Go to sleep, my brother, I'm all right to drive

[venta]

Public service announcement: if you have a photocard driving licence, check the expiry date on it. It's "4b" on the front ("4a" is date of issue).

A colleague of mine recently tried to hire a car, and was surprised to find his photocard had expired 5 years ago. I checked mine, and despite it having only been issued in January of this year, it runs out in March 2012. We think this is because I didn't supply a new photo when I changed my address with the DVLA, and a photo is only good for ten years. March 2002 sounds a probable date for my first photocard application.

We're not sure whether or not the DVLA will write and tell you when it expires. Presumably they do... so long as they have the correct address for you :)

Comments

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

Nope, took them about a fortnight or so to get it to me after I applied for it. Which I did almost entirely* online.

*I did have to post off my old paper license though, but I think that was the only part of the process that I couldn't do online.

(And I don't have any medical conditions that require DVLA notification, so I've no idea how long it would take to get a license that way if faffage were involved.)

[venta.livejournal.com]

I dunno then! Tell us?

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

One of the options is to use your passport picture. As in give permission to link the two forms of Id together.