Renew your driving licence

Renew your:

  • full driving licence
  • provisional driving licence

It costs £14 when you apply online.

You must renew a photocard licence every 10 years - you’ll receive a reminder before your current licence ends.

You’ll need to apply for your first provisional licence if:

  • you’ve never applied for a provisional licence before
  • you applied for a provisional licence before 1 March 1973

There’s a different way to:

This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Who can renew online

To renew your licence online you need either:

If you do not have either of these, you’ll need to apply at a Post Office or by post.

If your name or title has changed you cannot apply online. You can only renew your licence by post.

Renew online

DVLA will use your email address to check if you have a driver and vehicles account.

Your new licence will be valid from the date your application is approved, not from the expiry date of your current licence.

Start now

Before you start

To renew your licence you must:

You’ll need:

  • your UK passport (either current or expired within the past 12 months) or the document you used to set up your online immigration status
  • your current driving licence (if you have it)
  • your National Insurance number (if you know it)
  • addresses of where you’ve lived over the last 3 years

Documents used to set up online immigration status

If you are not a UK citizen you can prove your identity using the reference number from the document you used to set up your online immigration status. The document will be one of the following:

  • a non-UK passport
  • a biometric residency permit
  • a biometric residency card
  • a national identity card

Cost

Renewing your licence online costs £14. You can pay by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card (there’s no fee if you’re over 70 or have a medical short period licence).

How long it takes

Your driving licence should arrive within a week if you apply online.

You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.

Personal data

DVLA will send you a confirmation email once you’ve applied. You might be asked to take part in research by email, but you can opt out.

Apply at a Post Office

You’ll get a reminder letter in the post. Take it to a Post Office that deals with DVLA photocard licence renewal.

You also need to take:

  • your photocard licence if you have it
  • the £21.50 fee

If you do not have a reminder letter, you’ll need your photocard licence to apply at the Post Office.

You cannot apply at the Post Office if your name has changed. You’ll need to apply by post.

Apply by post

Get a ‘D1 pack’ of forms from a Post Office that deals with DVLA photocard renewal or vehicle tax.

You need to include these things with your completed forms:

  • a recent printed passport type photo (do not sign the back of the photo)
  • your current photocard licence, if you have it
  • a cheque or postal order for £17, payable to DVLA (no fee is needed if you have a medical short period licence or you’re aged 70 or over)

You also need to include identity documents if you’ve changed your name.

Send the application to:

DVLA

Swansea

SA99 1DH

After you apply at a Post Office or by post

Your driving licence should arrive within 3 weeks. It might take longer if your medical or personal details need to be checked.

You can continue driving while you wait for your new licence to arrive.

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