Drivers lost nearly one million licences last year
The DVLA has revealed that almost one million replacement driving licences were issued last year, costing motorists £20 each time
Nearly one million lost driving licences had to be replaced in Britain last year, according to new figures.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) said 931,527 replacement licences were handed out in 2017, costing motorists about £18.6 million. Drivers are charged £20 to replace a lost licence, which the DVLA says it uses to cover costs.
Dudley Ashford, drivers service manager at the DVLA, said: “While you don’t legally have to carry your licence with you when driving, you need to have a licence in case you need to prove you can drive. So we’d recommend keeping your licence safe and secure at all times – perhaps storing it in one safe place along with other important documents.
“Hopefully you won’t have to replace your licence, but if you are going to carry it around with you and you then lose it, it’s always quicker to apply for a new one online.”
Meanwhile, RAC spokesman Pete Williams pointed out that losing your licence could prove to be more than just an inconvenience. “Losing your driving licence can leave you exposed to fraud and even criminal activity,” he said.
“Second only to your passport, your driving licence is an essential form of identification for all manner of activities, not least hiring a vehicle or proving your identity to a traffic officer. But if it gets into the wrong hands then the criminal will have access to your address, date of birth and even your signature, leaving you at risk of financial loss and even implication in a crime.”
However, there has been a boom in older drivers using online services, with the number of motorists over the age of 70 renewing licences online tripling to more than 700,000 in 2017.
