First photocard driving licences up for renewal

However, Fleet News said that "contrary to misleading reports", the licence would still be valid even if the photo went out of date.

It said that hundreds of thousands of renewal notices would be sent out by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) over the coming weeks, as the first photocards (issued from July 1998) expired. Failure to send the photo licence, the paper counterpart and a new photo, along with a £17.50 fee, would leave the driver open to prosecution.

"Drivers are required by law to ensure their photocard driving licence is updated every ten years." a DVLA spokesman told Fleet News. "This is to ensure that the photograph is of true likeness. A fine of £1,000 may be imposed on failure to surrender a licence."

However, the publication said the DVLA had stressed that although the photograph may be out of date, the licence holder would actually still be entitled to drive.