Renewing Your Driving Licence At 70

Once you reach the age of 70 you must renew your driving licence every three years by law if you wish to remain behind the wheel. If the thought of renewing is daunting and fills you with dread, do not worry, renewing your driving licence is simple and can be done within minutes online or by post.

Ways To Renew

Online
To apply for a renewed driving licence at 70 online, you will need to use your Government Gateway ID which is needed for most online government services, if you do not have one or need to re-register, you will get an ID as part of your application. If you have not used this service before, you will need to register with a valid email address, postal addresses of where you have lived for the past three years, your National Insurance number, and a valid UK passport number. If you would like to change the licence photo, if you have a one, you can. A benefit of applying online is that the DVLA will send you an email once you have applied so that you know your application is being processed right away.

By Post
If you prefer to apply for a driving licence renewal by post as opposed to applying online, you can apply for a driving licence renewal at 70 by using the D46P application form. The DVLA will automatically send this form out to you around 90 days before your 70th birthday, alternatively, you can use a D1 application for a driving licence form which you can pick-up from most post offices. Note, postal applications take up to three weeks to process so if you are looking for a speedy return on your application, an online application will be your best bet. Whichever method you choose you will need to reapply again in three years’ time and be conscious of any changes in your health.

Driving While The DVLA Has Your Licence

You can drive while your licence is being renewed if you meet all the following conditions:

• You have the support of your doctor to continue driving
• You had a valid licence
• You only drive under the conditions of the previous licence
• Your application is less than a year old
• Your last licence was not revoked or refused for medical reasons
• You are not currently disqualified
• You were not disqualified as a high-risk offender on or after June 1, 2013

*Source: DVLA

[box type=”shadow” align=”” class=”” width=””]

70 Years-Ago

If you are turning 70 and renewing your driving licence this year you will have been born in a momentous year – 1948 saw the creation of the National Health Service, the Summer Olympic Games hosted by London, and the arrival of the Empire Windrush in Britain from the West Indies. You also share your year of birth with Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Newton-John, and Prince Charles.[/box]

By Jacob White