Hubby has just had his new driving licence through, as his old one was about to expire. I know you have to cut the old one up and return it to the DVLA.
My question is, should I send it special delivery or anything, or just pop it in the post? Striving to clear the mortgage before it finishes in Dec 2028 - amount currently owed - £38,466.86
The last few times members of my family have renewed their driving licences (expiry, change of address, etc) we haven't bothered sending the old one back. Instead we've had the licences humanely destroyed locally.
None of us have had a visit from the driving licence police, yet.
Bigphil1474 Posts: 2,698 Forumite
Haven't got round to sending the old one back from August last year, still in my wallet behind the new one. Must remember to do it soon.
You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.
You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.
Yes, I know it's not what they say. But you don't necessarily have to do things just because the DVLA say so on their website. Is there any legal obligation to return it?
And even if there is, they're obviously not monitoring it, given nobody here (including myself) has heard anything about a failure to return old licences. So the money-saving answer is not to spend any money on postage.
Oh ok. I was surprised when we got the new licence through, as I thought it was similar to the passports, where you have to send the old one back before they profess your application. I can just send it normal postage (I have loads of stamps from those RM test pieces of post), but wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. But if there’s no legal obligation to return it, I’m quite happy to put it in the shredder (which surely is more secure anyway). The letter that came with new licence says to return it as well.
Striving to clear the mortgage before it finishes in Dec 2028 - amount currently owed - £38,466.86 MikeJXE Posts: 3,277 Forumite
I have renewed my licence several times being over 70
Returned to DVLA in normal post and had no issues
Maybe the others are right and DVLA don't monitor but I'm not looking for any trouble having signed to sending it back
Jaybee_16 Posts: 458 Forumite
Like others, never returned the expired licence. If they provided a postage paid envelope or Freepost address, then maybe I would.
Not had any threatening letters from them or visits from the Feds for the heinous crime of not complying!
I have sometimes wondered why they need the expired licence. A driver is either licensed or not? If the DVLA said you must hop on one leg to the postbox/office, I'm sure many would!
You must send your old photocard licence to DVLA when you get your new licence. You’ll be told the address to use when you finish the application.
Yes, I know it's not what they say. But you don't necessarily have to do things just because the DVLA say so on their website. Is there any legal obligation to return it?
And even if there is, they're obviously not monitoring it, given nobody here (including myself) has heard anything about a failure to return old licences. So the money-saving answer is not to spend any money on postage.
Road Traffic Act section 99 imposes an obligation to surrender (ie return) your licence when it expires, or when the photograph expires, or when the address is no longer current etc
But it seems to be rarely if ever enforced. Last time I renewed my photos there was a box to tick that said "I cannot return my licence because it has been lost/destroyed/defaced" and I just ticked that rather than returning it.
