Over 70? Need to renew your drivers licence soon?

[Karoq]

There is a lot of panic going around currently about the possible Draconian method of renewing you driving licence.
If you are 70 or over please look at as many of these videos as possible.
Below which I have put the official answer from the Depertment For Transport, Make of it what you will be be aware!!
Please report your experience if you do have to apply for the benefit of all us 'Old Crumblies.'
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Grey+Maters+over+70+driving+licence+renewal
From the horse's mouth!

Sent: 18 September 2025 14:22
To: DUNCAN-JORDAN, Neil (MP) <neil.duncanjordan.mp@parliament.uk>
Subject: Written answer to your WPQ 76792 received from the Department for Transport
 
The Department for Transport has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (76792):
Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency plans to renew its contract with Specsavers to provide eye tests for people over 70. (76792)
Tabled on: 11 September 2025
Answer:
Simon Lightwood:
All drivers who notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of an underlying medical condition that may affect their visual field, regardless of age, are required to have a visual field test with the DVLA’s contracted eye test provider. Specsavers. The current contract for this purpose was awarded to Specsavers in February 2025 following a competitive tender exercise.
The contract is for three years with the option to extend for up to another two years.
The answer was submitted on 18 Sep 2025 at 14:21.
 

[Kremmen]

I went through all that Specsavers check 3 years ago

Made the whole process 3 ¹/2 months longer than usual because the DVLA need to assess what you've declared then send you to SS as you say

3 years ago I applied in mid Jun and got the licence in mid Oct

This year I applied in mid July and submitted the paperwork and it's 'in progress'

[Downsizer]

My wife and I have each renewed our licences 5 times without problem. We both wear spectacles but it has just been a tick-box exercise. The new licences came within days. There is a debate about whether this is sufficient, but I’m not aware of any plans to tighten it up.

[NetworkMan]

Surely all this is pretty clear isn't it?  There are some medical conditions which may affect your peripheral vision. The fields test is to determine if you do indeed have impaired peripheral vision.  If you tick any of the boxes which might mean reduced peripheral vision then the DVLA will say you must have a fields test.  If there is an issue here it is probably with the DVLA who are notoriously slow in processing the paperwork.

I myself have had to fill in the form twice but as Downsizer points out it may well be just a box ticking excercise and won't involve the DVLA medical team.

[Kremmen]

I'm on eye drops to control eye pressure

The drops have been working for over 20 years and my eye pressures are within limit but I told them it was to stop glaucoma and they wanted me testing, which I passed

Not too fussed this time round because I no longer drive. Just decided to renew for a proof of ID document

No need to quote section 88 if needed

[ninanina]

My partner lost vision completely in his right eye due to a very bad cycling accident which severed his optic nerve

He had no problems passing the tests involved and has a valid driving licence

[Sean Regan]

I renewed my driving licence in February on-line, so I needn't worry about it until 2028, when I'll be 88, if I'm still around. Now and again, I do check if I can read a number plate at 20 mtrs. which I can.

Back in the day it was "read a number plate at 20 yards."

[Kremmen]

I can still read number plates beyond the requirement and re-reading the conditions on the DVLA site they need to know about I didn't need to tell them as I'm only on eye drops to control pressures