- What renewal costs by each route
- Who must renew and who can use the service
- Renewing online, step by step
- Your new licence starts on the approval date, not the expiry date
- Post Office and postal renewals
- When a name, signature or address change gets in the way
- Verdict on renewing your licence
- Frequently asked questions
You renew a UK photocard driving licence with DVLA online, at a Post Office or by post, and you must do it every 10 years. As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK says it costs 14 pounds online, 17 pounds by post and 21.50 pounds at a Post Office, and renewing because you're 70 or over is free.
A photocard licence feels permanent, but the card itself runs out. DVLA sends a reminder before it ends, and the route you pick decides both the fee and how long you wait. Below is what GOV.UK's renewal and fees pages say, including the details that catch drivers out, like when the new card's validity starts and when you can't renew online at all.
What renewal costs by each route
These are the DVLA fees and delivery times GOV.UK lists for renewing a photocard licence in Great Britain, as of Nov 2026:
| Route | Fee | When it should arrive |
|---|---|---|
| Online | 14 pounds | Within a week |
| By post with a D1 pack | 17 pounds | Within 3 weeks |
| At a Post Office | 21.50 pounds | Within 3 weeks |
| Renewing because you're 70 or over | Free | Uses a separate over-70 service |
| Short-term medical driving licence | Free | Online for some listed conditions |
Online, you pay by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card. By post, it's a cheque or postal order payable to DVLA, and GOV.UK warns that damaged or altered cheques won't be accepted. A postal or Post Office application might take longer than 3 weeks if your medical or personal details need to be checked.
Who must renew and who can use the service
GOV.UK says you must renew a photocard licence every 10 years, and you'll receive a reminder before your current licence ends. The service covers both full and provisional licences. To renew, you must be a resident of Great Britain and not be disqualified from driving. Northern Ireland has its own service and different fees.
Some drivers need a different route: anyone renewing at 70 or over, anyone renewing a 5-year bus or lorry licence, and anyone with a short-term medical driving licence. You can renew a short-term medical licence for free, and online if you have diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, a visual impairment, a sleep condition or a heart condition. If you've never applied for a provisional licence, or you applied for one before 1 March 1973, you'll need to apply for your first provisional licence instead of renewing.
Renewing online, step by step
- Check your name, title and signature haven't changed. If any of them has, you can't renew online and need the post or Post Office route.
- Sign in to the GOV.UK service. If you don't already have sign in details, you can create them. You'll be told when you sign in if you need to prove your identity, which usually involves photo ID like a passport or driving licence.
- Pay the 14 pounds fee by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card.
- Look out for DVLA's confirmation email. You might be asked to take part in research by email, but you can opt out.
- When the new licence arrives, usually within a week, send your old photocard licence to DVLA. You'll be told the address to use when you finish the application.
Your new licence starts on the approval date, not the expiry date
Here's the detail that surprises people. GOV.UK says that after an online renewal, your new licence is valid from the date your application is approved, not from the expiry date of your current licence. Photocard licences are valid for 10 years unless otherwise stated, so renewing well before the reminder doesn't bank the unused months on the old card.
The good news on timing is that GOV.UK says you can continue driving while you wait for the new licence to arrive after a Post Office or postal application, so a short gap in the post doesn't take you off the road.
Post Office and postal renewals
You'll get a reminder letter in the post. Take it to a Post Office that deals with DVLA photocard licence renewal, along with your photocard licence if you have it and the 21.50 pounds fee. If you don't have a reminder letter, you'll need your photocard licence to apply there. You can't use the Post Office if your name has changed.
For a postal renewal, get a 'D1 pack' of forms from a Post Office that deals with DVLA photocard renewal or vehicle tax. Send the completed forms with a recent printed passport type photo (don't sign the back of it), your current photocard licence if you have it, and a cheque or postal order for 17 pounds payable to DVLA. No fee is needed if you have a medical short period licence or you're aged 70 or over. The address is DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH, and GOV.UK reminds you to pay the correct postage.
When a name, signature or address change gets in the way
You can't renew online if your name, title or signature has changed. A changed signature means applying by post or at a Post Office. A changed name or title means post only, with identity documents included.
An address change on its own is free with DVLA, online or by post, and you can still drive while you're waiting for the new licence. GOV.UK says you can be fined up to 1,000 pounds if you don't tell DVLA when your address changes. A new photo at the same time as an address change costs 14 pounds online or 17 pounds by post. If you're moving abroad, you can't register the new address on a British licence; you contact the driving licence authority in your new country instead.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
A lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed licence is a replacement rather than a renewal, and the GOV.UK Driving licence fees page lists it at 20 pounds.
Verdict on renewing your licence
Renew online when DVLA's reminder lands. GOV.UK's Renew your driving licence page shows it's the lowest fee at 14 pounds and the quickest route, usually within a week. Just don't renew months early expecting to keep the leftover time, because the new card runs from the approval date, and check the GOV.UK Driving licence fees page first if your name, photo or address has changed.
Once the new card's in your wallet, these apps for drivers are worth a look, and it's a good moment to review your cover with these ways to reduce your car insurance rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renew a driving licence?
As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK lists 14 pounds online, 17 pounds by post and 21.50 pounds at a Post Office. Renewing because you're 70 or over is free.
How often do I need to renew my photocard licence?
Every 10 years, unless otherwise stated. DVLA sends a reminder before your current licence ends.
Can I drive while my renewed licence is on its way?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can continue driving while you wait for your new licence to arrive.
How long does a driving licence renewal take?
It should arrive within a week if you renew online, or within 3 weeks at a Post Office or by post. It might take longer if your medical or personal details need checking.
Can I renew online if my name has changed?
No. If your name or title has changed you can only apply by post, and if your signature has changed you must apply by post or at a Post Office.
What do I do with my old licence?
Send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get the new one. You'll be told the address when you finish the application.
