Documents
How long do UK documents last? Passport, licence, MOT and tax
Adult UK passport: 10 years. Child passport: 5 years. Photocard driving licence: 10 years (3 years from age 70). MOT certificate: 12 months. Vehicle tax: 12 months, 6 months or monthly.
Below, what each one really means in practice — including the trap of travelling on a passport that is still 'valid' but not accepted.
Passport
A UK adult passport is issued for ten years and a child passport for five. Since September 2018 extra months from an old passport are no longer carried over to the new one.
The catch is destination rules: many countries require your passport to be valid for at least three or six months beyond your return date, and some also require it to have been issued within the last ten years. Check the entry requirements for the country before you book, not the week you fly.
- Renew roughly six months before the expiry date
- Check the destination's validity rule before booking
- Allow extra time in busy periods — processing times vary
Photocard driving licence
The photocard must be renewed every ten years, even though your entitlement to drive lasts until 70. From 70 the licence is renewed every three years, free of charge.
The expiry date of the card is on the front, at section 4b. Driving with an expired photocard can result in a fine, so it is worth a reminder two months ahead.
MOT certificate
An MOT certificate lasts twelve months. The first test is due three years after a car's first registration. You can test up to one month minus a day before expiry and keep the same date next year.
Vehicle tax and insurance
Vehicle tax is normally paid for twelve months, six months or by monthly Direct Debit. Insurance runs for twelve months and auto-renews with most insurers — which is exactly why a reminder three to four weeks before renewal usually pays for itself in a better quote.
How far ahead to set each reminder
Set each one once with a yearly repeat and the whole list keeps working without being maintained.
- Passport: 6 months before expiry
- Driving licence photocard: 2 months before
- MOT: 3 to 4 weeks before
- Vehicle tax: 2 weeks before
- Insurance renewal: 3 to 4 weeks before
- Warranties and subscriptions: 2 weeks before, so you can cancel in time
Frequently asked questions
How long does a UK passport last?
Ten years for adults and five years for children. Since September 2018 unused months from a previous passport are no longer added to the new one.
How long is a UK driving licence valid for?
The photocard is valid for ten years and must be renewed, even though driving entitlement normally runs to age 70. From 70 it is renewed every three years, free of charge.
How long is an MOT certificate valid?
Twelve months. The first MOT is generally due three years after the car was first registered.
How early should I renew my passport?
About six months before it expires. Many countries require several months of remaining validity on the date you travel, so an in-date passport is not always an accepted one.
Can I keep all these dates in one app?
Yes. In MiRicordi you can save each document with its expiry date, attach a photo of it, choose your own notice period and set it to repeat.