Renewing Your Driving Licence at 70: Free, Every 3 Years

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

Your driving licence expires on your 70th birthday and must then be renewed every three years. Renewing online with DVLA is free, there is no driving test, and DVLA sends you a form called the D46P about 90 days beforehand to remind you.

The basic rules in Great Britain

These rules apply in England, Scotland and Wales, where licences are issued by DVLA (the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency). Northern Ireland has its own service, covered further down.

You can renew if you are 70 or over, or will be 70 within the next 90 days.
Once you reach 70, you must renew every 3 years.
You must meet the minimum eyesight requirement and must not be prevented from driving for any reason.
The official online service is free.

All of this is set out on the government's page, Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over, which is also where the online form starts.

Watch out: a number of websites charge a "checking" or "processing" fee to renew a licence for you. They are not DVLA and you do not need them. Always start from GOV.UK. Our guide to spotting scams explains how to tell an official site from a copycat.

Renewing online

The online route is the quickest for most people. You sign in to the service on GOV.UK; if you do not already have sign-in details, you can create them as you go. You will be told when you sign in whether you need to prove your identity, which usually means having photo ID such as a passport to hand. You can change the photo on your licence at the same time, and DVLA sends a confirmation email once you have applied.

Renewing by post: the D46P form

DVLA automatically sends a D46P application form 90 days before your 70th birthday, and again before each three-year licence runs out. Fill it in, sign it and post it back using the address and instructions printed on the form.

If the D46P has not arrived, or you have mislaid it, use a D1 form ("application for a driving licence") instead. You can pick one up at most Post Office branches. GOV.UK reminds applicants to pay the correct postage, because an underpaid envelope can delay things.

A licence applied for by post should arrive in about 3 weeks. It can take longer if your medical or personal details need to be checked.

The health and eyesight declaration

There is no medical examination and no driving test at 70. Instead, the form asks you to confirm that you meet the eyesight standard and to declare any medical condition that could affect your driving. This is a legal declaration, so answer it honestly; an untrue answer could cause serious trouble with your insurer after an accident.

The eyesight standard, and the list of conditions you need to report, are explained on our page about eyesight and driving. If you are not sure whether you are still safe behind the wheel, a voluntary driving assessment will give you a straight answer in private.

Can I drive while DVLA has my application?

Usually, yes. GOV.UK says you can carry on driving while your renewal is being processed as long as all of the following apply:

your doctor supports you continuing to drive;
you had a valid licence;
you only drive under the conditions of your previous licence;
your application is less than a year old;
your last licence was not revoked or refused for medical reasons;
you are not currently disqualified, and were not disqualified as a high risk offender on or after 1 June 2013.

Minibuses and medium-sized vehicles (C1 and D1)

If you passed your test many years ago, your licence may include categories C1 (medium-sized vehicles, such as a large motorhome) and D1 (minibuses). These are not renewed automatically at 70. You cannot use the online service to keep them: they have to be renewed by post, and higher medical standards apply. If you do not need them, you can simply let them go and renew your ordinary car entitlement. If you drive a minibus for a community group or own a heavy motorhome, check the GOV.UK guidance well before your birthday.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland licences are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), not DVLA, and the details differ slightly. According to nidirect, the official Northern Ireland government website:

a licence issued at 70 or over is normally valid for up to three years;
the DVA sends a renewal notice about two months before your licence expires, though it describes this as a courtesy, so do not rely on it;
there is no fee if you apply no more than two months before your present licence expires;
car and motorcycle licences can be renewed online, which is faster than by post, and you will need a digital photo;
C1 and D1 entitlements cannot be renewed online and need a medical report (form DLM1) completed by a doctor, who may charge for it.

The DVA says it aims to process a complete application within 10 working days. Full details are on nidirect's page, Renew your driving licence at 70 plus.

Common questions

How much does it cost to renew a driving licence at 70?

Nothing, if you use the official DVLA service on GOV.UK. In Northern Ireland nidirect says there is no fee if you apply within two months before your licence expires. If a website asks you to pay, you are almost certainly on an unofficial site.

I am 70 next month and no D46P form has arrived. What should I do?

You do not need to wait for it. Renew online at GOV.UK, or pick up a D1 form from a Post Office and apply by post.

Do I need to see my doctor or optician first?

It is not a requirement for an ordinary car licence. You make the declaration yourself. That said, a recent eye test is the best way to be sure your declaration is true, and it is free on the NHS from 60. See free prescriptions and eye tests.