Numbers on your driving licence could see you fined £1,000 if incorrect

22 March 2022, 08:57 | Updated: 22 March 2022, 08:59

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

The numbers on the back of your driving licence could see you facing a hefty fine if not up to date.

You might not have even noticed the details on the back of your driving licence before, but they are actually ‘information codes’ that relate to how you can drive.

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The codes are usually found under section 12, which is the furthest right column on the flip side of the card.

So, what do the numbers on the back of a driving licence mean? Well, if there is a ‘01’, this is related to your eyesight.

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Anyone with the ‘01’ restriction has previously informed the DVLA they require glasses or contact lenses for driving.

Motorists who are caught without them could be issued a £100 fine on the spot, or could even be taken to court.

If this happens, drivers could end up with a fine worth 50 per cent of their weekly salary, which is capped at £1,000, as well as three to six penalty points.

Changes in your eyesight must also be reported to the DVLA, including laser eye surgery.

Failure to keep your licence up to date is a separate offence and can land you with another £1,000 fine.

Other health related codes on the back of your licence include ‘02’ for hearing problems, as well as ‘115’ which means the driver has signed up as an organ donor.

There are others for motorists who are able to drive heavy goods vehicles, while anyone who is only able to drive an automatic car has a ‘78’ on their driving licence.

On the back of your licence, you will also be able to see dates which show when you are valid to use that particular type of vehicle.

Motorists could also be charged £1,000 if they allow the photo on the driving licence to go out of date.

You can find out more about DVLA information codes on the Government website here.