When the DVLA adopted the photo-card style driving license in 1998, one of the stipulations agreed at the time was that the photographs would bear an expiry date and there would be a legal requirement to renew the photograph on the photo-card driving license every 10 years.

The renewal project commenced on 1 July 2008, after which, photo-card driving licences bearing an out-of-date photograph of the licence holder will be considered unlawful.