UK driving license renewal

[3STTW]

Is it possible to renew a UK driving license from abroad if you don't have a permanent UK address?
 

The vibe seems to be no you can't, and yes you can. So what's the deal?

[Upnotover]

You are supposed to be resident in the UK.  So where will they send it if you are not?  But I don't recall any address evidence being needed when I last did it so if you still can receive the new license at the address on the old one then ought to be no issue, and likely even with a new address easy enough.  But one thing is sure, they wont send it to Thailand.

[richard_smith237]

Yes you...   kind of... 

 

If you still hold a UK address... i.e. one to where your existing DL is registered, then you can simply renew online and they will deliver to that address.

 

 

This happened to me during covid... 

While I was back in Thailand under quarantine my folks received a letter in the post with 28 days to pay a speeding the fine...   No chance to send my DL back my UK license as I was 'locked in a room'....

The issue with paying a fine in the UK at the time was that I had to send the Driving License with proof of payment to the DVLA.

Solution: Apply online for a new DL (saying I'd lost the old one) - delivery was quick... and the folks then sent the DL off to the DVLA.

(Note - the requirement to send in the DL to the DVLA after accepting a fixed penalty is no longer a requirement since Nov-22).

 

 

 

 

[3STTW]

Thanks for the replies.
 

I don't hold the address from the original license, but my sister has agreed to let me use hers as postal address. I still have a UK bank account so payment will be local.

 

I was wondering if the DVLA actually require proof of address? The other issue is I don't have the paper version anymore - but I'm pretty sure they don't care about that these days.

 

Basically I want to get my ducks in a row before I start entering all online details.