Martin Lewis urges drivers to check their licences to avoid £1,000 fine

Martin Lewis has reminded drivers to check their driving licences in order to avoid being hit with a £1,000 fine.

Lewis used his Money Saving Expert newsletter to warn Brits that a whopping two million motorists with expired photo driving licences - and if you happen to be found driving with one of the out-of-date licences you could face a £1,000 fine from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Not only that, but you could also have your vehicle seized by police if you’re found to be using an expired licence.

The expiry date on photo cards can be found in section 4b on the front of the card.

Although drivers can typically retain driving entitlement until they reach 70 years old, photo cards must be renewed every 10 years to ensure the image actually resembles the person behind the wheel, and not what you looked like a few decades ago.

After the age of 70, drivers must renew their licence every three years in order to stay on the road.

The DVLA will send you a reminder that your licence is due for renewal but if you happen to have moved address and not updated your details then you may have missed it.

Pixabay/Rudy and Peter Skitterians

Back in November, Philip Gomm of the RAC Foundation commented on the importance of keeping your licence up to date.

“There are good reasons to keep licences up to date, beyond the basic legal requirement,” he said.

“They are also a widely accepted form of ID and will certainly be required if you are ever stopped by police.

“Renewal also provides an opportunity for people to assess whether they are still fit to drive, and we think there is an argument for linking a compulsory eye test to the process to make sure we all remain safe on the road, though Government should help keep costs as low as possible for motorists.

“When you do renew, beware of private web sites which offer to help with the application but charge an extra fee for doing so.”

Pexels/Dom J

The DVLA recommends that people use its official website to renew their licence, where it will cost £14 and is usually processed in five days.

You can also renew by post, which will cost £17 or by visiting a Post Office where it’s £21.50.

A DVLA spokesperson said: “We encourage customers to use GOV.UK as applying online is the quickest and cheapest way to renew their photocard driving licence.

“If you stop driving altogether, you should inform DVLA and return your licence rather than keeping it as a form of out of date photo ID.”