Drivers getting married could face £1,000, DVLA warns

Drivers who change their names after getting married, divorced or widowed, could face a £1,000 if they fail to update their licence details.

DVSA must be informed about the change and the V5C log book needs to be updated. The V5C is a vehicle registration document issued by the DVLA to the registered keeper of a vehicle.

In order to amend your driving licence, you need to send over a D1 form Application for a Driving Licence if you have a car or motorbike, along with your old driving licence.

Regarding your V5C log book, if it’s wrong then you need to update the information and send it to DVLA. Right now there is a six weeks waiting time, however DVLA guidance suggests you can still drive while you wait for your new licence.

If you want to change your title, the procedure is the same. For example, if you want to change your name from Ms to Dr. However, you do not need to send evidence unless it’s a hereditary title.

If you’re changing your name because of getting married, divorced or because it was spelt incorrectly in the logbook, then there is no need to include proof of your name change. For those who have legally changed their name will have to include proof when sending it off.

The DVLA said: “You must update your vehicle log book (V5C) if you change your name. It’s usually free to update it. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA when your name changes. You can also update information if it is wrong by mistake, for example if your name is spelt incorrectly.”

Common health conditions which affect your driving is something you also need to declare. Conditions such as blackouts, epilepsy, loss of consciousness, fainting, neurological conditions, diabetes or changes to eyesight.