Renewing Your Driving Licence | Older Drivers (2023)

FAQs

Do you need an eye test to renew your driving licence at 70? ›

Yes. Although your licence expires when you turn 70, it doesn't automatically mean you have to stop driving. It just means you will need to renew your driving licence every three years if you want to continue. You won't have to take another test and there's no upper age limit for driving.

Driving licences expire at 70 years of age, so when you reach 70, you need to renew your driving licence if you wish to continue driving. You then need to renew it every three years afterwards.

The DVLA says if your licence expires while it is processing your renewal application, you should be able to continue driving as long as you meet certain conditions, including only driving vehicles you were entitled to drive on your previous licence, not being told by a doctor or optician that you shouldn't drive, and ...

The expiry date of your photocard licence is shown on the front of the photocard at section 4b. If your licence has expired, you should not drive until you have applied to renew the licence. Although the DVLA routinely send out reminders to drivers, it is not a defence to say that you did not receive a reminder.

As expected, the prevalence of driving declined sharply with increasing age, ranging from 88% of men in their early 70s to 55% of those aged 85 years or older. Among women, the prevalence of driving ranged from 70% among those aged 70 to 74 years of age to 22% among those aged 85 years or older.

Do drivers over 70 need to retake their driving test? In short, no. However, drivers need to reapply for their licence at the age of 70 and every three years thereafter.

No. You must wait for the DVLA to reissue you with a new driving licence before you can start driving again. My last licence entitled me to drive lorries/ buses.

If more than two years has passed since your driving licence expired, you may be made to retake your driving test in order to get a new licence. This is especially the case if your licence has expired due to age (driving licences need to be renewed when you reach seventy years of age) or for medical reasons.

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.

The DVA aims to process your licence within 10 working days of receiving a fully filled in application. This may take longer if your health or personal details have to be checked. Allow at least four weeks for your driving licence to arrive before contacting the DVA.

How long are driving license renewals currently taking? ›

We will send off your application electronically, and you should have your new licence within 3 weeks. We'll also take your old driving licence and send it back to the DVLA for you.

If you apply online, you should receive your driving licence or vehicle registration certificate (V5C) within 5 days. Here are some of our most popular online services: Apply for a driving licence.

Indeed, failure to renew an expired photocard, can lead to a licence being revoked. This can possibly occur where the police need to issue a fixed penalty notice, but the driver's address has also changed during the ten year period and DVLA has not been informed.

The photocard part of a driving licence is generally valid for a period of up to ten years whereas driving licence expiry is generally at age 45 and/or 70 depending on type of licence. To check your photocard expiry date look at the front of your photocard licence and the date printed under section 4b.

If you reside in Gauteng or parts of the Eastern Cape Metropolitans where this is applicable, unfortunately, you'll need to use the online licence booking system known as NaTis. There is now an online booking fee of R250, plus an additional fee of R22, which goes to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

The time you stop driving should be determined by your performance on the road, not age. But when you get to 85 years of age, it's time to start preparing for life away from the steering wheel, even if you feel you are fit as a fiddle. It is less safe to continue driving after you turn 85 years.

Another red flag is whether you've reached age 85. Around that time, even healthy people will experience slowed reaction time and trouble with visual acuity, Kennedy says. Hearing may also be an issue for some at that age. For Kennedy, the deciding factor is whether you are allowed to drive with children in the car.

1) DVLA is legally responsible in deciding if someone is fit to drive. 2) As the patients doctor-it is our responsibility that the patient understands that their condition may impair their ability to drive. If a patient cannot make this decision based on competence, e.g. dementia - then you should inform the DVLA.

Once a road user reaches 70 years of age, they will need to renew their driving licence if they wish to continue driving. Following this, they will need to renew it every three years afterwards.

How long does a driving licence last after 70? ›

Once you reach the age of 70, your licence expires, but this doesn't automatically mean you have to stop driving. You just need to renew your driving licence if you want to continue. You'll need to renew it every 3 years after that.

If you would like to contact DVLA, you can ring them up at 0300 790 6802. If you're calling from abroad, please dial +44 844 306 9203. If you would like to know of other ways to contact DVLA, please view the options below.

In May 2022 the DVLA pledged to clear the backlog for medical driving licence applications and return to 'normal' processing times by September 2022. That meant 90% of medical applications being processed within 90 days.

You can usually keep driving while DVLA are considering your application. If you've told DVLA about a condition when applying to renew your licence, follow the guidance about driving that's in the form. Contact DVLA if you need advice or to check on your case.

With the penalty for driving without a valid licence set at R1,250, law enforcement officials issued approximately R50 million in fines to motorists during May 2022.

You have to renew your photocard with a new picture every 10 years to make sure it's up to date. It's important to renew on time to avoid fines of up to £1,000. You'll also have to renew your licence if your name or address has changed.

Drivers applying for an over-70s licence renewal, who did not have a British passport before 2017, will need to apply by post as they aren't eligible for the online renewal service. This is due to most British passports after 2017 not having a digital signature — which is required for the online service.

If you do not have a UK passport or a share code. You'll need to send an identity document by post to prove your identity. Send one of the following with your application: a current and valid foreign passport, with a visa sticker or stamp (called a 'vignette') showing you have permission to live in the UK.

The DVLA is still running, however, the website says, "Because of coronavirus (COVID-19), DVLA is currently only able to answer your call or email if you're a key worker (for example you work in a hospital or in a supermarket, or you're a lorry driver)."

A DVLA spokesperson added: “Despite a number of issues including coordinated industrial strikes, all our services are operating within normal turnaround times and paper applications are being processed within 3 to 4 weeks. Our online services are working as normal and without delay.

Has DVLA still got a backlog? ›

DVLA eliminated the backlog in paper-based standard driving licence applications in mid-2022, returning to processing applications within usual time limits by May 2022 and reducing the number in progress to typical levels by July 2022.

Getting a new driving licence, or renewing your existing one, is taking a lot longer due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some 80,000 letters were waiting to be opened at the DVLA office in Swansea, it was reported last month, with a further 60,000 arriving each day.

You can now quickly and easily renew your driving licence online. No need to complete paper forms, make appointments or visit an NDLS centre in person.

You can now renew your drivers license online, pay using mobile money services of your choice and print your renewal slip....

It's never been mandatory for drivers to replace their traditional style paper driving licence with the photocard licence, and this will remain unchanged. However, there are some things paper licence holders will need to know about, including the way their licence information will be viewed in the future.

The Royal Crest is visible on the front. The driver number has been left justified and is now in line with the other text. The secondary image of the licence holder is now located on the front of the card. The OVI (colour shifting ink) design has been reinstated and updated to the back of the licence.

Don't panic about the 'amber light' it displays—this is simply a security feature, and does not bear any relation to any points!

A category C license allows drivers to drive vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, but must not exceed 32 tonnes. Category C (or Class 2 as they are otherwise known) licences typically cover a vehicle with a cab and trailer fixed permanently together. In other words, what we would consider a 'standard lorry' or a rigid vehicle.

As of May 2022, you only need to pay Php589 for both pro and non-pro driver's license renewal. The steps to renew your driver's license is also very easy. Some people have reported they've been able to renew their driver's license in just under 20 minutes and even getting the 10-year validity of their license.

Driver's license renewal costs

One year and one day to two years – P150. More than two years – P225.

How much is a 10 year drivers license renewal? ›

For only P585, you can get your driver's license valid for ten years given that you follow these following conditions: You have no traffic violation. You must pass the Comprehensive Drivers Education (CDE)

The DVLA will send you a D46P application form 90 days before your 70th birthday. To renew, fill in the form and return it to the DVLA with your current driving licence photocard. You may also need to include a new passport-type photo – the form will tell you if you need to do this.

Once you reach 70, you must renew every 3 years. You can change the licence photo at the same time as renewing your licence. You cannot use this service to renew a C1 (medium-sized vehicles) or D1 (minibus) entitlement - you must do this by post.

I am over 70 years old and have sent my licence to the DVLA to renew my entitlement to drive. Can I carry on driving while my form is with you? As soon as the DVLA receives your correct and complete application for a new licence and as long as you meet all the Section 88 criteria you may drive.

As a temporary measure, given the situation with Covid19, the RSA, through its licensing service the NDLS, will expand the postal renewal option, to those over 70 who renew their licence every three years. This measure will reduce the need for this vulnerable group to attend in person at an NDLS centre.”

A medical report form is required when applying for a driving licence or learner permit where the driver is aged 75 years and over or where the driving licence or learner permit they are renewing expires the day before their 75th birthday.

You can fill in the D46P form and return it to the DVLA with your current licence. You can apply in this way up to 90 days before your 70^th birthday. If you have a photocard-style licence, you may need to send a new photo with the application. The application form you receive will let you know if one is required.

Driving a Motorhome at the age of 70 or over

If you use the standard renewal procedure your C1 entitlement will be suspended and you will no longer be able to drive motorhomes between 3,500kg and 7,500kg until you have passed a medical.

Yes: Drivers who passed their car test up until the end of 1996 normally have the C1+E category as acquired rights and must have a medical every 3 years with the first at 70. Drivers who passed their C1 practical test from 1st January 1997 onwards automatically receive C1+E category provisional licence.

When you have to renew your license at 70 years old, you do not automatically continue to have the Category which allows you to drive vehicles which are between 3.5T and 7.5T on your license (C1).

How long does a driving licence renewal take? ›

We will send off your application electronically, and you should have your new licence within 3 weeks. We'll also take your old driving licence and send it back to the DVLA for you.

Is it time to renew your driving licence? You have to renew your photocard with a new picture every 10 years to make sure it's up to date.

There's no legal age at which you must stop driving. You can decide when to stop as long as you don't have any medical conditions that affect your driving. Find out how changes to your health can affect your driving and how to give up your licence, if needed.

A yearly fee of RM30.