How to Renew Driving Licence in the UK: Fees & Over 70
Your UK photocard driving licence expires every 10 years, and driving on an expired one can cost up to £1,000. Online renewal takes about 10 minutes and costs £14.
Key takeaways
- Photocard expires every 10 years; the date is in section 4b.
- Online renewal costs £14; the new licence arrives within a week.
- Post costs £17, Post Office £21.50; both take up to three weeks.
- Free from 70, then renew every three years.
- Driving on an expired photocard can mean a £1,000 fine.
What renewing a driving licence actually means
Renewing a licence usually means renewing the photocard, not the right to drive. The photocard lasts 10 years; your entitlement, the vehicle categories on the back, usually lasts until 70. The expiry date is in section 4b on the front. The DVLA sends a reminder about 90 days before expiry, but renewing on time is your duty whether or not it arrives.
GOV.UK says the new licence runs from the date your application is approved, not the old expiry date, so renewing months early starts the new 10-year clock at approval.
How much does it cost to renew a driving licence?
The fee depends on how you apply, and online is the cheapest route:
- Online: £14, paid by debit or credit card.
- By post: £17, paid by cheque or postal order.
- At a Post Office: £21.50, the £17 DVLA fee plus a £4.50 photo fee.
- Aged 70 or over: free, however you apply.
- Medical short period licence: free, however you apply.
Copycat sites charge a premium for doing exactly the same application. GOV.UK is the only site you need, and the DVLA itself warns drivers to avoid them.
How to renew your driving licence online
Online renewal suits most drivers and takes about 10 minutes. You must live in Great Britain, England, Scotland or Wales, and not be disqualified; Northern Ireland uses a different service. Have your licence number, National Insurance number and your addresses for the past three years ready.
Sign in to the GOV.UK service, confirm your details and pay £14 by debit or credit card. With a valid UK passport the DVLA can reuse your passport photo, so most people send no new picture. A confirmation email follows, and the new licence should arrive within a week. Send the old photocard back to the DVLA.
You cannot renew online if your name, title or signature has changed; a changed name means post only.
Renewing by post or at a Post Office
By post, pick up a D1 pack from a Post Office that deals with DVLA renewals. Send the completed forms with a recent printed passport-style photo, your current photocard if you have it, and a cheque or postal order for £17 payable to the DVLA. Post it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH.
At a Post Office, take the DVLA reminder letter, your photocard and the £21.50 fee; the branch takes your photo and checks the form. Both routes take up to three weeks, longer if details need checking.
Renewing your driving licence at 70 and over
Your licence expires on your 70th birthday, and from then you renew every three years. There is no upper age limit: if you meet the eyesight standard and are medically fit, you can carry on. Renewal at 70 is free, online or by post, and you can apply up to 90 days before your 70th birthday.
The DVLA sends form D46P about 90 days before each renewal. Without it, use form D1 from most Post Offices; there is still no fee at 70 or over. C1 and D1 entitlements cannot be renewed online; those go by post and may need a medical report.
Medical conditions and short-period licences
Some drivers hold a short-period licence of one, two, three or five years because of a medical condition. Renewal is free, and you can usually renew a short-period licence online. You must also tell the DVLA about any condition that could affect your driving: failing to do so can bring a fine of up to £1,000, so report a new or worsening condition before driving again.
What happens if your licence expires?
Driving with an expired photocard is illegal: a fine of up to £1,000, penalty points on your licence, and your insurance may be invalid. You can still renew normally, online for £14, by post for £17 or at a Post Office for £21.50, with no late-renewal penalty, as long as your entitlement is still valid.
GOV.UK says you can keep driving while you wait after applying by post or at a Post Office. Once the licence has expired, that only holds under Section 88: you must have applied and not been told to stop by a doctor or the DVLA. If the car will sit unused, declare it off the road with a SORN and cancel your road tax, claiming a refund for full months left.
Worked example: what renewal costs over 30 years
The fees add up across a driving life. Take a driver renewing at 40, 50 and 60, before free renewal starts at 70. Worked example, labelled illustrative: online costs £14 three times, or £42; by post £17 three times, or £51; at a Post Office £21.50 three times, or £64.50. Online therefore saves £9 against post and £22.50 against the Post Office. Fees were checked on 10 November 2026 and can change; check GOV.UK before you apply.
Common mistakes to avoid
The costliest mistake is a third-party website: copycat sites charge a premium for the same application and add nothing. Start at GOV.UK and check the address bar first. The commonest mistake is never checking section 4b, so set a reminder for the month before expiry and keep your address current with the DVLA; changing it is free.
Sources & further reading
- GOV.UK, Renew your driving licenceVerified 10 Nov 2026.
- GOV.UK, Renew your driving licence if you are 70 or overVerified 10 Nov 2026.
- GOV.UK, Driving licence feesVerified 10 Nov 2026.
- GOV.UK, Driving with a medical conditionVerified 10 Nov 2026.
- GOV.UK, View or share your driving licence informationVerified 10 Nov 2026.
- RAC, Failure to return old driving licence fineVerified 10 Nov 2026.
This article is general information only, not financial advice.