Driving Licences
When you reach the age of 70 you will need to renew your driving licence. If you fail to do this you will be driving illegally and may be prosecuted.
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It is a legal requirement to notify DVLA of any medical condition that may affect safe driving. You shouldn't wait for your next licence application to do this.
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Reapplication for a driving licence when you reach 70
The expiry date on most people's driving licence is the day they reach 70. The following process then normally takes place:
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- 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.
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- However, if you don’t receive a reminder for whatever reason, you are still legally responsible to ensure your licence is valid. If it has expired and you haven’t applied for a new one you may be driving illegally and your insurance company may not pay fully in the event of a collision.
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- It’s free to renew your licence, which you can either do online or by post.
You can renew online at Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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- Or by post using the D46P application form which the DVLA send you. If you haven't got the D46P form, you can use a 'D1 application for a driving licence form', which you can pick up from a Post Office.
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- When completing the form to renew your licence you will be asked to declare any medical conditions you have on the form and confirm that you meet the eyesight standards for driving. You must answer these questions honestly.
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- It is a serious offence not to declare a condition or disability that might affect your driving; you can be fined up to £1,000, and if you are involved in a crash, you may be prosecuted.
- If you are not sure about how to answer the medical questions you can talk to your doctor.