UK driving licence: when to renew and how to do it

There are four main triggers.

1. Photo expiry, every 10 years. The expiry date is on the back of the photocard. This is the most commonly missed renewal. It does not affect your right to drive, but the card is no longer valid as photo ID (for age verification, right-to-rent checks, and so on), and some countries will not accept an expired licence for driving abroad.

2. Your 70th birthday, and every 3 years after that. At 70, you must renew your licence. DVLA sends a reminder letter and a D46P form. You self-declare your fitness to drive. There is no automatic medical exam unless you have a notifiable medical condition. You do not lose your licence at 70: you renew it.

3. Change of address. You are legally required to keep your driving licence address up to date. Updating it is free and takes a few minutes at GOV.UK. One thing that catches people out: updating your driving licence does not update the address on your V5C logbook. You need to do both separately.

4. Name change. Marriage, deed poll, or any other legal name change requires updating your licence. You apply online at GOV.UK and will need to provide supporting documentation.

Online renewal through GOV.UK is the fastest route. What you need:

• Your current driving licence number
• Your National Insurance number
• A valid UK passport (DVLA takes your photo from the passport database, so you do not submit a separate photo)
• A payment card (free for standard renewal, £20 for lost or damaged)

Once you apply, your new licence typically arrives within a week. The old photocard should be destroyed when the new one arrives. DVLA does not always ask you to return it for standard photo renewals, but check the current guidance at GOV.UK when you apply.

A postal application via the D1 form from a Post Office is required when you cannot renew online. Situations where this applies: you do not have a valid UK passport for the photo, or certain medical conditions require additional documentation that the online service cannot accept.

The D1 form is available free from any Post Office. Post your completed application to DVLA in Swansea. Processing by post takes longer, typically 2 to 3 weeks from receipt, sometimes more.

Update your address online at GOV.UK. It is free and the change registers almost immediately. You will receive a new photocard in the post within a week or so.

The important thing to remember: changing your address on your driving licence is a separate process from changing it on your V5C (vehicle registration certificate). If you own a vehicle, you need to do both. Failing to update the V5C address can result in a fine. If enforcement notices or road tax reminders go to the old address, you may not receive them.

DVLA sends a reminder when you are approaching 70. You receive a D46P renewal form, or you can apply online. The renewal is a self-declaration of fitness to drive. You confirm that you do not have any medical condition you are required to declare.

If you do have a relevant medical condition, you declare it as part of the renewal. DVLA then reviews your case and may ask for a medical report or impose licence restrictions. This is not designed to catch people out: it is about ensuring that anyone who needs to stop driving for health reasons is given appropriate advice.

After 70, the photocard renews every 3 years. DVLA sends a reminder each time.

Certain medical conditions require you to tell DVLA. The legal obligation sits with you as the licence holder, not your GP. Your doctor may advise you to declare, but even if they do not, you still have the obligation.

Conditions that must typically be declared include: epilepsy, insulin-treated diabetes, certain vision impairments, some cardiac conditions, sleep apnoea that affects driving, and a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions.

If you develop a condition and do not tell DVLA, your insurance may be invalidated. DVLA reviews each case individually. Declaration does not automatically mean losing your licence. Many conditions are managed with a time-limited licence or periodic reviews.

GOV.UK has the full list of notifiable conditions and the relevant forms.