Photo driving licences up for renewal

* 10-year cycle coming to an end * First photo licences must be renewed in June * DVLA charges 17.50, and it is a legal requirement...

Photo driving licences up for renewal

The first people to receive photo driving licences in July 1998 are being reminded that they must be renewed, or they will become invalid.

All photo licences are valid for 10 years and a renewal costs 17.50. More than 27 million photo-card licences have been issued in the past 10 years.

Although the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will write to every licence holder reminding them of the need to renew, there are concerns that many drivers have changed address without informing the authorities, which is also an offence.

As well as invalidating their driving licence, drivers who fail to renew their photo can be prosecuted for failing to surrender the old licence and supply a fresh photograph for the replacement one.
If convicted, drivers face a 1,000 fine.