Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert advises drivers | Tech News
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) crew has issued a reminder as tens of millions of drivers could possibly be at risk of a £1,000 tremendous. In an replace on January 27, 2026, MSE revealed: “Almost 2.3 million driving licences were set to expire last year, with drivers risking a fine of up to £1,000 if they get behind the wheel with one that’s out of date.”
The knowledgeable is now urging drivers to behave at present by checking whether or not their licence continues to be legitimate and, if not, renewing it. Some motorists could even be capable of replace their particulars at no cost.
Renewing late will not get you fined, but when your licence has expired, the DVLA says you should not drive till it has acquired your accomplished renewal utility. Urging people to take a look at the expiry date and act in lots of time, it warns: “Photocard licences replaced paper licences in 1998, and must be renewed every 10 years.
“According to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) information obtained by Co-op Insurance, nearly 2.3 million licences had been set to run out final 12 months.”
How to renew your licence
Your driving licence should arrive within a week if you apply online. But there are other ways to apply:
In person at selected post offices. The Post Office charges an extra £4.50 to take your photo on top of the £17 fee, but the £21.50 total also includes posting off your application.
To renew your licence, the DVLA say you must:
- be a resident of Great Britain (there’s a different service in Northern Ireland)
- not be disqualified from driving
You’ll need to apply for your first provisional licence if:
- you’ve never applied for a provisional licence before
- you applied for a provisional licence before 1 March 1973
How much does it cost to renew?
Renewing your driving licence online will cost you £14, or £17 if you send it by post. You should get a reminder and renewal form a few weeks before it runs out. But try and be smart and check the expiry date yourself! Your licence shows a few dates, but the one that counts is in section 4b on the front of the card.
Update it for free
Your photocard licence needs renewing every 10 years, while a standard driving licence usually lasts until you turn 70. After that, you must renew it every three years. Updating your name or address is completely free, as is renewing if you’re over 70, or if you hold a short-term medical licence. There’s no limit to how many times you can make these updates, so there’s really no excuse for letting your details go out of date.
You could face more fines
It’s not just expired licences that can land you in trouble as having the wrong name, address, or gender on your licence can also cost you up to £1,000.The good news? You can update these details for free, as many times as you need.
MSE stress: “Research by insurer Direct Line revealed back in 2013 discovered 3% of married ladies had an out-of-date title on their licence, which bizarrely may additionally incur a tremendous of up to £1,000. So in the event you suppose you might be affected, test now.”
Stay forward of the curve with the most recent developments within the automotive world! Our web site is your final vacation spot for car information, delivering complete updates, in-depth market evaluation, and knowledgeable insights into the fast-evolving automotive industry. We convey you every day protection on every little thing from breakthrough vehicle applied sciences and industry trends to main bulletins which might be driving the long run of transportation.
Discover how these trends are remodeling the highway forward! Visit us frequently for partaking and informative content material by clicking right here. Our meticulously curated articles cowl market trends, investment methods, and key milestones in at present’s quickly evolving car panorama.
