address.
You can check here https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

HumberFlyer

serpico100 said:

MikeJXE said:

Renewal is free if you already have a card licence, 

A renewal is only free if you are over 70

I have just renewed my licence I am 69... it expires before I am 70..... no charge..... they was being nice to me I guess 

_Adrian_

 compulsory Aretnap said:

The OP says that last time he updated his photo card his cheque was returned. I suspect that this was a mistake and he was lucky; he should have been charged that time as well. I won't tell the DVLA if he doesn't. 

Thanks, appreciated

Having read the comments here and on the DVLA website, I'm pretty sure I have a grip on the situation; everything points to me having to pay for the photocard renewal.  My point, however, is less about the fee itself, but the principle:  When my paper licence was issued, it was on the basis that there would be no further fees payable.  The introduction of the photocard as a compulsory part of the licence, which has to be renewed every 10 years and attracts a fee for so doing, contradicts the original 'contract'.  To abuse a well worn term, I feel like I was mis-sold the licence.

Is it a biggie? No.  Could it be challenged? Probably, although it really wouldn't be worth the effort (and cost!).  Technically, a photocard is not compulsory, as long as the licencee has not had a new address since they were introduced, as the paper licence will continue to be valid.  However, I suspect the number of folks in that category is vanishingly small.....

Thanks again to everybody who responded

serpico100

I totally agree with everything you have said. I had a change of address in July 2019 and was issued a photo licence. I expected it to be valid for 10 years, but it expires in October of this year, so is only valid for just over four years. I suspect it has something to do with the anniversary of my passing the driving test. It will be 40 years in October and as photo licences have to be renewed every 10 years I guess they look on it as expiring on each 10 year anniversary even though I haven’t had it that long. Not really fair in my opinion but a good money making scheme for them