HAS YOUR DRIVING LICENCE EXPIRED?

16/03/2010

Did you know that if you own a UK photocard driving licence, it is only valid for ten years?  Unlike the old paper licences, the new photocard licences issued since June 1998 must be renewed every ten years at a cost to the driver of £20.00 (even if your details haven’t changed).

Following the ten year anniversary of the new licences, the confusion over the validity period of the licences is now coming to light.  DVLA figures reveal that while over 16,000 licences expired last summer, so far only around 11,500 drivers have renewed them.  This leaves a further 4,500 licences outstanding.  If they are still on the road, these drivers may not be aware that they are committing a criminal offence. The offence of 'failing to surrender their licence' could result in a fine for the driver of up to £1,000.

There’s no wonder many drivers are confused. Most drivers are probably unaware of the meaning of all the dates and figures written in small print on their licence. The date the licence is due to expire is written on the front at “4b”.  However, this entry is meaningless unless the driver turns the card over to read the small print on the back which explains that this date is the date of expiry of the licence.  The expiry date is also easily confused with the list of other dates on the back of the card. Those dates actually set out how long the driver is registered to hold a licence  -  that is until their 70th birthday. There is however, no explanation of the significance of that list of dates anywhere on the photocard, and so, at a glance, they could easily be assumed to be the expiry dates of the licence.

The DVLA have admitted that they are unable to say whether motorists were told the licences would expire when they were first issued. Drivers who used to own a paper licence and have sinced changed to a photocard licence are potentially even less likely to be aware of the need to renew their licence than new drivers, having been used to the old system.

The authorites have argued that, unlike paper licences, photocard licences need updating to allow enforcement agencies to properly identify drivers and to prevent fraudulent use.  However, although when a driver renews his or her licence, they are asked to submit a photograph, there appears to be no checks in place to ensure that the photograph submitted is actually that of the driver in question or that the photograph is particularly recent. Unlike passport photographs, there is no need to get new photos certified by a professional.  Therefore it is unclear to see exactly how this system is helping to reduce fraudulent use.

The agency say they are sending reminders to drivers whose photocard licence is due to expire, but already instances are being revealed where letters had not been received.  Although the information is there if you look hard enough, the government website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing does not make it obvious that photocard licences expire after ten years.

It is at least of some comfort that The Association of British Insurers and the Department for Transport have reassured motorists that failing to renew their licence does not affect their insurance cover.

The consequences of the new rules are as yet uncertain.  Nonetheless, with another 300,000 photocard licences due to expire over the coming year, the number of invalid licences are likely to soar.  Although it has not happened yet, the question is; will drivers who fail to renew their licences be prosecuted?

For further information in relation to any motoring or transport issues, please contact  Anton Balkitis or Lucy Wood at Rothera Dowson Solicitors on  0800 124 4012.