People frequently ask the question “How do I change the address on my licence?” – An internet search will bring up many unscrupulous websites which try to rip you off by charging large amounts of money for this service. But did you know you can easily do it yourself online; and it’s free?
It doesn’t matter whether you have a full driving licence or a provisional; the process is simple and doesn’t take long at all.
Before you Start
You will need:
- your driving licence
- to be a resident of Great Britain – there’s a different process in Northern Ireland
- to give the addresses you’ve lived at in the last 3 years
- and not to have been banned from driving.
You must provide your driving licence number, but it also helps to provide your National Insurance number and passport number if you know them.
You can also use this service to change your photo, but there may be a charge for this, and:
- If your licence is still valid for 2 or more years, you’ll have to renew it to change your photo.
- If it’s valid for less than 2 years, you can change your photo at the same time you update your address.
You have two choices to replace your photo. You can either:
- use the same photo as shown on your passport
- or send a recent passport-style photo – you’ll get a letter telling you how to send it after using the online service
There will be a charge for changing your photo, however there’s no fee if you’re over 70 year’s old or have a medical short period licence.
Moving to Another Country?
You cannot replace your British address on your licence with one from another country. You will need to contact the driving licence authority in the country you are moving to.
If you want to go ahead and start the process of ‘changing the address on my licence’; click here to visit the relevant page on the DVLA website.