A-Plan Insurance in Norwich outline some of the key points for people to be aware of regarding motoring and travel as we emerge from lockdown.

Circumstances have been far from normal during the last 12 months and people will be forgiven for losing track of what legislation does and does not apply in relation to motoring and travel. Read on for essential motoring and travel tips to ensure you are prepared for the summer.

Renew your driving licence

Last year, the government extended the expiration date of driving licences by up to 11 months due to Covid-19. This ended on 31 December 2020, so it is worth checking yours now, just in case it has expired and you weren’t aware. If it has, you’ll need to apply for a new one as the automatic extension doesn’t mean automatic renewal. You can apply online at gov.uk.

Get your MOT

MOTs were also extended by up to six months, but this automatic extension ended on 31 January 2021. An MOT certificate for your vehicle is mandatory, so if you’ve missed your MOT expiry date, you’ll need to get your vehicle booked in at your local garage as soon as possible.

If you can’t remember when your MOT expired, you can check this on the government’s MOT checker. If your car’s MOT has expired, you shouldn’t be driving it. The only exception here is to drive it to the MOT test centre/garage for a pre-booked MOT. (Exclusions apply to classic vehicles.)

Tax your vehicle

There have not been any extensions on taxing your vehicle. If the vehicle tax on your car has expired, you’ll either need to renew or SORN your vehicle. You can do this online at gov.uk providing you’ve got your tax reminder, vehicle log book (VC5) or the green ‘new keeper’ slip.

Renew your passport

While the vast majority of us aren’t travelling much internationally, it’s always useful to ensure that your passport is up to date – as you may need it as proof of ID (particularly if your driving licence has expired!). On average, renewing a passport can take around three weeks, but you can check online at passportwaitingtime.co.uk to get a more accurate view on how long it’s taking.

It costs £75.50 to renew an adult’s passport and £49 to renew a child’s passport if you apply online through gov.uk.

Driving abroad

If you’re planning on driving a vehicle abroad, now that we’ve left the EU, you’ll need additional documentation like a green card. It’s worth checking with your broker or insurer what your requirements will be based on where and when you’re travelling.

The team at A-Plan Insurance in Norwich are always happy to answer any questions that people may have, even if they are not an existing client and just require advice. A-Plan Norwich is based at 1 Surrey Street in the city centre and can be contacted on 01603 863020 or visit www.aplan.co.uk/norwich