Driving Licence

[david56]

my wife has a old paper type driving licence that expires Oct 2019.But I was told in the pub last night that it should have been changed years ago for the photo card type. Does anyone know if this true please?

[fiction-factory]

No.I have the old style paper one too

[retrocop]

It is still valid unless circumstances had changed. i.e address,name etc.

[ubasses]

Completely false unless she has changed address and not told them. I, along with most of my friends still hold the paper version.

[hc4361]

I've got the old paper one, too

[Baldric]

No it isn't, not until it expires anyway.

[ivor4781]

or till you reach 70

[Barsel]

If you have a paper licence it will stay valid until it needs to be renewed, when you will be issued with a photocard
Those with a photocard (introduced in 1998) should carry on using it and remember to renew it when necessary (every 10 years)
There will be no charge for changing a paper licence into a photocard
Entitlements, penalty points and the status of your driving licence won’t change
Anyone over the age of 70 will need to renew their licence every three years, updating it with any medical conditions. This is free of charge
Motorists could face a £1,000 fine if they are caught with an invalid licence.
The DVLA is developing a new digital enquiry service for launch later this year that will allow organisations and businesses (such as employers and car hire companies) to view information they can currently see on the driving licence counterpart.

[ladybirder]

https://insidedvla.blog.gov.uk/2015/03/24/advice-for-motorists-with-paper-driving-licences-how-theyll-be-affected-when-the-counterparts-abolished/

[Davemano]

Go to GOV.UK where there is loads on this subject, and you will be amazed how may of these licences there are, and that they are still valid.

[Togo]

david. I recently updated my old paper licence to a photo one. I did it online. The hardest part was deciphering which numbers on my licence they were asking for. There is an issue no. and an id no. Once you have filled in the online application. DVLA will post to you paperwork that needs a current photo attaching and once you have returned that the new licence comes in the post. it too 8 days for both transactions and it was done. I did mine because of change of address and the old one was falling to bits. it was about 40yrs old.

[janbee]

I have both.

[Togo]

janbee you were meant to destroy your old paper licence when you applied for the photo one.

[Ann]

Well my OH still has his paper one and assures me it's still valid.

[MargoTester]

It's valid until you reach 70. Your wife will receive a letter just before then from the DVLA informing her with instructions on what to do

[chrissa1]

Do all you people who still have their paper licences keep them locked away in a drawer? I passed my test in 1968 and when I changed to a photo one, my licence was tattered and torn.

[Bathsheba]

@chrissa....yes, mine is kept in a drawer, not locked, but rarely touched.

[woofgang]

Not so Togo, when i applied for my photo licence, I was specifically told in the paperwork to retain my paper one as I might still be required to present it. This was about 8 years ago.

[paddywak]

I'm ashamed to admit but I had to change mine as there was no more room for the endorsements,mind you I'm reformed now I've gone ten years now and not even had a parking ticket.

[Togo]

It has changed now woogang.. The new DVLA electronic database is the only place that will now hold endorsements and traffic offence details. It is no longer recorded on the old paper one. If you have both in your possession it could be considered that you have retained the paper to cover up any misdemeanour. When you now need to produce your licence for say your employer or to hire a car you have to go to DVLA database to obtain a code for them, which is only valid for 3 days. I have done both these thing since april. You can also go online to check that your licence details are correct and to make sure you are not driving with penalties you did not know about. All the info can be printed offincluding the coded certificate.

[Togo]

Anyone applying to change their licence since april is asked to destroy the old paper one.