Driving Licence Extension for Over 70s.

[peter_winney]

It has not been made widely known but if your driving licence expires between 1st February and 31st December 2020 your driving licence entitlement to drive in the UK will be automatically extended for 11 months because of coronavirus (Covid-19). The extension starts from the date the licence is due to expire. See DVLA website link https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70

You will not get a new licence as part of the automatic extension but only get a new licence when you renew it. [NOTE - it is not clear if the new licence will then extend for the full 3 years renewal period or revert to the end date of the original 3-year period. Probably the latter]

You can renew your licence online at any time before the extension ends. NOTE - DVLA are discouraging enquiries by post.

Paper applications sent to our office in Swansea will take longer to process as they must be dealt with in person on site, where we are working with reduced numbers to meet social distancing requirements. If you’ve already made an application we will process this and return any documentation as quickly as possible.

Driving Abroad
You must renew your licence before you can drive abroad as the automatic extension only applies within the UK

Where Expiry Date is Shown
The expiry date is 4b on the licence