The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have shared figures which reveal that UK drivers collectively lost £2.3 million over the last year by choosing a more costly option when renewing their licence.
Motorists have the option to renew their driving licence either online, or send an application off in the post.
The latter option not only takes longer, but is also significantly more expensive according to the new stats.
READ MORE - DVLA warns drivers of new road laws coming into force this month
As reported by the Daily Record, using the DVLA's online renewal service costs £14 and the turnaround time is on average five days.
In contrast, choosing to renew a driving licence through the post costs £17 and it can take significantly longer for a new ID to be received.
According to the DVLA, 23% of the applications it was sent between April 2020 and March 2021 were through the post, collectively costing drivers millions of pounds more than necessary.
Other advantages to the online service include being able to fill out the form either at home or on-the-go, and the ability to track the status of a renewal application.
If your licence renewal is coming up, DVLA will send a reminder before your current licence expires as photocard driving licences must be renewed every 10 years.
Julie Lennard, DVLA Chief Executive, said: "Our online services are the quickest and easiest way to deal with DVLA and customers usually receive their driving and vehicle documents in just five days.
"Remember to always use GOV.UK when using DVLA’s online services."
