{"id":6922,"date":"2023-04-19T17:06:25","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T16:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/?p=6922"},"modified":"2025-02-26T17:32:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T17:32:24","slug":"drivers-who-passed-before-2014-warned-to-check-their-licences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/drivers-who-passed-before-2014-warned-to-check-their-licences\/","title":{"rendered":"Drivers who passed before 2014 warned to check their licences"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s something that it\u2019s easy to under-appreciate before you start driving: there\u2019s a surprising amount of admin involved in running a car. You\u2019ve got to make sure it\u2019s appropriately taxed and insured, for starters, and you\u2019ll also need to make sure that it gets its MOT test done on time every year. (Of course, if it repeatedly fails to earn that all-important MOT certificate<\/strong><\/a>, then you might finally decide: I need to scrap my car<\/strong><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Crucially you\u2019ve also got to think about the paperwork, and bear all the key dates for those in mind. That\u2019s what consumer rights champion Martin Lewis is focusing on in his latest warning to drivers who passed their test before 2014\u2013 and how to avoid a \u00a31000 fine. So if you passed your test more than 9 years ago, here\u2019s what you need to know!<\/p>\n

Why might you risk a fine?<\/h2>\n

To sum up the issue in three words: expired driving licence. (Or \u201cdriving licence: expired\u201d, depending on how much of a summer blockbuster vibe you like for your admin announcements.)<\/p>\n

If you passed your test before 2014 and you\u2019ve not renewed your licence at any point in the intervening years, there\u2019s a good chance that yours will be approaching its expiry date. And any driver caught without a valid photocard licence can be fined up to \u00a31000 by the DVLA. What\u2019s more, possibly as many as two million people in the UK may have failed to update their licences \u2013 so it\u2019s really worth double-checking that you\u2019re not one of them!<\/p>\n

Photocard licences were first introduced in 1998, and many drivers will still have accompanying paper licences, which were the norm before that year. Any paper licences that were issued before 1998 are still valid until the holder turns 70, but they\u2019re in the process of being phased out. No new paper licences have been issued since 2015, leaving the photocard licence as the new standard, and it will become the only acceptable form of driver\u2019s ID by 2033. (But that\u2019s another decade away, so you\u2019ve got a bit of time yet!)<\/p>\n

How to check if your driver\u2019s licence is still in-date<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ll need to check the 4b date on the front of your photocard licence, which will essentially tell you whether or not you need to replace it. If that date is coming up or it\u2019s passed already, then you\u2019ll need to get a replacement as soon as you can.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, it\u2019s pretty easy to do so \u2013 all you need to do is head on over to the dedicated section of the government website to renew your licence<\/strong><\/a>. You can also do it by post or at your local Post Office, as long as you meet the requirements.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n