Copied from another forum, but what the hell:

Hello,
I'm not sure if this has already been dicussed.
Introduced in 1998 the photocard licence, unlike the old paper licence is only valid for 10 years and not until you are 70 years old.
The renewal date is in small print on the front of the card section 4b and the DVLA DO NOT send you a reminder. It costs £17.50 to renew ( more tax for Mr Brown ). DVLA figures suggest over 5000 people did not renew their licence last year.
You may have to take your test again and can face a fine of £1000 if you drive with an invalid licence.

SO CHECK THE DATE ON YOUR LICENCE, THIS NOT A JOKE

  Grr  fricking typical! What do they do with the dosh cos it aint road repairs, not in Huddersfield anyway. Anyone who would like off-road experience just ride round Huddersfield.    ==============   CBT Theory Lessons Test Fail CBT again Theory again and again and again etc etc and on and on bike knackered bike sold - too expensive to keep running still a learner   costs not only rise but other stuff gets added on at an extra cost. When I first started riding there was no hazard awareness on the theory test.   Ta for the info Wills. Folks if you've got a bike on a S.O.R.N don't forget to renew that too or you will face charges.                                                                                                                                                                                 

I still have a paper licence... can i keep that until it expires (2033)!!   or do i have to apply for a card license within a certain timescale? Do i have to pay?                                                                                                                                                                                 

  Karey, you will be issued a new version when you apply for your new licence, by new I mean the next licence that you require, whatever that be, provisional or full   As to whether you will have to pay I don't know about that, I wouldn't have thought so as it's only a replacement, if you pass your test then yes you will have to pay for your new FULL licence.   Best place to look / ask is the DVLA site  http://www.dvla.gov.uk/                                                                                                                                                                               

Cheers Kwak.. My paper licence is full driving licence, so IF/WHEN I pass my bike test I would be issued with an updated licence in card format? and because my bike licence was added I would have to pay?                                                                                                                                                                               

  Mmm that's a grey area for me cos I've never driven a car but there are loads of bikers who have and do and they would know the answer to that one.   I thought if a person had a full DRIVING licence they didn't need to get a bike licence but, as you say, add the bike to their existing licence. When I applied for my provisional licence (when Methusela was alive lol) I made sure to include bikes on it.                                                                                                                                                                               

Cheers Kwak.. My paper licence is full driving licence, so IF/WHEN I pass my bike test I would be issued with an updated licence in card format? and because my bike licence was added I would have to pay?   I will go look on the DVLA site when i get a min .. :o)                                                                                                                                                                               

The dates on the front of the photo card refere to the photo. The dates on the back refere to the catagories of vehicle your allowed to drive. yes you need to get a new licence every 10 years. Becouse the photo will be out of date. cost £17.50 They should send you a pack through the post two months before the photo expires. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/Ne.../DG_078070                                                                                                                                                                             

Call me a smug git if you like, but I passed my car test in 1968 and my motorcycle test around 30 years ago and have lived at the same address for all that time so not only do I have a paper licence but it's green rather than pink. DVLA have hinted at forcing them to be surrendered for photo licences and offering the latter for free as an additional inducement but they haven't gotten round to it - yet. I did think of trading it in but with so many cases of Cat A being missed off and now this 10 year validity business, I'll hang on to my paper licence. There's been a question of its validity when driving/riding abroad raised but since it was accepted when I hired a car in Lanzarote last week and no one has questioned it on other occasions so I'm not going to worry about it.

My advice is if you have a paper licence hang on to it until you have to surrender it although I appreciate that some of you don't have that luxury. 

Ta!   You are a smug git!     (ps  - I'm keeping my paper licence as well)                                                                                                                                                                             

I'd be interested if anyone knew what would happen if you got pulled over on the continent and produced an old paper licence. Even if it proved to be legitamate. It could end up being a nightmare of red tape.                                                                                                                                                                             

>has both paper & photo licences<   Still had my original paper licence from many moons ago too but wanted a photo licence in case I hired a bike in Turkey last year and heard that it was easier with the new style licence.   I wanted to keep my 'virgin' paper one so applied online for a photo one, stating that I had lost my old one, they used my signature and photo from my passport and I had the licence delivered to me in two days (for about £17 I think...). Excellent service!     p.s. I believe you still need the paper bit of the licence you are sent with the photo licence if driving/hiring abroad...                                                                                                                                                                             

For those of us who refuse to move to an Idneticard sorry photo licence you can still get an International Driving Permit.  £5.50 by post from the AA or a small number of postoffices. It's only valid for a year but is acceptable virtually anywhere in the world. Just be cautious if heading somewhere exotic as there are two different formats and some countries only accept one of them.

...also way too easy to get a fake IDP too....                                                                                                                                                                             

renewed mine last year at a cost of 17.50 but DVLA DID send me a reminder out about 3 months prior to it expiring                                                                                                                                                                             

karey WHEN(not if!) you pass your test you will get a certificate valid for 2yrs and then you need to send off for full licence,may as well have 2 yrs for free! then you change the entitlement on car licence dont think you have to pay but photo copy everything and tell them that you have lost the old one but keep in just in case!

Hi JJ..long time no speak!   Thanks for that..  i   It might be a while before i do my test tho, it could have all changed by then                                                                                                                                                                              

I traded my paper licence in for a card about 15 months ago. It didn't cost me anything. Basically I moved house so I told Dvla and they sent me a card one.