Is there a driving age limit in the UK?

Written by Rachel Wait

Reviewed by Beth Leslie

5 min read

Updated: 27 May 2025

In this guide / article

Key takeaways

There is no upper age limit for driving in the UK
Drivers must renew their licence every three years after turning 70, and meet fitness and eyesight requirements
Refresher courses and advice from organisations like IAM RoadSmart and the AA can help older drivers maintain their skills and safety

man and woman sat in car on driving lesson

Is there an upper age limit for driving in the UK?

No, there is no upper driving age limit in the UK.

However, when you turn 70 you need to renew your driving licence. You can do this online or by post - the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will automatically send you the form for this 90 days before your 70th birthday.

Once you've turned 70, you have to renew your licence every 3 years. This is free to do.

There were 5.6 million people in the UK aged over 70 who held a driver’s licence in 2022, according to the charity Age UK. This number is expected to keep going up.

Do I need to retake a driving text at 70?

No. There is no mandatory test or medical to renew your driving licence at 70.

However, you must declare on the form that you are fit and able to drive safely. You must also meet the minimum eyesight requirement.

What are the minimum eyesight requirements for driving in the UK?

You must be able to read - with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary - a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres away.

You must also have a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale, as well as an adequate field of vision.

Your optician can perform the test, and NHS eye tests are free for people aged 60 and over.

These eyesight rules apply to all UK drivers, but only drivers over 70 need to declare that they meet the minimum eyesight requirements when reapplying for their licence.

What medical conditions do I need to declare when renewing my driving licence?

There is a list of health issues you must declare to the DVLA on the UK government website.

They include:

Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Diabetes or taking insulin
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Heart conditions
Sleep apnoea
Strokes
Syncope (fainting)

Not declaring a health condition that could impair your driving is a criminal offence. It carries a maximum penalty of £1,000.

If you are diagnosed with an illness or injury at any age you should ask your doctor if you need to notify the DVLA.

Are driving licences free for over 70s?

It is free to renew your existing driving licence once you are over 70. You must renew it every 3 years.

Is it safe for older people to keep driving?

There is evidence that older drivers are safer than younger motorists. A 2016 study of crash data and statistics by IAM RoadSmart, for example, found that while 8% of drivers are over 70, they are only involved in around 4% of injury crashes. By contrast, 15% of drivers are in their teens and twenties, but they are involved in 34% of injury crashes.

This safety record of older drivers can at least partly be explained by self-regulation. Many older motorists change their driving pattern, avoiding driving in bad weather, at night or during peak traffic periods.

But there are also negative statistics about older drivers. For example, a study led by psychologists at Nottingham Trent University found that older people are three times slower at processing visual information from more than one object, which could make them more dangerous drivers. The problems are deemed to be particularly acute at junctions, roundabouts and slip roads.

Ultimately, there are plenty of ‘dangerous’ drivers across all age groups. That is why compulsory driving tests for older motorists are widely judged to be unfair.

How can I maintain my driving skills as I get older?

If you are worried about your own driving, or perhaps concerned about the driving ability of an older relative, a number of organisations, such as IAM RoadSmart and the AA, run refresher courses for older motorists to brush up on their driving skills.

Some local councils and Driving Mobility Centres also offer Mature Driver Assessments for older drivers. These can give you an impartial second opinion on your driving skills, offer you driving safety tips, and give you advice on whether you should keep driving.