Drivers who passed their test before 2014 warned they face £1,000 fine unless they check their licence

DRIVERS have been warned they face a £1k fine if they forget to check a crucial detail on their driving licence.

Licenses are only valid for a decade after being issued, and so anyone who continues to drive with an expired license is committing a serious offence.

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And this can result in a fine of up to £1,000, and between three and six penalty points on your licence

The DVLA issued a fresh reminder to make sure drivers don’t forget to complete the vital process, which applies to both full and provisional licence holders.

They said on Twitter: “You must renew your driving licence every ten years.

“Renew online today – it’s easy, quick and secure at: http://gov.uk/renewdrivinglicence.

“Your licence should arrive within a week if you apply online.”

Those needing to renew should do so in good time before it expires.

But you can still drive while waiting for your new one to arrive if your licence becomes invalid while your application is being processed.

The online process is straightforward and the replacement should arrive in just a week.

For those looking to renew a licence after ten years, it can be done at a post office, by post or online.

If you receive a reminder letter in the post, you can take it to a post office that offers DVLA photocard licence renewal.

And you will need to bring your licence if you have it and pay a £21.50 fee.

If you don’t have a reminder letter, you must bring your photocard licence to be able to apply.

Those who have changed their name for any reason can’t renew their licence this way and must do it via post.

To apply for a new licence through the post, you need to pick up a “D1 pack” from a post office that deals with DVLA photocard renewal or vehicle tax.

With the form, you must include:

• a recent passport photo (do not sign the back of the photo)
• your current photocard licence, if you have it
• a cheque or postal order for £17, payable to DVLA (no fee is needed if you have a short-period medical licence or you’re aged 70 or over)

And the online process is straightforward and the replacement would arrive in a week.

To apply, you need a valid email address, your National Insurance Number, addresses of where you’ve lived for the last three years and a valid UK passport number.

Those over 70 must renew their licences every three years.

And they can apply online or by post using the D46P application form.

DVLA will automatically send you this form 90 days before your 70th birthday.

You can use the D1 for a driving licence form if you haven’t got the D46P form.

And bus or lorry drivers have to renew their licence every five years until they are 65.

DVLA will send you an ‘application for renewal of lorry and bus entitlement’ (D47PU) form 56 days before your driving licence runs out.

And if you don’t want to renew it but want to continue driving cars and motorbikes, you have to fill in section 2B of form D47PU.

You can view and check your driving licence information via GOV.UK.

And you can also find your driving license expiration date printed on the front of the photocard section under section 4b.

Motorists have also been warned that failing to update the address on their licence could land them a hefty fine.

And those over 70 must renew their driving licence every three years or face fines.

Their licence and insurance will not be valid, and they face a fine of up to £1,000 and even having their vehicle taken away.