Drivers who are looking to renew their licence online have been warned against using third-party sites, as they could be at risk of paying more than they should.
Experts at the DVLA say that renewing driving licences using the online service is quick, simple and trustworthy. In the UK, they must be renewed every 10 years, and those over the age of 70 should be renewing them every three years.
It's also cheaper to do it in this way compared to the postal renewal service, and it's free for over-70s. But the experts have warned that even though renewing online should be straightforward, it should only ever be done on the official gov.uk site.
The official DVLA Twitter account posted an alert recently which read: "Due to renew your driving licence? Only use http://GOV.UK and avoid third-party websites which charge a premium."
By using the official site, customers can be rest assured that their personal details and information are safe and secure.
Here's everything you need to know about renewing a licence online, including costs and timescales.
How to renew your licence online
To start the renewal process, you'll need to go to the official gov.uk website.
It costs £14 to do, so as the experts said, avoid any third-party sites which charge any more than this.
The process is available 24/7 and should only take a few minutes to complete. Before you start, make sure you have the following to hand:
- a valid UK passport
- your current driving licence (if you do not have your licence you must say why in your application)
- your National Insurance number (if you know it)
- addresses of where you’ve lived over the last 3 years
It should take around a week for your new photocard to arrive once you've finished the application.
Renewing your licence online - over 70s
The process is slightly different for those over the age of 70.
For a start, it's free to do, and it must be done every three years or within 90 days of your 70th birthday.
If you haven’t used this service before, you need to register with:
- an email address
- addresses of where you’ve lived for the last 3 years
- your National Insurance number (if you know it)
- a valid UK passport number (if you want to change the licence photo)
You'll receive an email confirmation from the DVLA once you've applied.
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