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  You may wish to do this at the same time as looking into car insurance for over 70s. If your photocard driving licence has expired, it is a legal requirement to renew it. You could be fine of up to £1,000 if your licence has expired and you have not renewed it. If you don’t meet the online criteria you can renew your licence via post or at any Post Office which handles licence renewal.

When you receive your new driving licence, check the details carefully. For example, if the code 01 is shown on the back of your photocard licence, you will need to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses when you drive. The DVLA will send you a reminder and an application form to renew your licence as your 70th birthday approaches and then every three years afterwards when your licence is due for renewal. We’ll just charge a further £4.50 to take your photo, check your application and send it securely to the DVLA. The DVA aims to process your licence within 10 working days of receiving a completed application.

If you have a paper licence that was issued pre-1998, these generally don't expire until you're 70, so you don't need to do anything until then unless your address or personal details change.  dvla licence renewal  scrapped the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence in June 2015, for anyone with a licence issued after 1998 – it now has no legal status and can be safely binned. The DVLA writes to every driver when their photocard driving licence is due for renewal, providing instructions on how to renew and the penalty for not doing so. Though the photocard needs to be renewed every 10 years, in general driving licences are valid until you're 70, after which it needs renewing every three years. If you only need to update your address or name, or you're over 70 and you're just renewing it, this is free.

Your doctor must have told you that you are fit to operate a motor vehicle. These include being accompanied by an appropriate adult and displaying L plates. You will receive this form from the DVLA 90 days before your 70th birthday. If you want to check the history and safety of a car, there are a number of websites that can help you.

You can pay this via MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card. The front part of your photocard will show you when your licence was issued - section 4a - and the date by which it must be renewed - section 4b. You should receive a reminder from the DVLA before your current licence ends. For most motorists with a standard car or motorcycle licence, you must renew your photocard licence every 10 years.

The DVLA is currently warning that licence renewal is taking longer than usual due to staff reductions related to the coronavirus outbreak. There are different online services for over-70s and short-term medical licences. If you've moved house then you'll need to provide a new address, or risk a fine of up to £1,000 if stopped by the police.