Overview
- Driving licences expire at 70 and must then be renewed every three years rather than every decade.
- Driving after expiry can constitute the offence of driving without an appropriate licence, carrying up to six penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000.
- The DVLA typically sends a D46P around three months before a 70th birthday, with online renewals usually fulfilled within a week and postal applications taking about three weeks.
- Holders of C1 and D1 categories must renew those entitlements at 70 using D2 and D4 forms and meet higher medical standards or they will lose the right to drive heavier vehicles and minibuses.
- A 1997 rules change moved C1 and D1 to group 2 standards, and the DVLA has also reminded all motorists of the separate 10‑year photocard renewal cycle, which costs £14 online for under‑70s.