Returning old driving licence

Abbafan1972

Hi there. 

Hubby has just had his new driving licence through, as his old one was about to expire. I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA. 

My question is, should I send it special delivery or anything, or just pop it in the post? 

TIA. 

The_Unready

The last few times members of my family have renewed their driving licences (expiry, change of address, etc) we haven't bothered sending the old one back. Instead we've had the licences humanely destroyed locally.

None of us have had a visit from the driving licence police, yet...............

Bigphil1474

Haven't got round to sending the old one back from August last year, still in my wallet behind the new one. Must remember to do it soon.

user1977

Abbafan1972 said:

I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA. 

You don't have to do this at all.

TadleyBaggie

user1977 said:

Abbafan1972 said:

I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA. 

You don't have to do this at all.

That's not what the DVLA say:

You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.

user1977

TadleyBaggie said:

user1977 said:

Abbafan1972 said:

I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA. 

You don't have to do this at all.

That's not what the DVLA say:

You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.

Yes, I know it's not what they say. But you don't necessarily have to do things just because the DVLA say so on their website. Is there any legal obligation to return it?

And even if there is, they're obviously not monitoring it, given nobody here (including myself) has heard anything about a failure to return old licences. So the money-saving answer is not to spend any money on postage.

Abbafan1972

Oh ok. I was surprised when we got the new licence through, as I thought it was similar to the passports, where you have to send the old one back before they profess your application. I can just send it normal postage (I have loads of stamps from those RM test pieces of post), but wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. But if there’s no legal obligation to return it, I’m quite happy to put it in the shredder (which surely is more secure anyway). The letter that came with new licence says to return it as well. 

MikeJXE

I have renewed my licence several times being over 70

Returned to DVLA in normal post and had no issues 

Maybe the others are right and DVLA don't monitor but I'm not looking for any trouble having signed to sending it back 

Jaybee_16

Renew my licence annually and haven't sent the old ones back. They're sitting in a drawer somewhere. 

oldagetraveller1

Like others, never returned the expired licence. If they provided a postage paid envelope or Freepost address, then maybe I would.

Not had any threatening letters from them or visits from the Feds for the heinous crime of not complying!

I have sometimes wondered why they need the expired licence.

A driver is either licensed or not?

If the DVLA said you must hop on one leg to the postbox/office, I'm sure many would!

Aretnap

user1977 said:

TadleyBaggie said:

user1977 said:

Abbafan1972 said:

I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA. 

You don't have to do this at all.

That's not what the DVLA say:

You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.

Yes, I know it's not what they say. But you don't necessarily have to do things just because the DVLA say so on their website. Is there any legal obligation to return it?

And even if there is, they're obviously not monitoring it, given nobody here (including myself) has heard anything about a failure to return old licences. So the money-saving answer is not to spend any money on postage.

Road Traffic Act section 99 imposes an obligation to surrender (ie return) your licence when it expires, or when the photograph expires, or when the address is no longer current etc

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/99

But it seems to be rarely if ever enforced. Last time I renewed my photos there was a box to tick that said "I cannot return my licence because it has been lost/destroyed/defaced" and I just ticked that rather than returning it.