More than one and a half million UK riders and drivers could have paid less for applying for our first driving licences, or renewing our licences, over the past three years. We just needed to do it online rather than by post or at a Post Office counter.
Collectively we’ve paid £10 million more in application fees than we needed to.
The cost of applying for a first provisional licence is £34 if you do it online, or £43 if you fill out a paper application and send it by post.
That’s a saving of 21% with online applications: if we were hunting for bargains in the January sales that would be a discount worth crossing the road for. (Exchanging your provisional licence for your first full licence after you pass your driving test is free.)
The cost of renewing a photocard licence after 10 years is £14 online, but £17 by post. And it’s £21.50 if you use the check-and-send service at a post office counter (which includes taking your photo).
So that’s 35% you could save if you’re careful filling out a form, and know an Authorised Person who can sign the back of your photo.
And while you’re thinking about saving on the cost of your driving, it’s worthwhile looking at what savings you could make on your motorbike insurance