What it really costs
| How you renew | Cost | How long |
|---|
| Online at GOV.UK (gov.uk/renew-driving-licence) | £14 | About 1 week |
| By post (D1 pack → DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH, with a passport-type photo) | £17 cheque/postal order | Around 3 weeks |
| At a participating Post Office (take your reminder letter + photocard) | £21.50 | Around 3 weeks |
| Aged 70 or over — every 3 years (online or D46P form) | FREE | About 1 week online |
| Medical short-period licence | FREE | Can take longer (medical checks) |
The copycat-website trap
Third-party "licence renewal services" pay to appear above GOV.UK in search results and charge £40–£90 to submit the same application — sometimes adding nothing but their fee.
Always type gov.uk directly into your browser. If you've already paid one, you may be able to get the extra fee back — try your card provider, and check our
am-I-being-ripped-off guide.
How to renew — the official way
- Online (cheapest and fastest): go to gov.uk/renew-driving-licence, sign in (or create sign-in details), prove your identity if asked — usually with a passport — and pay £14 by card. Your new licence is valid from the date the application is approved.
- At a Post Office: take the reminder letter DVLA sends you, plus your photocard, to a Post Office that handles DVLA renewals. They take your photo there. £21.50.
- By post: get a D1 pack from a participating Post Office, include a recent passport-type photo (don't sign the back), your current photocard, and a £17 cheque or postal order payable to DVLA. Send to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH.
Changed your name?
You can't renew online or at the Post Office if your name or title has changed — you must apply by post with identity documents. Changing the address on your licence is different: free, online, any time — and you can be fined up to £1,000 for not keeping it up to date.
Renewing at 70 and over
- Your licence stops being valid at 70 — but renewing is free, and then it's free every 3 years after.
- DVLA posts you a D46P reminder form shortly before your 70th birthday, or renew online at gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70.
- There's no driving test and no medical exam — you self-declare that you meet the eyesight standard (reading a number plate from 20 metres, with glasses if needed) and declare any notifiable medical conditions.
- Be honest on the medical declaration: driving with an undeclared notifiable condition can invalidate insurance and lead to a fine.
Can you keep driving while you wait?
Usually, yes. GOV.UK confirms you can continue driving while your renewal is processed, provided you've sent a valid application, you haven't been told by a doctor or optician not to drive, you meet any conditions on your previous licence, and you're not disqualified. Online renewals arrive in about a week; postal and Post Office applications take around 3 weeks — longer if medical or personal details need checking. When the new photocard arrives, send the old one back to the address DVLA gives you.
Do this now
Check section 4b of your photocard — that's the expiry date most people have never looked at. If it's within a few months, renew today at gov.uk/renew-driving-licence (£14) — typed directly, never via an ad.
Moved house since you got it? Update the address free at GOV.UK — it takes minutes and avoids a fine of up to £1,000.
Northern Ireland
DVLA covers Great Britain only. In Northern Ireland, driving licences are issued and renewed by the DVA (Driver & Vehicle Agency) — renew through nidirect.gov.uk. The 10-year photocard cycle and the at-70 rules work similarly, but check nidirect for NI fees and forms.