Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has issued a new warning to over two million drivers in the UK, urging them to check their licence now to avoid a £1,000 fine.
In the latest edition of the Money Saving Expert newsletter, the financial guru explained that photocard driving licences last for a maximum of 10 years so motorists must check their expiry date to ensure it is still valid.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) gave motorists whose licences expired between February 1 2020 and December 31 2020 an automatic 11 month extension.
Now the Money Saving Expert urged drivers whose licences expired in December 2020 to renew now as the automatic extension date has passed.
He said: "Driving licence photos must be replaced every 10 years (no matter how young you look).
"There are a few dates printed on the photocard, but the one you need is the photo expiry date printed on section 4b on the front of the card.
"If you don't renew when your automatic extension ends you could be fined up to £1,000 for driving with an expired licence."
Motorists could also end up with three to six penalty points on their licence in addition to the fine.
A spokesperson said: "Appearances can change, and it's important that photocard licences are updated every 10 years.
"This is to ensure the police and other enforcement agencies have the best possible photograph to help them correctly identify whether a driving licence is being used fraudulently, and so help prevent driving licence impersonation – stopping disqualified and perhaps dangerous drivers taking to our roads."
