I looked at my driver's licence the other day, and got somewhat confused.

i got my 5 year in 2008 and renewed it in 2013.

I've just looked at the "expire date" and it says 2020... (the "issue date" is 2008).

I had assumed that all renewals were for 5 years - but it looks as if they have given me 7 years - is this a common situation?

I had assumed that all renewals were for 5 years - but it looks as if they have given me 7 years - is this a common situation?

Not that I know.

Actually the expiration date is your fifth birthday after the date of issue (renewing).

So you can get almost 6 years.

But 7 years? I don't have an explanation.

100% certain that renewal took place in 2013, not 2014 (sometime after your birthday)?

An interesting fact that I learned from your post is, that the 5y to 5y renewal will show the original issue date on the renewed DL.

Just seen similar in some search results.

i'm not 100% certain it was 2013, The expiry date is certainly my birthday...so your explanation of 6 years must be right - my birthday is at the start of the year too....

Regarding the issue date, the wife and I renewed our 5 year licenses (auto for the wife and I plus also my motorcycle license) last year/2014 which was issued in 2009.... and on the renewed license they still show that 2009 issue date although the renewed licenses expire in 2019. Seems they keep the original issue date on your license for a 5 year license for a renewal although they will update the expiration date.

And they don't write the date of renewal on the license anywhere,

mine started sept 2008 and expires feb 2020

I looked at my driver's licence the other day, and got somewhat confused.

i got my 5 year in 2008 and renewed it in 2013.

I've just looked at the "expire date" and it says 2020... (the "issue date" is 2008).

I had assumed that all renewals were for 5 years - but it looks as if they have given me 7 years - is this a common situation?

No, looks like a mistake but one in your favor...just enjoy.

I looked at my driver's licence the other day, and got somewhat confused.

i got my 5 year in 2008 and renewed it in 2013.

I've just looked at the "expire date" and it says 2020... (the "issue date" is 2008).

I had assumed that all renewals were for 5 years - but it looks as if they have given me 7 years - is this a common situation?

No, looks like a mistake but one in your favor...just enjoy.

I had a 5-year Thai DL from Udon Thani LTO where they had forgotten to put any expiration date on it. It raised a few eyebrows and, "You are lucky!" comments from some car rental clerks. However, most cops between Bangkok and Isaan and beyond were totally nonplussed (US definition) until I got a swinging dick doing traffic stops opposite the Ambassador City on Jomtien. After failing to ticket me for having a front passenger without a seat belt (my wife was wearing it under a beach towel), and failing to conjure up a subsequent moving traffic violation (the minibus cut ME off) he made much of the lack of expiration date, took lots of pictures of it, showed it to all his buddies (who also remained nonplussed) and wrote me a ticket saying I had 7 days to pay a fine for some undisclosed violation at the cop shop... and gave me my license back with the ticket! After that 45 minute time-waste, I did an interim 'renewal' the next time I went to Udon. Now it has a proper expiration date, nobody has asked to see it!