Quotezone Warning on Driving Licence 10 Year Expiry

Following news drivers could be handed hefty fines for failing to update their photo licence, experts are urging Brits to check their own.

This comes after research from motoring experts at Quotezone.co.uk revealed 29.4% of Brits admit they were unaware they would be charged for holding an out-of-date licence.

Currently, guidelines state drivers must renew their licence every ten years, with drivers who are nearing the end of the period receiving a renewal reminder in the post from the DVLA. Almost a tenth, 9.4%, admit to not knowing when their licence is due to expire.  To check if a licence is due for renewal soon, the expiry date is shown in section 4b on ID cards.

Those who have missed renewal reminders and are currently carrying an expired licence should refrain from driving until the DVLA have received the completed renewal application.

Drivers with licences which expire while the DVLA is processing their renewal application are fine to continue driving under certain conditions, including not being disqualified from driving.*

Fines for failure to update driving licences doesn’t only apply to expiration. With 8.6% of drivers not aware of all the reasons to renew, experts are calling for a nation-wide check of all basic information on licences.

Other reasons to renew a licence card include turning 70, getting married or changing address.

Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, Greg Wilson, said: “Anyone who received a new licence in 2014 should prepare to receive their reminder renewal in the post this year. It is important not to ignore this reminder and apply for a renewal as soon as possible to avoid potential fines.

“When it comes to renewing photo licences, there are many other factors which could also cause drivers to face fines, including failure to update a new name, address or not updating their image on a new licence.

“With 7.5% of those drivers surveyed admitting to driving on the road not knowing they had an invalid licence, now is the time to double check wallets and make sure everything is up to speed, no one wants to risk an expensive fine.”