MARTIN Lewis has urged drivers to check the expiry date on their photo driving licenses or risk a £1000 fine.
The consumer guru issued the warning in his latest newsletter.
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Martin Lewis said there are around two million motorists in the UK who currently hold licenses that aren’t valid.
Photocard licenses replaced the paper versions back in 1998, and must be renewed every 10 years.
“If you don’t renew, you ultimately risk being fined,” Martin explained in MoneSavingExpert’s Money Tips Email.
How to check if your photocard has expired
The expiry date can be found on the front of the card, in section B.
The DVLA said motorists will be sent a reminder to renew their photocards when the extension is coming to an end.
But it’s best to renew your licence around a month before it expires to avoid a period where you won’t be legally allowed to drive.
You might even want to do it slightly earlier to be safe, as there have been complaints of delays as the DVLA works through a huge backlog.
Don’t worry if your licence has run out – renewing it late won’t automatically get you fined.
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But the DVLA said you shouldn’t drive until it has received your renewal application.
If your licence expires while it is processing your application you should still be able to drive- but if you have any doubt, double check with the DVLA.
How to renew your driving license
You can renew your licence online, by post of via the Post Office.
It costs £14 to apply online or £17 by post, unless you’re over 70 and then it’s free.
You can apply online via Gov.uk as long as you have a valid UK passport.
If you’d prefer to do it by post, then you’ll need to pick up a D1 pack from a Post Office, or you can one order from the DVLA website.
Drivers are charged an extra £4.50 to apply through the Post Office, which covers the cost of taking an updated photograph in branch plus postage.
Recently people have had to deal with long waiting times for their driving licenses to be processed.
Unofficial queue-jumping sites started selling driving tests for a whopping £200, as learners were forced to wait month in a massive backlog.
Learner drivers forked out more than double the usual fee for a practical test to skip vast queues around the country.
