How and when to change the address on a driving licence
There’s so much to do when you move that it’s easy for things to slip through the life admin cracks. But forgetting to change the address on your driving licence could lead to an expensive surprise.
Here’s what you need to know to change the address on your driving licence.
There’s so much to do when you move that it’s easy for things to slip through the life admin cracks. But forgetting to change the address on your driving licence could lead to an expensive surprise.
Here’s what you need to know to change the address on your driving licence.
When do I need to notify the DVLA and my car insurance provider about a change of address?
Ideally, you should notify the DVLA and your car insurance provider as soon as possible when you move.
You can update your address with the DVLA online or by post. There are different steps you’ll need to take to change the address on:
- Your driving licence, full or provisional
- Your vehicle’s log book (V5C)
- Your Direct Debit, if that’s how you pay your vehicle tax
- Any personalised number plates not connected to a vehicle
- Any trailer registration certificate.
Your insurance provider’s website should have instructions on how to register a change of address.
Why do I need to tell my car insurance provider and the DVLA if I change my address?
There could be serious consequences for forgetting to tell the DVLA and your car insurance provider when you move.
You could get a fine
You could be fined up to £1,000 if you fail to tell the DVLA when you change address. If you’re pulled over by the police for any reason or involved in an accident, and your address on your licence is incorrect, this could quickly lead to issues.
Your premiums could change
The price of your car insurance is calculated using several different factors, including the vehicle’s registration address. If you move to an area that’s considered less safe (it has a higher crime rate, for example), your car insurance could cost more.
But telling your insurance provider about a change of address could also work in your favour. For example, if you’re moving to a safer area, you might find that the cost of your policy goes down.
You could invalidate your car insurance
Telling your car insurance provider about a change in address is likely a condition of your policy. If you fail to tell them you’ve moved, you could invalidate your policy.
That means any claim you make on your car insurance will be rejected and you’ll be left without cover. You could also be charged by the police for driving uninsured. And if your car insurance policy is cancelled by your provider, you could find that car insurance is more expensive and harder to get in the future.
Top tipDon’t forget to let your insurance provider know of any other changes in circumstance. If a house move means you no longer keep your car on your driveway, for example, this could affect your premium. |
Updating your driving licence address online
The easiest and quickest way to get a new driving licence address is by using the DVLA’s online form. It won’t cost you anything.
To apply, you’ll need to be a resident of Great Britain. If you live in Northern Ireland, there’s a different process to change your address.
Before you start, you’ll need:
- Your driving licence
- The addresses you’ve lived at for the past three years
- Your new address
- Your National Insurance number (if you know it)
- Your passport number (if you know it).
Once you’ve filled out the form, checked the details are correct and submitted it, you’ll get a confirmation email from the DVLA. You should receive your new driving licence in the post within three weeks. You can continue to drive while you’re waiting.
If you want to change your photo
- If your licence is valid for at least two more years, you’ll have to renew it to change your photo.
- If it’s valid for less than two years, you can change your photo when you change your address.
It costs £14 to change your photo at the time of writing (June 2024). You can either choose to send one in after you’ve submitted your online application or use the photo that’s on your passport.
Updating your driving licence by post
You can also change the address on your licence by post. The steps you’ll have to follow depend on whether you have a photocard or paper licence.
Note: the following applies if you’re changing the address on a driving licence for a car or motorbike. If you want to change the address on a bus or lorry driving licence, you’ll need form D2 instead.
If you have a photocard licence:
- Complete the ‘changes’ section on letter D741 that came with your licence and post it back to the DVLA
- Or, if you no longer have your D741, get form D1 ‘application for a driving licence’, available at most Post Offices. Then complete and post it to the DVLA.
If you want to change the photo or the name on your licence at the same time as the address, you’ll need to complete and send form D1 (rather than letter D741). You can’t change the name on your driving licence online.
If you have a valid photocard licence, you don’t need to send any proof of identity to change the address on your driving licence by post, unless you want to change the name on your licence at the same time. However, you’ll need to send in your photocard licence and its paper counterpart.
If you want to change your photo, you’ll also need to send a
- A recent passport photo
- A cheque or postal order for £17 payable to DVLA, unless you’re over 70 or have a short-term medical driving licence.
If you have a paper licence
The DVLA no longer issues paper licences so if you need to change the address on yours, you’ll have to jump through a few extra hoops to prove your identity. You’ll then be sent a new photocard licence.
You‘ll need to complete and send the D1 ‘Application for a driving licence’ form to the DVLA, along with:
- Your current driving licence
- Documents confirming your identity
- A passport photograph.
You can carry on driving while you’re waiting for your new licence to arrive.
Changing the address on your V5C and other vehicle documents
When you move, you‘ll also need to update your address on your registration document – also known as your log book or V5C – if you’re the registered keeper of your vehicle. You can do this online unless you need to also:
- Update your name
- Change your vehicle.
If you need to change either of the above, you‘ll need to apply by post, filling in the appropriate section in your log book. If you need to tax your car in the next month, you should do this before sending off your V5C.
Contact the DVLA if the new log book has not arrived after four weeks.
To apply to change the address of your logbook online, you’ll need:
- Your vehicle registration number
- The reference number from your logbook
- An address in the UK.
If you forget to update the address of your log book, your vehicle tax reminder letter (V11) and any possible tax refunds will be sent to the wrong address. You could also be fined up to £1,000 by the DVLA.
Changing your Direct Debit
If you pay your road tax by Direct Debit, you’ll also need to update your payment details with the DVLA. You’ll need to do this over the phone. You can call the DVLA on 0300 790 6802.
Updating a personalised number plate
If you have a private number plate that’s not already assigned to a vehicle, you’ll need to complete a V750 or V778 form to change the address connected to the plate. If your personalised plate is already assigned to a vehicle, you’ll just need to update the logbook.
Updating your trailer registration
If you own a trailer and plan on taking it abroad, you’ll need to register it at your new address. You can do this online. If your trailer is already registered, then it won’t cost you to change the address.
What other changes do I have to tell the DVLA and my car insurance provider about?
You’ll need to notify the DVLA if you:
- Change your name or gender – you’ll need to apply by post, sending the relevant completed form (D1 for a car and motorbike licence) with your current licence and documents that confirm your new name and gender. See details of how to change these at GOV.UK.
- Develop a medical condition that could affect your driving. Check if your health condition needs to be reported at GOV.UK.
- Have lost, damaged or destroyed your driving licence. You can do this online at GOV.UK. You must tell the police if your licence is stolen.
You’ll also need to renew your photocard driving licence every 10 years. The DVLA should send you a reminder before your current licence ends. Renewing your licence online is the cheapest way to do it. It costs £14 if you do it online or £17 by post.
You can’t renew your licence online if you’re disqualified from driving.
You could be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t let the DVLA know about a change of address or a medical condition.
You’ll need to tell your car insurance provider if you:
- Change your name
- Change your occupation
- Receive penalty points on your licence
- Were caught speeding
- Add a named driver to your policy
- Change the named main driver of your car
- Develop a medical condition that impacts your ability to drive
- Have an accident, even if you don’t intend to claim
- Change where you park your car
- Intend to change how you use your car
- Plan to modify your car
- Change your car.
To find out how to notify your insurance provider of these changes, check their website.
Looking for a car insurance quote?
Compare car insurance quotes with us today and see if you could start saving.
Get a quoteFrequently asked questions
My car logbook and insurance are registered at different addresses. What should I do?
You should update the details on your car logbook and your insurance so they both match your current main address. It’s better to do this as soon as you realise they don’t match.
If your insurance provider finds out that the address on your policy is incorrect, they could invalidate your policy. And you could be issued a fine of up to £1,000 by the DVLA if you don’t notify them when your details change.
Ideally, try to update the address for all your motoring documents at the same time and as soon as possible after you move.
Do I need to change the address on my driving licence if I go to university?
No, you don’t need to tell the DVLA if you move temporarily (for example, you’re living away at university) and you can still be contacted at your permanent address.
Is there a different process for changing a provisional driving licence address?
No, you use exactly the same process to change a provisional driving licence as a full driving licence. You can update your details online or by post.
You can carry on driving while you’re waiting for your new licence.
Can I put an overseas address on my British driving licence?
No, you can’t register your British driving licence at an overseas address. If you’re moving abroad, you need to contact the driving licence authority in your new home country to find out what to do.
If you’re moving abroad and taking your car, take the log book with you too. You’ll need it to register your car over there.
My car insurance is registered at the wrong address. Does that make it invalid?
If your car insurance is registered at the wrong address, this could invalidate your policy. That’s why it’s so important to contact your insurance provider if you move house to get your address updated. And if you spot a mistake in the address, you should get that corrected straight away too.
