Can You Get Fined for Not Updating Your Driving License?
If you have recently moved house or you have recently changed your name, you might be wondering if you need to update your driving license. You may have noticed that your driving license has expired and is up for renewal, but you want to know if you can get fined for not updating your driving license.
In this guide, we look into the details of your driving license, what information it displays, and what you legally need to keep up to date. We will explore the fines and points issues if you do not update your driving license and direct you to the relevant pages on the government website to keep you safe and legal on the road.
What Do the Details on a Driving License Mean?
A driving license, depending on the type you have been issued, allows you to drive a vehicle on the road in the UK. That’s it explained in its simplest term, but there is much more to your driving license than you may know.
The Front of Your Driving License
The front of your driving license has the relevant information to know who you are, it's your identity. It includes information such as:
A photo of you
First name(s)
Surname(s)
Date and place of birth
Date of driving licence issue
Photo expiry
Issuing authority (typically the DVLA)
The date the photocard licence was issued
Driver number
Licence holder’s signature
Ghost photograph – which is a security feature
Issuing authority roundel
Holder’s address
The Back of Your Driving License
On the back of your driving license, you will see a table which is more specific to the type of license you have and are legally allowed to drive. The column state:
The types of vehicles you can drive
The licence start date
The licence end date
Driving licence codes
If any of the information on your driving license have changed since being issued to you, you are legally required to inform the DVLA who can issue you a new license, and your insurance provider. If you do not inform your insurance company of the changes and you have an accident, you are essential paying for invalid cover.
What Happens if You Don’t Update Your Address on a Driving License
If any of the details mentioned above are expired, wrong, or out of date, you are no longer driving legally. If you are caught with the wrong information on your driving license because you haven’t updated your driving license, you can be issues a fine up to £1,000 and get up to 6 points on your license.
Not only will you be out of pocket and have your license marked, but you may come across some issues when trying to apply for insurance. Some companies prefer not to cover cars that have points, and others charge a lot more.
That is why we can’t stress enough how important it is to update your license as soon as any information on it changes. If you have moved house, make sure you change your license. If you get married or change your name, make sure you change your license. If your license is out of date, make sure you change your license. I’m sure you’ve got the picture by now.
How Much Does It Cost to Update Your Driving License?
A lot of people are caught with misinformation on their license because they see it as an additional cost, or the process is too lengthy. But you will find the costs mentioned above are far worse than paying to get a new license issued.
The Cost of Renewing Your Driving License
But how much does it cost? Well, if you need to renew your driving license because it is no longer in date. UK driving license are up for renewal every 10 years, and it only cost £14. If you are looking to renew your driving license, you can do it via the government website.
The Cost of Changing the Photo Your Driving License
Although your license is up for renewal every 10 years, you may have changed your appearance, other may really dislike their photo and therefore want to change it. The cost to change the photo on your driving license is the same as the renewal cost of £14. You can change the photo on your driving license via the government website.