New Eye Test rules for DL renewal - over 70's from July 2025

Jennerdysphoria

I posted my renewal application on 20th June, which is more than the three weeks ago that DVLA assure the new licence should be received by. Wondering how long I should wait before contacting them? Does anyone else have experience of delays?

Mine (applied for by post) finally arrived today, quite a bit later than the 'within 3 weeks' promised. Phew. Was beginning to think something had gone wrong, especially as I had two empty packets delivered from retailers recently. The retailers refunded, but what a palaver.

Grrr…. I meant to say that official videos are often frustratingly short! I hope at some point we’ll get an edit button on Gransnet.

Babamaman

I’ve recently renewed mine and it was very straight forward and there is no charge! Don’t get caught out!
Also why is the AI voice talking so slowly as if because we’re of s certain age, we are all stupid!
It got so laborious I couldn’t watch anymore!
Just always make sure you use the official government website!

I think it’s one of the good clues that help you spot official/valid sources of information from others. When something is just too long and wants to keep you on watching as long as possible - partly there are lots of prompts to make you feel anxious, but also you have to watch loads more adverts. And of course, all of these YouTubers make their money from advertising. The longer they can keep you watching the more money they make. Official videos are often frustrating and I found myself having to watch them repeatedly to catch the bit of information that I want.
PS There is a slider bar at the bottom of YouTube videos - I used it to whizz through to the start of each section and then quickly move on.

FranP-
‘Although I did have to to pay to renew mine at 70, but that was just because I did not hold a photo license before. They used my passport image.’

You shouldn’t be paying anything to renew your driving licence at 70. I only ever had a paper licence, but I didn’t have to pay for the new photo version. The only thing I paid for was some new photos - because I didn’t like my passport one! 🤣 If I’d consented to allowing my passport pic to be used it wouldn’t have cost me a penny.

Personally I think there should be an eye test when we renew our driving licence. I renewed mine last year at 70 and booked an eye test before applying as I wanted to be sure before carrying out the tick box exercise. Unfortunately not everyone takes this seriously and without checks, even those who have been advised to give up driving may not be prevented from renewing their licence.

Jaxjacky

The DVLA site DOES NOT request proof of an eyesight test, you just sign to say you’re eyes are ok and renewal is free.

Well said JaxJacky.

Although I did have to to pay to renew mine at 70, but that was just because I did not hold a photo license before. They used my passport image.

But there has been fake news about age 70 renewals since they were first introduced, which was way back in the 70s. There are also a number of renewal sites, which are not illegal, but will charge you. If you do need help any post office will do this, but will charge too.

The reason for it was that 70 was considered a point at which people needed to get checked, and some would stop driving.

The three year renewal is to help keep the database tidier, removing those who do not renew, which is more common over 70 and to remind drivers to get their eyes checked.

I’ve recently renewed mine and it was very straight forward and there is no charge! Don’t get caught out!
Also why is the AI voice talking so slowly as if because we’re of s certain age, we are all stupid!
It got so laborious I couldn’t watch anymore!
Just always make sure you use the official government website!

I've just renewed my driving licence for the second time as I'm now 76. The whole process was very easy to do, even the digital signature was straightforward. There's a new version of the application procedure.

As the originator Boz needs to and said they would get it taken down.

I think it might be useful to other GNs who could be caught out by this scam. Perhaps the OP could be edited to have SCAM! added to it.

I'm about to renew mine as I'm about to be 79 - couldn't see anything different on the form from before? Hopefully I'll be able to do it all on line without any difficulty.

New one on me? Never heard of this???

My husband has just renewed his via the Gov.uk website, you do NOT need to provide a photo or N.I. number, and you do NOT need an eye test. Please double check what website you are using as there are so many scams around

Grantanow - Correct, eye tests are not required. My 84 year old husband renewed his licence online yesterday and the only question asked related to whether nh needed to wear spectacles for driving. He said no (as his recent cataract operation has meant he no longer wears them for anything at all) and the prompt came to ask him if that was the correct answer as it was different from the information on their system. He repeated that it was correct and he went forward to the next step unhindered.

The misinformation which started this thread ought to be taken down. Eye tests are not required.

Jennerdysphoria

I posted my renewal application on 20th June, which is more than the three weeks ago that DVLA assure the new licence should be received by. Wondering how long I should wait before contacting them? Does anyone else have experience of delays?

My husband recently received his within a couple of days

I did mine on line and it came back within a week.

Post. See up thread.

Greenfinch

I ‘ve been waiting two weeks Jenny.

Did you apply online or by post?

I ‘ve been waiting two weeks Jenny.

Boz

OK, Got the point. Will take this post down soon, so as not to spread disinformation but I would very much like to thank those who have helped me.

Please don’t feel bad. It was soon corrected and made it clear how easy it is to be misled. The YouTube thing seemed very authentic. As it turned out, you started an interesting discussion, highlighting how easy it is for us to be drawn in by nefarious people and fake websites out there. I would say that it ended up being a very helpful post.

Boz
I think this is the right site:

www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70

I posted my renewal application on 20th June, which is more than the three weeks ago that DVLA assure the new licence should be received by. Wondering how long I should wait before contacting them? Does anyone else have experience of delays?

It sounds as though you might have been trying to renew via an unofficial site, unfortunately.

Boz

You could be right and I will be careful but have had great difficulty renewing online as there is no facility to download a photo - I have to send a signed actual photo like a passport. They now want eye test details and ask for your NI number to probably check your general health.
I cannot really mind and will comply as it is for safety reasons.

But what has our NI numbers got to do with our state of health??? Nothing in my opinion as the two are not linked, NI links to DWP records not health records.