Renew Your Driving Licence Photo: The DVLA Process Explained

At a glance

• Renewal cycle: photocard driving licences must be renewed every 10 years, whether you hold a full or provisional licence.
• Fastest route: apply online at GOV.UK for £14 - you can now use your existing passport photo or upload a new one.
• Postal route: use form D1 (from a Post Office) with a fresh passport-style photo and your current photocard; the fee is £17.
• In-person route: some Post Offices that handle DVLA photocard renewals can process your application in branch for £21.50.
• No fee if you're 70 or over, or you hold a short-term medical driving licence.
• Turnaround: around a week if you apply online; up to 3 weeks by post or at a Post Office.
• Miss the deadline? driving with an expired photocard is an offence - always check GOV.UK for the current penalty.

What is photocard renewal, and why does it happen every 10 years?

A GB photocard driving licence shows a photograph of the holder on the front, and DVLA requires that image to be refreshed every ten years. This applies whether you hold a full licence or you're still on a provisional licence.

It's a different clock from the one that ends most people's licences at 70 - see our guide on renewing your licence at 70 or older if that's the renewal you're facing instead. The 10-year photo cycle exists so that the image on your licence still resembles you, which matters for roadside identity checks, for preventing licence fraud and impersonation, and for hire companies and other organisations that rely on the photocard to confirm who you are.

The three ways to renew

Renewing online

For most drivers, this is the quickest option. To use the online service you must be a resident of Great Britain (Northern Ireland has its own driver-licensing service) and not currently disqualified from driving. You cannot use it if your name or title has changed since your current licence was issued, or if you hold a 5-year bus or lorry licence - see our guide on renewing a lorry or bus licence if that applies to you.

During the application you'll be asked to confirm your identity and can then either reuse the photo held on your passport record or upload a new photo. Once your new licence has been issued, GOV.UK's guidance says you must send your old photocard back to DVLA, using the address you're given at the end of the application - don't assume you can simply keep or discard it yourself.

Renewing by post using form D1

If you can't use the online service - because your name has changed, you hold a 5-year bus or lorry licence, or you'd simply rather apply on paper - collect a D1 pack from a Post Office that deals with DVLA photocard renewals. Complete the form and send it together with a recent passport-style photo (meeting the standard passport photo requirements), your current photocard licence, and the fee, to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DH. If your name has also changed, include the relevant identity documents, such as a marriage certificate or deed poll.

Renewing at a Post Office

Some Post Office branches that handle DVLA photocard renewals can process a straightforward photo renewal for you in person. Take your DVLA reminder letter if you've received one, or your current photocard if you haven't, along with the fee. This route isn't available if your name has changed - that always has to go by post.

What it costs

| Route | Fee | Exemptions | |---|---|---| | Online | £14 | Free if you're 70+, or hold a short-term medical licence | | By post (form D1) | £17 | Same exemptions apply | | At a Post Office | £21.50 | - |

Fees are reviewed periodically, so treat this table as a guide and check GOV.UK's driving licence fees page for the current amount before you pay.

How long it takes - and can I drive while I wait?

Apply online and your new licence should typically arrive within about a week. Apply by post or at a Post Office and GOV.UK's guidance points to around 3 weeks, longer if your medical or personal details need checking.

In most cases you can continue driving while your application is with DVLA, provided your underlying entitlement to drive hasn't lapsed and you're not otherwise disqualified. DVLA sets out the detailed conditions in its leaflet Can I drive while my application is with DVLA? (INF188/6) - worth checking if you drive for work, or if anything about your situation is out of the ordinary.

What happens if you don't renew in time

Letting your photocard expire without renewing is an offence. GOV.UK's own guidance on the subject warns that drivers who don't keep their photo up to date may have to pay a fine - a figure of up to £1,000 has been cited by DVLA, though you should always check GOV.UK for the current position rather than relying on any fixed number quoted here or elsewhere.

It's worth being clear about what actually lapses: for most drivers, your entitlement to drive the categories shown on the back of your licence doesn't expire at the same time as the photo does. What expires is the photocard itself as a valid identity document - which is exactly why the DVLA treats an out-of-date photo as a problem worth enforcing, even though your underlying right to drive may still be intact. The safest course is simply to renew before the expiry date printed on your card, rather than relying on a grace period.

Changing your name or address at the same time

A change of address can be reported to DVLA free of charge and, on its own, doesn't require a new photo - see our guide on updating the address on your driving licence. A change of name or title is different: it cannot be done online or at a Post Office, and must go by post using form D1 with supporting identity documents. If you need to update both your name and your photo, you can do that in a single postal application rather than sending two separate ones.

What to do next

1. Check your expiry date. Look at section 4b on the front of your photocard, or use GOV.UK's share your driving licence information service to check when your photo is due to expire.
2. Work out which route applies to you. If your circumstances are straightforward - no name change, no 5-year bus or lorry licence, resident in Great Britain, not disqualified - the online service will usually be quickest.
3. Gather what you'll need. For online, have your licence and passport details ready. For a postal or Post Office application, get a D1 pack, a passport-style photo, and your current photocard together before you start.
4. Apply before the expiry date, not after - this avoids any question about whether you're driving on a valid photocard.
5. Send your old photocard back if asked to. For online renewals this happens after your new card arrives; for postal applications it goes in with the D1 form.
6. If your situation is more complicated - a lapsed card, a name change alongside the photo, or an unusual licence type - and you'd like it talked through, an experienced adviser can help you work out the right next step.

This guide provides general information about the process for changing the photo on a UK driving licence in Great Britain. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Fees, processing times and the online service change from time to time - the details here were accurate as at July 2026 and should always be checked against GOV.UK before you apply.

Last reviewed: July 2026 by a non-practising solicitor · Next review due: July 2027 or on earlier change to the GOV.UK process.