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Driving licence

(27 Posts)
ginny Thu 10-Oct-13 18:45:09

Just out of interest, how many of you still have your original green paper driving licence ? I still have mine from 1971. If I am ever asked to show it, I suspect it would fall apart. With luck it will last me until 2024 when I will have to have a photo' card.

ps Thu 10-Oct-13 18:51:06

ginny I had mine (issued in 1973) up to a few years ago when I was informed it was an offence for it not to indicate your current address. I had moved around 6 times since it was issued so I promptly applied for a new one.

absent Thu 10-Oct-13 18:59:53

I don't drive so don't have a licence but Mr absent produced a tattered green licence, with an address he hasn't lived at for years, in an equally tatty plastic cover when applying for a New Zealand licence earlier this year. The nice lady didn't bat an eyelid and he now has a smart new photo-licence. Perhaps she's used to barmy Brits.

Ana Thu 10-Oct-13 19:00:28

OH still has his. When he had to apply for a photo licence at whatever age it is (70?) he told the DVLA the original was lost/mislaid because he wanted to keep it.

grannyactivist Thu 10-Oct-13 19:03:16

I still have a paper license that was issued in 1997 - the year I moved into this house.

ginny Thu 10-Oct-13 19:05:14

I do have the correct address on mine. I've just realised that I did got this one in 1983 when we moved to our current home. so, not quite so old but I doubt there are very many about.

yogagran Thu 10-Oct-13 19:21:39

I still have my old green tatty bit of paper too, folded so small to fit in my purse with all the other bits and pieces.

I was always a bit sad to see the end of the ancient red driving licenses that had a proper back and front, as far as I remember you used to get a new page to stick into it every year. Quite scary to work out that I have been driving for 50 years now!

Lona Thu 10-Oct-13 19:25:34

I've still got mine from 1992 when I moved here. Thank goodness, any photo of me looks like someone else entirely!!

annodomini Thu 10-Oct-13 19:51:51

I still have a Kenya driving licence lying around in a drawer - it's a red booklet with a rather nice photograph of me. I have no idea what happened to the licence I originally got in 1960. Since the green ones arrived on the scene, I have moved several times and just last week I got another one, because they have to be renewed every three years after 70.

feetlebaum Thu 10-Oct-13 19:56:27

I still have my last red book licence - we used to have to renew them yearly, and you got a little ticket with a gummed top edge that you stuck on top of last year's...

glammanana Thu 10-Oct-13 22:16:10

We still have my FILs red licence book and mr.g. still has his original green paper licence,I sent mine off when I applied for a photo licence.

goldengirl Fri 11-Oct-13 08:11:57

Yep! I've still got mine - the green paper one. It's not in too bad a nick considering.

LizG Fri 11-Oct-13 08:40:24

That's set me panicking, where on earth have I put mine? And what address have I got on it ?

simtib Fri 11-Oct-13 08:58:44

Yes still got my green one. I still live in the same house, but years ago they changed the postcode and my DW proudly got a new photo one for free, but I kept the old one. Last year her photo one ran out and she had to, not so proudly pay to get it renewed.

Greatnan Fri 11-Oct-13 09:23:02

I had to change to a French licence this year because I am 73 and no longer have a UK address from which to renew my UK licence.

Backagain Fri 11-Oct-13 09:36:48

I had mine until a year or so ago, when I reluctantly traded it in for the photocard sort. I was sorry to see it go and had hung on to it for years in the teeth of DH telling me it wasn't valid in an attempt to drag me into the here-and-now. He was nearly as embarrassed by it as he was my little nokia phone which must be one of the world's oldest living mobiles. But I know how it works.

ninathenana Fri 11-Oct-13 10:08:31

I still have a paper license, except mine is pink 1987 vintage.

Are people saying they have a photo licence and the old paper one. Who like me has only a paper one?

bikergran Fri 11-Oct-13 10:35:52

remember to check your photo licences as they are really cracking down now! (£2,000 fine) people do think that yes! their licence runs until they are 70 but there is a date on the plastic licence that tells you when the phot runs out ( the DVLA do not send reminders about this) it's up to yourselves, also if your not up to date with your phoot licence.then your insurance is "invalid". just thought I would mention, although I'm sure all GNetters are of'e with all this smile

bikergran Fri 11-Oct-13 10:36:13

photo

Ana Fri 11-Oct-13 10:47:21

You are mistaken, bikergran, the DVLA does send out a reminder notice a couple of months before your photo licence expires. They would only not be able to do so if you had changed address and not told them.

annodomini Fri 11-Oct-13 11:34:59

The notification I received to renew, was quite clear that I didn't need to send a new photograph. The expiry date for the photo card is in three years time.

bikergran Fri 11-Oct-13 14:17:16

ok ...I never got a reminder and hadn't changed address (prob lost in the post, and a lot of our mail used to go to the empty house next door) a reminder is good as it is not something we would remember after 10 yrs..(well I wouldn't)smile

kittylester Fri 11-Oct-13 17:05:58

I think that you only have to have a paper one. The photo one is an added extra - or so a very nice young PC told the other day!

Ana Fri 11-Oct-13 17:23:28

Photo-card driving licences are set to become mandatory in 2015, when new paper licences are officially phased out. So you're OK for another couple of years if you only have a paper one!

tiggypiro Fri 11-Oct-13 18:15:47

I only have the green paper one and dare not take it out of the plastic folder in case it completely falls apart. I think maybe it is time to renew especially as I hope to tour part of Australia next year in a camper van.