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Drivers risk £1,000 fines for licences that expire
David Williams, Motoring Editor11 Sep 2008
Thousands of motorists are unwittingly driving without a valid licence, the Evening Standard has learned.
They risk £1,000 fines after failing to spot that their photocard licence automatically expires after 10 years.
Motoring organisations today blamed the Government for the fiasco. They said officials had not sufficiently publicised the fact that new-style licences - unlike the old paper ones - expire.
The first batch of photocard licences was issued in July 1998. But Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency figures requested by the Standard reveal that 16,136 expired this summer. So far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding. With another 300,000 photocard licences due to expire over the coming year, experts fear the number of invalid licences will soar.
The confusion would seem to have been made worse by the small print used on the plastic licences. On the front of the licence, point 4b features the expiry date. However, the significance of 4b is only explained in very small type on the reverse of the licence. A total of 25 million newstyle licences have been issued but - motoring experts say - drivers were never sufficiently warned they would expire after 10 years.
Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with "failing to surrender their licence", an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.
Motoring organisations said "most" drivers believed their licence was for life.
"It is not generally known that photocard licences expire," said AA president, Edmund King. "There appears to be a lack of information that people will have to renew these licences.
"People think they have already paid them for once over and that that is it," he added. "It will come as a surprise to motorists and a shock that they have to pay an extra £17.50." The Treasury will take an estimated £437 million by the time all 25 million licences have been renewed.
The AA called on the Government to use the annual £450 million from traffic enforcement fines to offset the renewal charge.
Before photocard licences were introduced, paper licences were valid until the age of 70. Driving instructor Tony Carter, of Canterbury, said: "Why - when you have already paid £50 for your photocard licence - should you pay the government an extra £17.50 every 10 years? It's another stealth tax. Drivers will be very annoyed."
Today the DVLA was unable to say whether motorists were told the licences would expire when they were first issued.
It said it was issuing postal reminders to drivers whose photocard licence was due to expire, to get the renewal message across. But a spokesman admitted this was "the limit" of the DVLA's publicity. Experts say many drivers will slip through the net because DVLA records are inaccurate and many motorists have changed address, making it impossible to trace them.
A spokesman said: "Previous experience has shown that widescale publicity is less effective and can generate enquiries and concerns from those not affected. Instead, DVLA focussed on targeted publicity to ensure that we got the message to the right person at the right time."
The Driving Standards Agency is allowing L-test candidates with out-of-date photocard licences to sit their driving test as long as they provide a valid passport. This concession will end in January next year, raising the prospect that some L-test candidates will be turned away.
The DVLA said no one had so far been charged with failing to surrender their licence.
Reader views (20)
'Experts say many drivers will slip through the net because DVLA records are inaccurate and many motorists have changed address, making it impossible to trace them.' Well then if they moved they should have informed the DVLA.. so its theyre own fault if they get into trouble.
I'm all for having a go at the governmen when they try to bring in stupid stealth taxes, but yeah.. saying 'oh I didn't get your letter, I moved' isn't a valid excuse! Not when you know you have to inform the DVLA, etc, of a change of address!
- Tom G, Bucks, UK, 23/01/2009 14:34
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yet again we the public are to be punished severely should our licences expire and apart from being made a criminal are forced to feed more money into this pathetic government,why do we road users not make a massive demonstration as the french no doubt would have to end this dictatorship?we need a Robin Hood again!
- Carter, poole, 16/09/2008 22:34
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Good point Louise. I had mine re-issued following address change two years ago; mine has 3 years left on it!
- Steve, West Midlands, 15/09/2008 09:15
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£1000 for licence issues, £700 for bin out on the wrong day. Isn't it about time that these levels of fines were aimed at real criminals....burglars etc etc?
And how much are we going to be fined for planting the wrong type of grass? And c'mon: no reading something else into that please.
- Naomi Sajeri, Manchester, 12/09/2008 00:55
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easy for the DVLA-send out reminders like they do for road tax.
Its another money making "lets milk the moterest for as much money as possible" Stealth Tax.
- Allan Pointon, Stafford,Staffordshire,England, 11/09/2008 21:40
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I've just looked at my photocard licence and its only valid for 7 years. I renewed it (or so I thought) when I got married, why did it not go back to 10 years?
- Louise, Essex, 11/09/2008 16:11
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Something else to worry about - all this paperwork that we have to complete in order to keep our lives in order. Everything is less simplistic than it used to be - at the same time as everyone is suspected of being less than honest about what they do and say.
- Amadam, middx UK, 11/09/2008 14:50
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The easiet way would be, if the DVLA sent out warning letters 6 months prior to the expiry date together with a renewal form to be filled in returned.
I am sure most licence holders will comply.
- Weddigen, London SW, 11/09/2008 14:22
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Good idea Kev from Berkhamsted, 'Let your photocard expire and just use the paper copy'. To not have a photocard licence is an offence in itself.
I had a producer from the Police to produce my documents at the local police station. I did this but as I didn't have my photocard licence due to having my bag stolen, I was cautioned, read my rights, and threatened with court action. Glad to see the Police and our taxes are put to good use!
- Lucy, London, 11/09/2008 14:21
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My Photocard says it expires in 2037. It's funny how if a company decidedes to give you less for your money after you have made a contract, that is breach of contract, but if Gordon Brown decides to move the goalposts, it's not called stealing.
- Chris, London, 11/09/2008 13:34
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It's an offcence not to tell DVLA when you move, so you have only yourself to blame if DVLA's reminder is delivered to a years-old address.
What I find offensive is the £17.50 fee. Even if DVLA clerks cost £17.50 per hour (that's over 3x the minimum wage), can they really take over an hour per replacement license processed? No. It's blatantly another stealth tax.
- Nigel, London, 11/09/2008 13:20
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I was going to replace my old paper one for the new card, after reading this, I won't bother.
Need to keep the cash to help pay the fuel bills.
Malc
- Malc, London,England, 11/09/2008 13:09
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I'd presumed my licence was until age 60 too. In fact, it's valid only from 2008 to 2016, so only 8 years, which is a rip-off considering that this year, I've paid close to £100 to take the tests that got me that licence. Also, rather confusingly, on the back, it says that I'm entitled to drive a car from 2008 to 2046!
The licence should be valid for at least 10 years - any less is just creating work where none is required. Also, is it completely beyond the capabilities of the DVLA to send out reminders when the licence is due to expire?
- Liz, London, 11/09/2008 12:52
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When I swapped from a 3 year license (the old red book), we were promised that the large sum paid (£5 was a lot in 1974) gave us a licence for life (ie until 70 & then free renewals). This is another example of promises being broken - photo renewals should be free of charge.
- David Williams, Middx, 11/09/2008 12:35
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Until I read this, I thought my licence expired in 2038, even worse I just read my licence,
valid from date is 04/11/2004 and expires on 21/03/2010, so it not even valid for 10yrs but only 5yrs and 4months.
So I got me new style licence in 2000 and updated it in 2004 (passed motorbike test) but it still expires 2010, you would have thought it would have expired in 2014 at least, but when I updated the new style licence, I remember that I did not update the photo, so what they should do, is ask for a new photo each time you send your licence to them (photos will cost less than £17.50) and then they restart your 10yr period from that date.
If or when it happens, we get ID cards they will have to be renewed every 10yrs too.
Passport renewed every 10yrs and driving licence renewed every 10yrs and ID cards renewed every 10yrs, the Goverment is laughing all the way to the bank.
- Dave, Abbey Wood, 11/09/2008 12:04
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Isn't failing to keep DVLA informed about your current address and offence too?
- David, Guildford, 11/09/2008 11:59
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Photocard licence expire ? £17.50 To renew? No problem I will just let mine expire and revert to carrying the paper copy.This is yet another example of 'Nanny State' buffoonery.
- Kev, Berkhamsted,Herts, 11/09/2008 11:49
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They don't issue reminders. That's a lie.
- Ted, London, 11/09/2008 11:12
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Well done Labour, managed to slip another TAX in. By the way, where the hell does all our money disappear to?
The UK is set to become the most densely populated country in Europe. The south coast is the most densely populated area of the UK, thus the most densely populated area of Europe. Yet we find ourselves fighting tooth and nail to save basic facilities like hospitals, because the NHS has seen fit to close them down?!
It beggars belief; Labour = steal from the "rich" and kick them in the bollocks while your at it.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 11/09/2008 11:08
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So, a thousand quid fine for accidentally letting your licence expire. About 150 for deliberately driving without insurance. Where's the logic in that? Par for the course for New Labour.
- John, Bangkok, Thailand, 11/09/2008 10:03
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