Drivers over the age of 70 are being urged to renew their licence, if they haven't done so in the last three years.
According to the DVLA: "Licences are normally valid until 70 years of age (the ’til 70 licence) unless restricted to a shorter duration for medical reasons. There is no upper age limit to licensing, but after 70 renewal is required every 3 years."
If you haven’t used this service before, you need to register with:
- an email address
- addresses of where you’ve lived for the last 3 years
- your National Insurance number (if you know it)
- a valid UK passport number (if you want to change the licence photo)
While there is no legal age cap on driving in the UK, motorists over 70 are required to renew their licences every three years by filling out a self-assessment questionnaire.
Part of this certifies that their eyesight meets the minimum legal requirements when they are renewing their licence. Failing to do so could lead to them being hit with a hefty £1,000 fine.
Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director of motor insurance experts Tiger.co.uk says: “Older drivers are typically considered one of the safest age groups, which is why the over 65 category enjoys the cheapest premiums. However, as drivers approach mid to late 70s, they often see their premiums start to increase, as accidents at that age can be more frequent and injuries could be more severe.
“We all want to stay independent for as long as possible, and driving is an important part of that independence for many older people.
“However, if you are worried that your driving is not as good as it once was – maybe your reaction times are noticeably slower or your eyesight is getting worse – you may want to consider talking to your GP about your fitness to drive."
Standards of vision for driving
The DVLA says you must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres.
You must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) using both eyes together or, if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye.
You must also have an adequate field of vision - your optician can tell you about this and do a test.
Not sure how to renew your licence online?
— Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (@DVLAgovuk) September 1, 2025
1. Visit https://t.co/8v84eZxCRn
2. Make sure you have what you need, including your valid UK passport
3. Click ‘Start now’
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! #DVLADigital pic.twitter.com/hPmkLJ4sMj
Lorry and bus drivers
You must have a visual acuity at least 0.8 (6/7.5) measured on the Snellen scale in your best eye and at least 0.1 (6/60) on the Snellen scale in the other eye.
You can reach this standard using glasses with a corrective power not more than (+) 8 dioptres, or with contact lenses. There’s no specific limit for the corrective power of contact lenses.
You must have an uninterrupted horizontal visual field of at least 160 degrees with an extension of at least 70 degrees left and right and 30 degrees up and down. No defects should be present within a radius of the central 30 degrees.
You must tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects either eye.
"Ultimately, we each bear individual responsibility for assessing our own capabilities behind the wheel – this includes a legal obligation to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of any health conditions that may impede your ability to drive," adds Ian.
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“Your safety and the safety of other road users is of paramount importance, so when you are renewing your licence as an older driver, make sure that your answers on the self-assessment questionnaire are honest and accurate, otherwise you could find yourself in trouble with the law.
“Declaring a medical condition doesn’t always mean you will lose your licence - you may need to make some adaptations to your car by fitting special controls."
“It is crucial to remember that any condition you need to declare to the DVLA must also be declared to your insurer. While your premium could increase as a result, failing to declare a condition could invalidate your policy.”
