Uk Driving licence
UK driving licence
Protect yourself against identity theft. Do not post images of your driving licence online. uk licence
Please check your driving licence carefully. This is especially important if there is a mistake in your name, address, date of birth, signature or vehicle categories. uk licence
How to check your driver number
A B C D E
MORGA 657054 SM 9IJ **
- This is the first five letters of your surname. If your surname has fewer than five letters, the remaining spaces will be made up using the number 9 (for example, MAN99).
- • The first and last numbers are the year of birth
- The second and third numbers are the month of birth. (If you are a female, ‘5’ is added to the second number and the total used as the second digit. So if you are a woman born in October the second and third numbers would be 60.)
- The fourth and fifth digits show the day of your birthC. The first two initials of your first names. If you have only one initial then the second character will be a ‘9’. D. Computer check digits randomly generated as a secure measure.
E. This is the licence issue number which will increase by one with every licence issued. This is not part of the driver number. uk licence
If there is anything wrong with the licence, please return it to us at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BN. Include a letter explaining what is wrong.
Give your full name and date of birth or driver number whenever you contact us about your licence. This helps us to find your details.
The DVLA uses a Royal Mail postcode package to update address details. If you want your house name included in your address, you will need to contact your local authority for advice on how to do so.
We will send your licence and identity documents separately. If you do not get your identity documents back within two weeks of receiving your driving licence, please phone us on 0300 790 6801.
Note: The ‘Application for a driving licence (D1) is available from:
- Post Office® branches that offer driver and vehicle services
- online at www.gov.uk/dvlaforms
- by phoning 0300 790 6801
If you currently hold or are applying for a full lorry, bus or minibus licence you must fill in an ‘Application for a lorry, bus or minibus licence’ (D2) which is available from:
- Post Office branches that offer driver and vehicle services
- online at www.gov.uk/dvlaforms
- by phoning 0300 790 6801
What to do if you lose your driving licence
If the details on your licence have not changed, you can apply for a replacement licence online at
www.gov.uk/apply-online-to-replace-a-driving-licence or by phoning 0300 790 6801 between 8am and 7pm Monday to Friday, and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays. We accept payment by Visa, MasterCard and Delta.
Note: always make sure you use the official GOV.UK website. You can apply for a replacement licence using forms D1 or D2, see note under section ‘Your driving licence’.
If your driving licence has been lost or stolen you should also tell the police.
Changing your personal details
You must tell us immediately about any change to your personal details.
To change your address you can apply online at www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence
(always make sure you use the official GOV.UK website) or fill in the section provided on the letter you received with your driving licence. The address must be one in GB where we can contact you at any time (we do not accept PO box addresses).
Send your driving licence to us at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BN. If your name has changed you will need to fill in forms D1 or D2, see note under section ‘Your driving licence’. You will also need to send proof of your new name.
You could be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell us about these changes.
Please note that if you are updating details on your driving licence, you should also make sure that the information on your vehicle registration document is correct.
What to do when a licence holder dies
If you are responsible for dealing with the estate of the person who has died, send the licence to us at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB.
To prevent any unnecessary correspondence which may cause distress, please send a covering letter that includes the full name, address and date of birth or driver number of the person who has died and the date they died. You do not need to send in the death certificate. If the licence is not available, a letter giving the driver number or full name and date of birth will be sufficient.
When a licence is no longer needed
If you no longer want to drive you should return your licence to us at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB. Include a letter explaining that you no longer want a licence.
Your health
You must let us know if you have ever had, or currently suffer from, any medical condition that could affect your ability to drive safely. If you need to tell us that you have a medical condition you will need to fill in a questionnaire that you can get from www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving or you can request one by phoning 0300 790 6806.
You can find information about relevant health conditions on our website at www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS)
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) is a condition which often goes undiagnosed. If it is not fully assessed and treated, this can cause sleepiness and other symptoms which can be a serious risk factor in road traffic accidents. For further details about how to recognise symptoms go to www.gov.uk/obstructive-sleep-apnoea-and-driving
Eyesight
Important – Have you had your eyesight checked recently? If you haven’t, regular eyesight tests will reassure you that you still meet the legal standards.
The legal eyesight standard means that you must be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres.
You must not have been told by a doctor or optician that your eyesight is currently worse than 6/12 (decimal 0.5) on the Snellen scale. If you are in any doubt you should discuss with your optician or doctor. If required, you may wear glasses or corrective lenses to meet both of these standards.
There are higher eyesight standards for those who drive medium or large vehicles, minibuses or buses.
Bioptics (telescope) are not acceptable for use while driving in Great Britain and it is not acceptable to use a bioptic device to meet the visual acuity standard. A bioptic device cannot be used to pass the number plate test. Further information is available on our website at www.gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules
If you have any questions about standards for eyesight, or any other medical condition, you can contact us:
- by writing to DVLA, Drivers Medical Group, Swansea, SA99 1TU
- by phoning 0300 790 6806 between 8am and 7pm Monday to Friday, and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays
When you contact us, please give your full name and address, and your date of birth or driver number. Also give us as much information as possible about your medical condition
General information
Your driving licence
Your driving licence will show your photo, signature and the categories of vehicle you are entitled to drive.
You should not cover your driving licence with any stickers.
An example of the front of a driving licence
A letter L on the provisional licence confirms that the holder is a learner driver.
the licence is valid for address
An example of the back of a driving licence
All European categories Category ‘valid
Category ‘valid to’ date
Information/restriction codes
Overflow of information/ restriction codes
Unique card identifier
Note: You will not be entitled to drive any category of vehicle that has lines shown instead of dates.
All European categories Category ‘valid displayed in the table from’ date Category ‘valid to’ date
