How to update your address with the DVLA

Your driving licence address can be updated entirely online at GOV.UK. There is no fee.

You need: your current photocard driving licence, a valid UK passport (DVLA uses the passport for a digital photo check), and your National Insurance number. The online process takes about 10 minutes. Your new photocard licence arrives by post within about a week.

If you do not have a UK passport, the online route is not currently available to you. You can apply by post using a D1 form, available from Post Office branches. A postal application takes longer, typically two to three weeks, and requires sending your current licence to DVLA. Check GOV.UK for the current D1 form process and any updates.

You are legally required to keep your driving licence address up to date. There is no specific fine for an incorrect address on a licence alone, but if you are involved in an incident and your licence details are found to be inaccurate, it can complicate matters. More practically, correspondence from DVLA goes to the licence address on record.

The V5C is your vehicle registration certificate. The address on it should match the registered keeper's current address. When you move, you need to update the V5C to show your new address.

If you have your current V5C: the update can be done online at GOV.UK using the document's reference number. A new V5C is issued with your updated address and sent to your new address by post. Allow up to four weeks for the new document to arrive.

If you do not have your V5C: you need to apply for a replacement certificate first, using a V62 form available at Post Office branches. This adds time to the process. If you have a vehicle and are not sure whether you have the V5C, check the glove box or your home files.

There is no fee for updating your address on the V5C.

Failing to update the V5C address can result in a fine of up to £1,000. DVLA enforces this because the V5C is the primary record of vehicle registration, and accuracy matters for enforcement, taxation, and administrative purposes.

Beyond the fine risk, there are practical consequences. Road tax renewal reminders are sent by post to the address on the V5C. If you have moved and not updated, you will not receive the reminder, and your road tax could lapse without you noticing. Missed penalty charge notices from DVLA, local councils, or enforcement cameras may go to your old address and escalate unpaid.

If you rent and move frequently, update both records each time you move. DVLA does not send automated prompts when a change of circumstances is expected.

There is no penalty for updating your DVLA address frequently. Doing it each time you move is the right approach. The process is quick and free. What causes problems is leaving it months before getting around to it, or moving multiple times and only catching up later.

Some people in short-term rented accommodation use their parents' or a family member's address for their vehicle registration. This is a grey area. DVLA's guidance is that the V5C should show the address where the vehicle is normally kept. Using a different address for convenience is not recommended and may cause complications if there is ever a dispute over the vehicle.