Skip advert
Advertisement

Driving licence fees to be cut by 32% this year

The Government is to slash the cost of applying for a UK driving licence with first licences costing £16 less and renewals down by £6

Driving Licence

The cost of applying for your first UK driving licence, and renewing it at the required 10-year intervals, is set to fall by up to 32% under new Government plans.

A public consultation on driving licence fees was announced today by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, and Transport Minister Claire Perry. If the plans are pushed through, the new UK driving licence fee structure is set to take effect by October 31 this year.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Driving abroad: we take our left-hand drive test

The plans set out proposed reductions in driving licence fees of 32% for those applying online and 15% for motorists making paper applications. That means online applicants for their first licence would benefit from a drop of £16, from the current £50 to a new fee of £34.

Anyone renewing their licence online would pay £14 instead of the current £20, netting a £6 saving. Driver tachograph cards would fall from £38 to £32.

“The cost of driving can be significant, especially for new drivers”, said Transport Minister Claire Perry. “I’m pleased to say that we are planning to save drivers £18m a year by cutting licence fees, thanks to the DVLA making significant savings to their running costs.”

• Brits running the risk of massive Euro car rental bills

The DVLA is currently reviewing its whole fee structure and this consultation is only the first phase. As new digital technology makes it cheaper for the DVLA to deliver its services, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that further savings on fees could be coming motorists’ way in the future.  

DVLA Driving Licences infographic

Everything you need to know about the UK driving licence...

What do you think about the proposed reduction in UK driving licence fees? Is it a useful cut in motoring costs or a drop in the ocean for cash-strapped car owners? Join the debate in the comments section below…

Skip advert
Advertisement
Head of digital content

Steve looks after the Auto Express website; planning new content, growing online traffic and managing the web team. He’s been a motoring journalist, road tester and editor for over 20 years, contributing to titles including MSN Cars, Auto Trader, The Scotsman and The Wall Street Journal.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys
Opinion - Vauxhall Corsa-e

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys

Editor Paul Barker takes a closer look at our 2024 Used Car Awards
Opinion
20 Nov 2024
A £10k electric car with a 100-mile range would surely be a sales success
Opinion - cheap EV

A £10k electric car with a 100-mile range would surely be a sales success

Mike Rutherford thinks there would be demand for an electric car with a modest 100-mile range if it only cost £10k
Opinion
17 Nov 2024
New Jaguar logos unveiled as big concept reveal moves closer
New Jaguar logo 1

New Jaguar logos unveiled as big concept reveal moves closer

Jaguar has revealed its new logos and styling details ahead of its transition into a luxury EV brand
News
19 Nov 2024