How to change address on driving licence

Moving house is a busy time, and having to tell every friend, bank, doctor, streaming service, and online shop where you’ve moved could be a pain.

One thing that shouldn’t get missed is your driving licence, as it’s important to update the DVLA! In this blog we’ve outlined everything you need to know about updating your address on your driving licence.

Why do I need to change my address on my driving licence?

You’re legally required to inform the DVLA of your change of address so they can keep their records updated. If you don’t tell the DVLA about a change of address, you could be fined up to £1,000, so it’s definitely worth doing. It’s also just useful for the DVLA to be able to get in touch with you at the right address, so you don’t miss any important information or reminders.

If you move temporarily (like going off to university), but your permanent address stays the same, you don’t need to tell the DVLA. You can also continue to drive whilst you wait for your updated documents to go through.

Having the right address on your licence also makes it easier to check if you have any penalty points. To find out how, check out our blog ‘How to check points on driving licence’.

How to change your address on your driving licence

You can change the address on your driving licence either online or by post. In either case, you’ll need the following to get everything sorted:

Your driving licence
Your new address - you’ll need to be a resident of Great Britain (there’s a different process in Northern Ireland)
To give the addresses you’ve lived at in the last 3 years
To not be banned from driving
To be able to provide your driving licence number, National Insurance number and passport number

Changing your address online

To change the address on your driving licence online, you need to go to the DVLA website and fill out their online form. You’ll need to provide all of the information above when you’re filling out your application, so make sure you have everything next to you when you log in. It’s a great idea to make sure to double-check all the information you enter on the form, particularly the post code and house name or number.

Once you’re done with the form, you’ll get a confirmation email from the DVLA and your new licence should arrive in the post about a week after you apply. It can take longer, but if it gets to 3 weeks and you haven’t heard anything, you can call the DVLA for an update.

If you’ve moved to the UK from another country, you might need to exchange your licence. To find out how, check out our blog ‘How to exchange foreign driving licence’.

Changing your address by post

Applying to change your address by post is just as simple as filling out the online form, you just might need to send off for a few things.

Photocard driving licences

If you have a photocard driving licence, you will have been sent a D741 form when you received your licence. Try to find it, as you’ll need to fill out this in order to update your address. You can just complete the ‘changes’ section of the form and send it to the DVLA by post, along with your current licence.

If you can’t find your D741 form, don’t panic. You’ll just need to complete a licence application form and send it to the DVLA, along with your current licence. If you drive a car or motorbike, this will be a D1 form. If you drive a bus or a lorry, you’ll need a D2 form. You can either order the form from the DVLA or get one from your local post office.

Paper driving licences

If you still have a paper driving licence, changing your address will also mean you’ll get sent a brand new photocard licence. To update your address for a paper driving licence, you’ll need to complete a D1 or D2 form, then send it back to the DVLA with your paper driving licence, a document confirming your identity (like your passport or birth certificate), and a recent passport photo.

In either case, your new licence should arrive within 3 weeks of you sending off your application by post. If you haven’t got everything back in 3 weeks, you should call the DVLA.

How to change your name on your driving licence

If you’re changing the address on your driving licence and you’ve recently changed your name, you can take care of both at the same time. You can only change your name by post, though, because of the documents you need to provide.

If you want to change your name on your driving licence, you’ll need to complete either a D1 or D2 form and send it to the DVLA with your old driving licence and one of the following:

Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Decree absolute, along with your birth or adoption certificate
UK certificate of naturalisation
Statutory declaration
Deed poll

Updating your vehicle log book (V5C)

When you change the address on your driving licence, you also need to update your address in your vehicle log book. This is as simple as writing your new address in the log book and sending it to the DVLA by post. Depending on the type of logbook you have, you’ll have to fill in a different section:

If it's a new style log book, you'll need to fill in section 3
If it's an old style log book, you'll need to fill in section 6

When you’re filling out your new address in your log book, make sure not to tick any boxes that say ‘new keeper’, as this makes the DVLA think you’ve sold the car.

If your car has changed owners, you can check out our blog ‘DVLA change of ownership - How to let them know’.

You can also change your name in your logbook at the same time as you change your address. You just need to fill in your full name in the same section as the new address, and send off your log book to the DVLA, along with proof of your name change (like a deed poll or marriage certificate).

If you’ve lost your log book, you can download and complete a V62 form from the DVLA to get a new one. Send it back to the DVLA with a cheque for £25 and you should get a new log book within 6 weeks.

Updating your direct debit

If you pay your vehicle tax by direct debit, you need to tell the DVLA directly about your change of address so that they can send your bills to the right place. This is a much simpler process and doesn’t involve any forms, as all you need to do is give them a phone call.

A few final tips…

Changing the address on your driving licence can actually be pretty easy. Here are a couple of last things to keep in mind:

You don’t need to change your address on your driving licence in the same week you move, but you should try to get it done as soon as possible!
If you’ve sent off for your updated driving licence and haven’t heard anything in 3 weeks, it’s worth calling the DVLA to check if they’re having any delays.

Urban Jungle is not a financial advisor and information in this article should not be taken as advice or recommendation.