Martin Lewis has urged drivers to check a crucial section of their driving licence, warning that an expired photo licence could lead to a fine of up to £1,000. He shared a clip on social media about the issue, explaining how the rules can vary depending on your situation.
Check section 4b
Lewis called on motorists to "get your driving licence out and check section 4b on the front," highlighting an important date to look out for. He said: "While your driving licence itself is valid for many decades, the photo licence that you get is only valid for 10 years— and 2.7 million of them are expiring this year. Section 4b is your expiry date."
If you are looking at the front of your licence, you should find this information among the details to the right of your photo. Lewis warned it can be a costly mistake if you don't have a valid licence.
Costly mistake
He said: "Ultimately, if you're driving with an expired license and you get stopped by the police, if you continue not to do what they tell you, you could be fined up to £1,000." Fortunately, the situation is easy to rectify if you need a new licence.
Lewis assured his fans: "But if your license has expired, don't panic. All you need to do is go online and renew it. It costs £14 if you do it online." You can renew your driving licence through the gov.uk website if you live in England, Scotland and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland, you need to apply through the NI direct website.
Reminders and different rules
If your driving licence is soon to expire, you should get a reminder message about this, but Lewis was keen to spread the word anyway. He said in his post: "Now, I should say you do get reminders, and you should be told when your licence is due to expire, but lots of people ignore them, or miss them, or just don't do it."
"So I hope this is a waste of time and yours is in date without any problems, but just in case it isn't, have a look at the 4b on your licence." However, the rules can be different for certain people.
In one response to his post, a person pointed out that the rule whereby you have to renew your licence every 10 years only applies to "youngsters." Lewis replied to confirm the rules are indeed different for older drivers.
He said: "Technically the over 70s renewal is different. That isn't about your photo (which needn't be renewed every 3 years, it can be kept). It's a medical declaration and eyesight confirmation I believe. In practice though yes it's every three years."
Over 70s renewal
This refers to the fact that once you reach the age of 70, you have to renew your licence every three years. When renewing their licence, over 70s have to make a legal declaration that they meet the eyesight standards required to drive. They also have to declare any relevant medical conditions.
You must be able to read a number plate from 20 meters away to drive. Motorists must also have a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale, using both eyes together or in one eye, if you only have sight in one eye.
