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Driving Licence Extension

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Location
Berkshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have to renew my driving licence every 3 years as I am over 70, I think the same thing applies if you are an Insulin user. There has been an automatic extension of photocard licences by 7 months if they expire during the period 1 Feb to 31 Aug 2020 due to Covid 19. However some of the wording says you still have to renew your licence if you are no longer have entitlement to drive, so I am confused. Has anyone renewed their licence recently and can throw any light?
 
The wording is:-
This extension applies to the photocard. If a driver’s entitlement to drive is due to expire and they wish to continue to hold a valid licence, they will need to renew this entitlement in the normal way.
DVLA Chief Executive Julie Lennard said

This extension will make it easier for drivers who need to update their photocard licence with a new photograph. This means as long as they have a valid licence, drivers will be able to continue to make essential journeys.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drivers-granted-7-month-photocard-licence-extension
​
I understand that to mean that the extension is aimed at people whose photocard needs to be renewed only because their photo is out of date and that people who need to renew their licence for medical or age reasons should renew in the usual way.
 

Hi,

Yep i concur.I have to renew mine every 3 years. (due to T1.) However since the photo ID format came in with DVLA, They appear to need a passport sized photo update from me every 9 years? (from memory.) A little like the 10 year life span on an actual passport..
Our appearance changes over the years. it's a way of keeping the physical reference upto date, i suppose.
 
Encouraged by the above posts I pressed on with my online application.
Although my current licence expires this August, it told me my Photocard is valid until July 2021, presumably that is 10 years since I last provided them with a photograph. It gave me the opportunity to renew the photograph from my passport, so I gave them the number and they said my 18 month old passport wasn't valid ?? I will have to wait and see what happens when they consider my application.
I can't be the only one who refers to the piece of plastic as a driving licence, particularly as it says DRIVING LICENCE at the top, however it seems that is a Photocard, which made sense when there was a separate paper licence.
 
Full marks to the DVLA, my new licence arrived this morning, 3 days after I applied for it on line. I now have another 3 years "entitlement to drive" although I may have to renew the photocard again next July when the photo is 10 years old.
 
Mr_Pot said:
Full marks to the DVLA, my new licence arrived this morning, 3 days after I applied for it on line. I now have another 3 years "entitlement to drive" although I may have to renew the photocard again next July when the photo is 10 years old.
Click to expand...
I think they didn't ask me to renew my photo til the next medical renewal was due even though it meant I used the same photo for 12 years.
 
Mr_Pot said:
Full marks to the DVLA, my new licence arrived this morning, 3 days after I applied for it on line. I now have another 3 years "entitlement to drive" although I may have to renew the photocard again next July when the photo is 10 years old.
Click to expand...
Glad they're all over it, mines up for renewal soon so its refreshing to hear!
 
My license expires in 3 days.. there is no extention for medical licences.. but I'm lower to drive for upto 12 months under section 88 of the road traffic act whilst the process my application
 
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