Nightmare scenario expired photo card license!

[mummykj]

Hi
Wonder if anyone can offer advice? Just noticed that my photo card for my driving license has expired and did the online application to renew today. DVLA can't guarantee my new card will come through before I fly! Hubby can't be a second driver as he's only been driving less than a year.
Has anyone had similar at Alamo, will they take a paper only copy? Will have paper license, passport and credit card of course but their website says I need the photo card too. DESPERATE! Any advice? Other than not to be so stoopid?!😳😱

[tllasa]

Driving licence renewals can be very fast from the DVLA (from experience) but no guarantee. Did you send off the photocard or do you destroy it when the new one arrives?
I only ask because you have to remember that your licence remains valid even though the photo date has expired. The relevant date is the one on the rear of your card (normally to age 70).
The offence is one of having incorrect details on your driving licence, in the same way as an incorrect maiden name or address. If you have applied for a replacement, DVLA will not revoke your authority to drive.
If it was me, I would be happy presenting the old card as you are still entitled to drive. It is, however, purely a personal opinion and not definitive advice!

[mummykj]

You're very kind not to point out that I should have checked it ages ago. And your answer is very reassuring too. You are right of course, I'm still entitled to drive I'm just anxious that we will get a jobsworth type at the rental desk who will stick to the letter of the law and my holiday itinerary will be stuffed!
Trips to Tampa will have to be dropped and replaced with days around the pool instead!

[STomo]

The idea I believe of the 'expiry' of the photocard is so that people get their pictures updated... Maybe do some googling at get something written about that as a 'just in case'

Very easy to do by the way... we dont think of it like a passport that expires and we dont get a reminder.

(People do get prosecuted in the UK for driving while its expired though)

[Guest]

My husband has to have his license renewed every year as he is works for the emergency services and is on insulin. The DVLA are always behind with his renewal, so much so by the time they get it done the next one is due. Last year we were stopped by the police (in UK) as their computer had not been updated and it showed our cars MOT was out of date. We showed him our MOT paperwork but he also asked for my husbands license (which technically was out of date as the new one hadn't arrived) the policeman never said a word about it- as you say you are still entitled to drive. We are off to Tampa in less than 2 weeks and we are waiting for the new one - not holding my breath but at least I have mine if there is an issue.

[foxylady]

Hubby and I don't have a photo licence (and don't want one either), and they have always accepted my paper licence before, and they certainly did last year. No one queried us not having a photo licence at all.

Shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't have thought. Have you thought about emailing Alamo to ask the question?

[mummykj]

Originally Posted by grizz28

My husband has to have his license renewed every year as he is works for the emergency services and is on insulin. The DVLA are always behind with his renewal, so much so by the time they get it done the next one is due. Last year we were stopped by the police (in UK) as their computer had not been updated and it showed our cars MOT was out of date. We showed him our MOT paperwork but he also asked for my husbands license (which technically was out of date as the new one hadn't arrived) the policeman never said a word about it- as you say you are still entitled to drive. We are off to Tampa in less than 2 weeks and we are waiting for the new one - not holding my breath but at least I have mine if there is an issue.

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Thanks for that, what a hassle to get it done so often! I'm trying to concentrate on the fact that the expiry of the license is on the back of the card, the front date is just for the photo. Thanks for replying.

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by foxylady

Hubby and I don't have a photo licence (and don't want one either), and they have always accepted my paper licence before, and they certainly did last year. No one queried us not having a photo licence at all.

Shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't have thought. Have you thought about emailing Alamo to ask the question?

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Hiya Catharine... apparently, according to the DoT, DVLA will begin recalling the older style paper driving licences in 2015, although I didn't see anything on their website about this when I last did a search... it's phrased as a 'natural progression' hot on the heels of digitising the paper counterpart of the photo-card DL.

It was mentioned in a BBC news article in Jan 2013 - bbc/news/business-20968886 - caused some to be ticked off about it on MSE as not only do they see a £20 fee involved it also means renewing every 10 years - forums.moneysavingexpert/... php?t=4387235

It seems to have been very quiet about recalling the paper driving licence, perhaps the photocard-only system is having a few glitches and DVLA may not begin the recall in 2015 - the last I read was from Saga in June 2013:

The new rules also allow for the abolition of the old-style paper licence, which the DVLA will start to recall as soon as the new photocard-only system is fully up and running. Even though plastic licences have been around for more than 15 years, and more than 30 million drivers have one, there are still around 12 million paper licences in circulation, according to the DVLA, so the switch is going to be a big operation.

[Mexy02]

It's just the paper part of the photo license they are ceasing with not the green and pink license . That will stay until 70 at present ( or you need something changing on it etc) . My hubby will not part with his but mine was stolen so I had no option but to get a photo one.
I did get a reminder my photo one was due to expire as well.

Op why don't you email the car company and ask them, but if you have your old one and the paper counterpart you should be fine. X

[Guest]

My husband sent his photo licence off last Friday and got his new one back on Tuesday morning