Driving licences

I have just been reading about the new style photo licence, and it was stated that they need renewing every ten years. Now I (and probably lots of other folk) was under the impression that it lasted until I was seventy years old (except for the HGV/LGV entitlement), well it doesn't! You need to look at '4b' on the front of the photo licence, for the expiry date. Also it costs £17.50 to renew, and if allowed to lapse you COULD be liable to a £1000 fine. So those with a photo licence, it might be worth checking it


Mick

Still have the old type, but thanks for the info.

It makes sense - people change a lot in 10 years -look at your old passports for proof of that!

We've had photo licences forever here in NL. First huge pink things, now the EU standard credit card sized ones. They have always only been valid for 10 years and cost more than 17.50 pounds to renew. It depends on you local council how much it costs you. Here in Soest it costs €44.00, plus €26.00 if you have lost your old one.
Young people who first get their licence are only issued one valid for 5 years, as are those people with certain chronic illnesses

You are right Gwyn, it does make sense But for those of us that came from the old paper licence, that lasted a lifetime, to the new photo card type, it was/isn't made clear about the expiry date!
Official DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired this summer, so far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding. That is a lot of potentially unlicensed drivers on our roads

Mick

What doesn't make sense is having to pay for something, that only gets used as a means of monitoring and controlling you. they fine you, for not obeying signs. the signs don't have to make sense. if you don't give them your money, they take away your licence.

My motorcycle can break the 100km speed limit in first gear, and has 5 more gears to go.
Why should I have to pay for a license knowing that they're just gonna take it away?
Seems to me I could...theoretically... not pay for a license, have fun on my motorcycle, till they catch me, get a few months free room and board, then upon release, use the money I saved to buy a faster motorcycle....

All Member countries of European Union will have this ID card driving licence in few years.link

Vikram

On my German "modern style" licence it states
4b. --

So it probably isn't valid at all

And there is me on the Autobahn doing more than 120 mph...

Prieni

When I converted my licence from a British one to a Dutch one they gave me a BE licence. They gave the Bill Payer a B, although he is more likely to be towing heavy things than me. He moans about it all the time but won't take the test to get his BE.
Our eldest son also passed his test in the UK whilst studying there, and when he converted his they offered him a C1 as well, but he turned it down as he would have had to have a medical, and cuoldn't afford one at the time . He's now going for his A. Son number two is busy getting them all, having got his CE for work. He's a sound engineer btw, not a long distance lorry driver.

My main problem with my new licence is that they have put only my maiden name on it (which is what most Dutch women use), whilst everything else is in my married name. Gave a problem in May when we picked up the hire car in the US as I had reserved it, in my married name, paid for it with a CC in my married name but produced my licence with my maiden name.
One of these days I shall have to see if they will correct it for me.

And knowing how daft the system is you can probably get it for free if you simply change your address