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When you buy car insurance, the provider will ask for various details about you, where you live, your circumstances and your car.
Your insurer will base your annual car insurance premium on the information you give.
So, if any of your details change, such as your address or job, it’s essential to keep your insurer up to date.
Failing to update your information could cause problems if you need to make a claim.
It’s also vital to update your driving licence if you move, as your address must match the one on your car insurance. Failing to update the Driver and Licensing Agency (DVLA) could result in a fine and invalidate your car insurance.
Fortunately, updating your details with your insurer and the DVLA is a simple administrative task. This guide will explain how it’s done.
Moving and changing addresses means doing several things to keep your car information current. You’ll need to:
There aren’t any set deadlines for updating this information, but it’s important to do it as soon as possible.
Failing to have everything correct could mean running into problems later. It could mean:
To keep your car insurance policy current and valid, you must inform your insurer about any changes to your personal information and vehicle. You can usually do this online or over the phone.
| About you | What you need to tell your insurer |
|---|---|
| Name change | If you change your name by deed poll or after marriage/divorce |
| Gender change | Ensure your gender on your insurance matches your driving licence |
| Moving house | When you permanently move to a new address |
| Accidents | Details of any accident you’re involved in, even if you don’t make a claim |
| Medical conditions | If you develop a “notifiable” medical condition or disability |
| Driving convictions | Driving bans must be reported to your insurer immediately. Tell your insurer about penalty points at renewal time |
| Your job | If you change your occupation or role |
| About your car | What you need to tell your insurer |
|---|---|
| Registered keeper | If you sell your car or change the registered keeper |
| Where the car is kept | Where you park during the day/at night – i.e. garage, private car park or on the street |
| Change of use | This could be social, domestic and pleasure or commuting and business use |
| Annual mileage | If this increases or decreases significantly |
| Named drivers | Other people insured to drive your car |
| Modifications | These might affect your car’s appearance or performance |
If you need to update your personal or car information, you’ll need to follow the process set out by your insurer. This can vary, but it can usually be done by following these steps:
The following tables show how to update certain information with the DVLA.
Note that the paper counterpart to the UK photocard driving licence was abolished in 2015 – if you have a paper licence, it’ll still be valid, but new and replacement licences will be a photocard.
| Information you need to give to the DVLA | Your driving licence number |
|---|---|
| Addresses for the past three years | |
| National Insurance number | |
| Passport number (if you have one) | |
| Cost of changing address | Zero |
| Ways to change address | Online |
| By post |
| Information you need to send to the DVLA | Completed DVLA form D1 “Application for a driving licence” |
|---|---|
| Original documents showing your new name/gender | |
| Your photocard or paper driving licence | |
| New passport-style photo if you have a paper licence or want to change your photo on your photocard | |
| Cost of changing name or gender | Zero (in most cases) £17 if you want to change your photo or £20 if you don’t send your old licence |
| Ways to change name or gender | By post |
| Information you need to send to the DVLA | Check with the DVLA if your health condition needs to be reported |
|---|---|
| Details of your driving licence | |
| Your general practitioner or consultant details | |
| Cost of telling the DVLA about health conditions | Zero |
| Ways to tell the DVLA about health conditions | Online |
| What to do if your licence has been stolen , lost or damaged | Tell the police if it’s stolen |
|---|---|
| Provide the DVLA with your driving licence number, National Insurance number and passport number | |
| Get a new photo if your licence is due to expire within two years | |
| Cost | £20 |
| How to replace your licence | Online |
Here are the various ways to process changes on your licence.
You’ll need to change the address on your driving licence if you move house. But temporary address changes, such as term time at university, won’t need to be altered if you’re still contactable at the original address.
Failing to tell the DVLA about your new address can result in a £1,000 fine.
You can continue to drive while you’re waiting for your new licence from the DVLA.
You can change the address on your driving licence in either of the following ways:
Visit DVLA “change your details”.
You’ll need the following information:
The process for changing the address on your licence by post depends on whether you have a photocard or paper driving licence.
Complete the “changes” section on letter D741 that came with your licence. If you don’t have this letter, pick up a licence application form D1 from a Post Office.
Send both your photocard driving licence and the letter to:
DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BN
If you want to change your photo at the same time, you’ll also need to send a recent passport-style photo and a cheque or postal order for £17, payable to the DVLA (there’s no fee if you’re over 70 or have a medical short period licence).
Fill out the D1 form and send it to the DVLA at DVLA Swansea SA99 1BN.
You’ll need to send the following:
Up until 1998, drivers were only issued paper driving licences.
From 1998, a plastic photocard licence and the old-school paper counterpart were handed out. Penalty points were recorded on the paper counterpart.
The paper counterpart was abolished in 2015, with penalty points recorded online instead.
If you hold a plastic and paper licence, you can destroy the paper version. However, if you only have a paper licence from before March 2000, you can keep using it as long as all the details are current. When you turn 70, you’ll need to renew your licence, and your new one will be a photocard.
If you hold a paper licence and need to change your name or address, you’ll be issued a plastic licence instead.
Your V5C is the log book that comes with your car. You must update your V5C if you change your address to match your driving licence and car insurance address.
Failing to change the address on your V5C will mean that reminders about car tax and any tax refunds are sent to the wrong address.
You can change the address on your V5C online at gov.uk unless you also need to change your name or update your vehicle.
You’ll need the following information:
If your vehicle needs taxing in the next four weeks, you’ll need to tax your vehicle online using your current V5C before changing your address.
How you update your V5C by post depends on whether you have an old or new style log book.
If you have the older style log book, you need to:
If you have the new style log book (with multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front cover), you need to:
Your car insurance must have the same address as where your car is kept. This is because one of the factors used to calculate car insurance premiums is the accident and theft statistics where the car is kept.
Your insurer may charge you an administrative fee for changing the address or any other details on your car insurance. These fees vary between insurers but are normally about £20 to £30, although some insurers won’t charge you if you change your address online.
It’s free to change your address on your driving licence with the DVLA or to change the address on your V5C log book.
No, the process for changing the address on a provisional driving licence in the UK is the same as changing the address on a full licence.
No, you need a UK address for your UK driving licence. Other countries may have different rules.
You must renew a photocard licence every 10 years. You’ll receive a reminder before your current licence ends. If you have a valid paper licence, you can use it until you reach the age of 70.
