Whether you hold a full or provisional UK driving licence issued by the DVLA, you will need to renew it every ten years and update your driving licence when you move house.

If you fail to update your DVLA address  when moving house or to renew your licence when it expires, you could end up with a hefty fine. Your driving licence is a legal document and it’s essential that you keep it fully up to date at all times.

Renewing your licence or to change driving licence address with the DVLA has never been easier – now, you can do both online. Don’t worry if you don’t have online access, though, you can still complete the process in person.

In this guide, we’ll outline how to easily update your DVLA address when moving home and renew your driving licence when it expires.

How Can I Change The Address On My Driving Licence?

To have a DVLA change of address, you’ll need your driving licence photocard, your passport and your National Insurance number. You’ll also need to be a resident of Great Britain and be able to provide all the addresses you’ve lived at over the past three years.

You can update the details on your driving licence by post, totally free of charge. If you still have the D741 form when you first received your old licence, you just need to fill in the ‘changes’ section and send it off to the DVLA along with your photocard.

If you don’t have the D741 form, you’ll need to order a licence application form. This can be obtained online or via certain Post Office branches. Car drivers and motorcyclists should order the D1 form, while lorry and bus drivers will need the D2 form.

Can I Change Details On My Driving Licence Online?

By far the easiest way to have an updated driver’s licence is online. There are two options to do this.

First, you can change your driving licence details online, on the GOV.UK website. Here, you will simply need to fill in the government’s online form as required, making sure that all the information you provide is fully accurate.

Once your application has been submitted, your new driving licence photocard will be sent to you in the post, and should be with you within a week. It can sometimes take a little longer, but if three weeks pass by and you still haven’t received it, you should contact the DVLA.

The second way you can update your DVLA address online is using SlothMove’s online change of address service.

When moving house, it’s not just your driving licence address that you’ll need to update – you’ll need to notify all your accounts, services and providers.

SlothMove’s online home set-up platform allows you to change your address with all companies and institutions in one go, so you can eliminate hours of phone calls from the process.

Why Do I Need To Update My DVLA Address When I Move House?

It is essential that you have a DVLA change of address when you move house. Otherwise, you could get stuck with a £1,000 fine.

A UK driving licence is a legal document, so having the incorrect details registered with the DVLA is against the law. It is important that they know where to contact you if you’re ever in a car accident.

So, if you’re found with the wrong address on your driving licence, you will be handed a £1,000 fine and newspapers, like the Sun have also warned about  this.It’s just not worth risking this when updating your details with the DVLA is so quick and easy.

How Do I Renew My Driving Licence?

As is the case with updating your DVLA address, you’ll need your driving licence, passport, National Insurance number and previous addresses from the past three years to renew your driving licence.

Renewing your licence via post will cost you £17. Along with a cheque or postal order for this amount, you’ll also need to send the DVLA a recent passport photo, your current photocard licence, and a completed D1 form. You can pick these forms up as most Post Office branches.

Alternatively, to apply for a new driving licence online, it will cost £14. All you need to do is fill out the form, and have a debit or credit card ready to pay the fee.

You should receive your new photocard licence in the post within 7 working days. Once you’ve received your new licence, you’ll need to return your old card to the DVLA via the address given to you at the end of your renewal application.

Can I Drive While I Wait For My New Licence?

There’s no need to panic if you haven’t received your driving licence when you expected to – you can continue to drive while you wait.

The DVLA states that if your driving licence expires while your renewal application is being processed, you can continue to drive on the roads as long as you are fit and healthy, and a doctor or optician hasn’t told you not to drive for any reason.

Do I Get A Reminder To Renew My Driving Licence?

Yes, you will receive a letter from the DVLA to remind you to renew your driving licence before the expiry date.

However, if the DVLA doesn’t have the right, up-to-date address for you, it’s likely you won’t receive your reminder letter. This means you could end up with an expired driving licence, again risking a fine.

What Happens If I Don’t Renew My Licence?

Forgetting to renew your driving licence can have serious implications for you.

If more than two years has passed since your driving licence expired, you may actually be made to retake your driving test to get a new one. This is especially the case if your licence has expired due to age or for medical reasons.

If it has been less than two years, though, you can simply apply for a new licence without any problems. However, the DVLA will often want to know why your driving licence has been expired for so long.