How do I renew a provisional driving licence? 

Last Updated on May 3, 2024

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When learning to drive, one of the first steps is normally applying for your provisional licence. Obtaining your provisional licence is an important step on your learning to drive journey, as this is what permits you to be on the road. However, your provisional licence does not stay valid forever! You should be aware of when may need you to renew your provisional.  

Since a provisional licence is required to learn to drive, it is especially important to keep it up to date. An expired licence could bring your learning to drive journey to a screeching halt! It is against the law to practice driving with an instructor or privately without a provisional licence, so it’s important keep it up to date. 

We are here to give you all the information about when and how to renew your provisional licence, and what the process will look like to make sure you are prepared when the time comes!

You can watch this video for all the information or continue reading below!

When to renew a provisional licence 

There are a few different scenarios when you would be required to renew your driving licence. You may need to renew due to your licence expiring, personal information has changed, or because you are diagnosed with a medical condition. 

Expiry of provisional licence 

When you are first issued your provisional licence, you will notice an expiry date which is labelled as 4B on the front of your photo card.

The expiry date is usually 10 years from when the card was issued, however this can change depending on your age. People aged 70 and over are usually required to renew their provisional licence every 3 years. 

If you pass your test before the expiry date, you will not need to renew as you will be a full licence holder. This means your provisional will no longer be valid. 

Medical conditions 

You must inform the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) of certain medical conditions. Some medical conditions can affect your provisional licence. There are times when a provisional licence may need to be surrendered because of a new or worsening medical problem. Alternatively, some medical conditions mean you need to renew your licence more regularly.  

When applying for your provisional licence you must inform the DVLA of any existing medical conditions. If you develop any other medical problems, it is always best to inform the DVLA in case it affects the validity your provisional licence. 
 
The process for renewing your provisional may be slightly different for medical conditions if you have a short-term medical driving licence. Short-term medical driving licences need to be renewed every 1, 2, 3 or 5 years. Find out more here. 

Personal information changes 

Finally, if you make any changes to the information that is on your provisional you will need to update it to match your records. This could be a name change after getting married, name change by deed poll, gender changes or changes to your address. Your details need to be updated to match your current details as your provisional licence card includes all this information.  
 
As well as informing the DVLA of a change of address you must also update your V5 logbook.  

How to renew a provisional licence 

Online application process 

Easily renew your provisional licence online through the GOV website. You cannot apply online if your name or title has changed, so take this into consideration when renewing. 
 
You will need: 
A valid UK passport 
To be a Great Britain resident 
£14 to pay for the renewal (not needed for over 70’s or medical short period licences) 
Addresses from the last 3 years 
Your current driving licence  
Your National insurance number 

It’s important to note that you must not be disqualified from driving when you renew a provisional licence.  
 
When applying online, you will fill out a form which includes all of your personal, application and payment details. When completing this process, your new provisional licence should arrive within one week. You will also need to send your expired provisional licence back to the DVLA. 

Renew provisional at a post office 

When your provisional photocard is about to expire you will get a reminder letter in the post. You can take this to a post office that deals with renewals and go through the process there. When doing this you need to bring your letter, provisional licence, and a £21.50 fee. 
 
You cannot apply through the post office if you require a name change. If you require a name change you need to apply by post. 
 
You will receive your new provisional licence within 3 weeks, but this can take longer depending on the details that have changed. 

Renew provisional by post 

To renew by post you can get a D1 pack from a local post office that deals with DVLA photocard renewals.  
 
When completing this process, you will need: 
Completed D1 pack forms 
A recent passport style photo which is not signed 
You current provisional photo card 
A cheque or postal order for £17  
Identity documents if you have changed your name 
 
Send this to:  
DVLA 
Swansea 
SA99 1DH 
 
You will receive your new provisional licence within 3 weeks, but it could take longer depending on what details have changed 

What happens after renewal 

When you are in the process of renewing your provisional licence you are still able to drive your vehicle, even if you have sent off your current provisional. You will have to wait 1-3 weeks depending on your chosen renewal method for your new provisional to arrive. This will be sent by post to the address you have provided to the DVLA. 
 
Remember that with a provisional licence you are only permitted to drive with a driving instructor or in a private vehicle when added as an additional driver or with your own learner driver insurance. You will need to have a supervising driver with you at all times. 
 
Once you have your renewed provisional licence you can continue your learning to drive journey! If you pass your theory test and practical driving test you will be moved to a full driving licence and will no longer need to renew your provisional. 

Tips for a smooth renewal process 

In order to make the renewal process as easy as possible here are some tips: 
-Know when your provisional expires so you have enough time to renew 
-Use the correct method of renewal. If you need to update your name or title you will need to apply by post. 
-Have all your personal information and documents ready when you start the renewal process. 
-Make sure all the information you provide is up to date. 
-Take your time to fill in the application to avoid any mistakes, otherwise you may need to repeat the process. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, a provisional licence is necessary for anyone learning to drive. It is important to be aware of when you may need to renew it to avoid any disruptions in your driving journey. There are several reasons why you may need to renew your provisional licence, such as an expiring date, changes in personal information, or medical conditions.  
 
Renewal options include an online application, renewal at a post office, or renewal by post. The renewal process differs depending on your circumstances. For instance, renewing a provisional licence for medical conditions is different to the standard renewal process. 

Remember that while waiting for your renewed provisional to arrive, you can still practice driving with an instructor or in a private vehicle if you have the correct insurance. Once you have your renewed provisional licence, you can continue your journey to becoming a fully licensed driver. If you pass your driving test, you will no longer need to renew your provisional licence as you will have become a full driving license holder. 

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