Over 900,000 UK motorists are in danger of a £1,000 fine due to not renewing their driving licence.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) date, obtained by the PA news agency through a Freedom of Information request, reveals that around 926,000 drivers who were entitled to a photocard on September 3 had their licenses expire in the year leading up to the end of August.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, approximately 2.5 million motorists in the last year have renewed their photocard either after it expired or within 56 days of the expiry date.
In most cases, driving entitlement remains in place until you reach the age of 70. After this, it must be renewed once every three years in order to continue driving.
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However, all photocards need to be renewed once every 10 years. This helps ensure that motorists' likeness remains accurate.
If you fail to return a licence that is expired, you may be punished under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and be issued a fine as high as £1,000. However, if you renew your licence late you will not automatically be given a fine.
You are still able to drive while a renewal application is being process by the DVLA, so long as you meet the requirements.
Philip Gomm of the RAC Foundation said: “There are good reasons to keep licences up to date, beyond the basic legal requirement. They are also a widely accepted form of ID and will certainly be required if you are ever stopped by police.
“Renewal also provides an opportunity for people to assess whether they are still fit to drive, and we think there is an argument for linking a compulsory eye test to the process to make sure we all remain safe on the road, though Government should help keep costs as low as possible for motorists. When you do renew beware of private web sites which offer to help with the application but charge an extra fee for doing so.”
The DVLA has recommended drivers update their licence on its official site as it is the quickest way of doing so. Applications are £14 and in most cases are processed within five days.
Meanwhile, renewing by post costs £17, and doing it at a post office will set you back £21.50 fee.
A DVLA spokeswoman commented: “We encourage customers to use GOV.UK as applying online is the quickest and cheapest way to renew their photocard driving licence. If you stop driving altogether, you should inform DVLA and return your licence rather keeping it as a form of out of date photo ID.”
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