Is Service NSW Ripping Us off?

Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 16:49
Last edited 26/01/2025 - 00:50 by 1 other user

So, my driving licence expired a day before I was going overseas on holiday, I tried renewing online but couldn't because I had to go in to get a new picture taken. I figured I'd just renew when I got back a few weeks later.

When I renewed, I was surprised to see that the expiry date is 10 years from the date of that my previous licence expired, rather than 10 years from when I renewed, meaning that I'm only getting 9 years and 11 months out of this licence that I paid 10 years for.

My question is, shouldn't the expiry be set based on the renewal date, similar to a passport? Are Service NSW ripping us off?

Edit: Just spoke to a mate who said he had a similar situation with renewing rego for his (garaged) car after returning from overseas. Now we're talking real money!

Update: It seems many people think that a licence is continuous which is why they backdate it to the expiry date. If this is the case, why wouldn't Service NSW have an option to auto renew?

Update 2: For those who are saying I'm paying for the luxury of not having to resit the driving test, this is incorrect, if I renew (yes, RENEW is the term used by Service NSW) between 6 months and 5 years my licence date would be from the date of renewal, no test necessary:

If you renew more than 6 months, but less than 5 years after the expiry date, your licence will be reissued. The new expiry date will be calculated from the date the licence is reissued. This counts as a break in licence tenure.
https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/driver-….

Automotive

Related Stores

Service NSW
Service NSW

Comments

  • El cheepo on 23/01/2025 - 16:56
    +41

    I would say there are bigger issues in life than losing less than 1% of the validation period of your license due to you not renewing at its expiration.

    Assuming you paid $410 for 10 years you are out roughly $3.41 in perceived value.

      • altomic on 23/01/2025 - 17:46
        +13

        It's the vibe.

        • Bunnyburger on 24/01/2025 - 20:20

          Gimme my bowl of hot spicy mabo tofu!

      • mboy on 23/01/2025 - 17:46
        +11

        If I was renewing for a year only, I would be losing about 8%

        Yeah, you'd be losing 8.33% of $41 (assuming 1/10th the cost of 10 years) = still $3.41

        Thank goodness you didn't renew for a month only, cause then you would have lost 100% of $3.41

        • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 17:57
          +3

          Dodged a bullet there! 😂

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/01/2025 - 13:42
          +2

          You forgot to take into account the extra days from leapyears. Lol.

        • joka on 24/01/2025 - 14:16

          Did you account for inflation too?

      • Gdsamp on 23/01/2025 - 18:23
        +7

        it's more the principal

        out of interest, what do you have against the CEO Greg Wells

      • El cheepo on 24/01/2025 - 00:05

        I do understand where you are coming from but a license is a life long fee commitment.

        There are some good hypotheses below as to why it is that way.
        In any case, it’s not the end of the world.

        Although i would be interested to know what would happen if one was away for years without paying and tried to pay a one year license on their return.

        • Jake17 on 24/01/2025 - 16:42

          I know here in vic. If its expired too long. You have to re sit a driving test

        • quick-dry on 25/01/2025 - 16:51
          +1

          I did have an NSW, it was expiring and I was in NZ so did a conversion and was in and out of the AA near Auckland airport in half an hour with a licence that currently costs $32 for 10 years.

          I just had to grab an NSW and it went from the date of coming back onto the NSW system.

          (Joke of a system, I needed a working with children check - a passport isn’t enough, you need a drivers licence and can’t use an overseas licence “for security and safety, you’re dealing with children”. But to get an NSW license all I needed was the passport and the other licence🤷‍♂️

          Must be Catholics running the rules as it seems like some holy transmutation thing where the sacrament becomes safe through conversion from unholy to NSW.

          • Bugs Bunny on 26/01/2025 - 00:02

            @quick-dry: So you're licence date was for a date that you were "back in NSW"?

            Not sure at all how that makes any sense.

            • quick-dry on 26/01/2025 - 15:25

              @Bugs Bunny: sorry if the wording wasn't clear. The expiry date of my current NSW licence has nothing to do with my NZ or previous NSW licence.

              Old NSW expired April 2015, NZ was March 2015-March 2025, current NSW is May 2024-May 2034.

              The licence number of each NSW licence was the same, but dates had no apparent relation to one another. But mine had obviously not been renewed for a long time.not like OP's that was just a short while out.

    • HeWhoKnows on 24/01/2025 - 15:41
      -3

      100% Correct
      Furthermore OP's license wasn't cancelled.
      Hence there is no reason to start at a new date.

      OP could have asked for their license to be cancelled and start all over again including paying for a driving test !

      OMG
      What a petty and ignorant post

      And thanks for that calculation to put things into perspective El cheepo !!!

      PS Motor vehicle registration works the same way

    • tessel on 25/01/2025 - 12:38

      Mate, I could have spent that $3.41 on ozbargain landfill…

      • El cheepo on 25/01/2025 - 15:25

        Still could, there was no possible way to save that money so no savings to be had 😂

    • achew on 25/01/2025 - 17:14

      $3.41 is worth OP's time. This is afterall, ozbargain.

      • Bugs Bunny on 26/01/2025 - 00:53
        +1

        This is more fun than Netflix (and cheaper)!

    • heal on 28/01/2025 - 11:05

      For a lot less than $3.41 cashback, we've all logged into a cashback app, found the store where we want to make a puchase, click on the link and buy the item. We then continue to keep track of it, ensuring that the item is initially tracked (make a claim if it is not) and check the app sporadically hoping ot might be paid oit so we can withdraw it to our bank account, checking every day to ensure it has been deposited.

  • ZachBlasphemy on 23/01/2025 - 16:56
    +50

    I would believe it is to discourage people from driving unlicensed for short periods as a way to save money, like min/maxing the system. The same thing happens with car registration. Unless of course I've misinterpreted what you mean in your scenario.

      • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 17:12
        +3

        Also they already have ways of discouraging this behaviour, with hefty fines!

      • ZachBlasphemy on 23/01/2025 - 17:30
        +4

        Regarding storing a car, you're always free to cancel registration on a vehicle, you just have to get it checked when you want to register it again. Then the part about a licence you aren't using, you did seem okay at first with renewing the licence before heading overseas, it's just a little contradictory.

        • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 18:00
          -1

          I would have been able to drive on my last day before going on holiday. That was a convenience I was happy to pay for.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/01/2025 - 16:57
    +9

    That’s a bloody outrage it is

  • mapax on 23/01/2025 - 16:58
    +1

    Yes

  • barge-in hunter on 23/01/2025 - 16:58

    Report it to the DOGE department

    • Gdsamp on 23/01/2025 - 18:23
      +6

      ATM Machine

      • jaypick on 26/01/2025 - 06:42
        +2

        SSD drive

  • MS Paint on 23/01/2025 - 17:03
    +4

    I know you're not serious but thanks for the laugh anyways.

    Also, you're not serious about your edit are you? Really? FFS

    I think you're confusing your license and registration with your Disney plus subscription.

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 18:01
      -4

      I'm not too serious about the few dollars, but I just think it's another way that the government is sneakily taking more money from us

      • elgrande on 23/01/2025 - 18:18
        +4

        Would you prefer to start back with your L's

      • terriblebargainer on 25/01/2025 - 11:42

        Sneakily taking money from us? Legitimately how many people who have a driver's licence or own a car are going overseas as there 10 year licence expires or are storing a car on their land for 3 months at the end of its rego period… If it's even close to 0.1% I would be absolutely stunned.

        The amount of money they are making @ a couple of bucks per month of licence period would be insignificant.

        Also your rego example is a silly, are those people who are wanting to store their car returning the plates? Nope, so too bad. Part of the registration is your plates, if you want the car to be unregistered then you hand the plates in and go through the rego process again when you want to re register. The administrative headache of people having cars unregistered for a month here, 3 months there is not worth it for the number of people who would actually need to use it. I would imagine the fees would increase as a result.

        • Bugs Bunny on 26/01/2025 - 00:57

          What if I wasn't going overseas but just wasn't planning on driving for the next few months?

      • HuzzahIndeed on 26/01/2025 - 01:20
        -1

        @Bugs Bunny - The question is what can you and are going to do about it? People get fisted up the arse by the Government with fees and taxes at every turn. The worst and most boring people to have conversations with and the biggest losers in life are w*nkers that when they talk to others they are always complaining about the Government, but yet they still choose to live here.

        Submit a DA to your council and if you think the bonds and contribution fees are too high and don’t want to pay it then you won’t be able to develop, and nobody will care but you.

  • Protractor on 23/01/2025 - 17:37
    -2

    Here ya go. Happy Licence Renewal day>
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLO5IZcNOXg

  • Euphemistic on 23/01/2025 - 17:38
    +10

    Its so when you pay early to avoid having an expired licence you still get the full 10 years out of the old one.

    If you pay late, that's your loss.

  • Tomhaigh1 on 23/01/2025 - 17:56
    +2

    For insurace would you say you didnt had DL for few months?

  • Caped Baldy on 23/01/2025 - 18:03

    On the other hand, if we renew early do we get 10 years and 1 month?

    • surfingedge on 23/01/2025 - 18:25

      No

    • Euphemistic on 23/01/2025 - 18:33
      +2

      If you renew early, you arent wasting the early payment period. Your licence (or rego) still stands from the previous payment, then the renewal recommences the date it expires.

      • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 18:58

        Yes, because I've already paid for that period of time.

        • Euphemistic on 23/01/2025 - 19:05
          +2

          I dont think you can have it both ways. It would either be from the renewal date or from the payment date.

          Making everyone who pays early, so they dont end up with an invalid licence, lose a few days or weeks worth of payment so that late payers arent 'wasting payment' would create a headache of a sysyem. I would guess that most want to pay early, not late. Go with the majority for your system.

          • Caped Baldy on 23/01/2025 - 19:16

            @Euphemistic: Thanks. So the system sounds completely reasonable. Although, I'm not happy about losing the discount for not having demerit points.

          • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:14
            -2

            @Euphemistic: I don't see how it's "having it both ways".
            If I pay for a 5 year licence, I expect to get 5 years out of it.
            There's no requirement to have a continuous licence if I'm not going to use it. When I decide to renew my licence for a certain period of time I don't think it unreasonable to expect to get that full time that I'm paying for.

            • Euphemistic on 23/01/2025 - 21:36
              +2

              @Bugs Bunny: Do i get a discount because i rode to work for 3/5 work days and didnt drive? Its the same thing. You chose not to drive for that period, you still held a licence.

              • Bugs Bunny on 24/01/2025 - 00:25

                @Euphemistic: No, just like you don't get a discount if not using your gym membership or Netflix. However once your subscription or licence expires (and you get a fine for driving with a now worthless licence) you should be free to choose when to renew it.

            • Muppet Detector on 24/01/2025 - 15:12

              @Bugs Bunny: I did some fact checking (thanks Google), and this seems to be the rub:

              If you don't renew your driver's license on time your license may be suspended. In Qld at least, they give you a five day grace period.

              If you don't renew your license within three months of the renewal date, your license will be cancelled.

              Also says something about fines or up to one year imprisonment but I was too lazy to dig deeper and qualify that bit further.

              When you get around to renewing your license, you fill in a form and pay a restoration fee. Didn't clarify how much that was, requires extra googling.

              You can renew your license within five years of its expiry date. After five years you will need to apply for a Learner's License.

              • Obviously, it is illegal to drive without a valid license and doing so may incur fines or imprisonment (and probably no insurance).
            • Muppet Detector on 24/01/2025 - 15:23

              @Bugs Bunny: You do get your five years (or however long you have paid for) you have just made the decision not to use it for all of the days you are allowed to.

              Paying fee gives you permission to drive from Jan 1 - Dec 31(for example), but it is kind of a free country so nobody is going to force you to use your license for every day that you have been given permission. You get to make that choice and use your license at any time during the period you have paid for.

              Think of it like a season pass to Dreamworld. If you want to, you can go there every day of that season, but nobody is going to penalise you if decide to spend some days doing something different.

            • terriblebargainer on 25/01/2025 - 11:53

              @Bugs Bunny: You are wanting it both ways.
              What you want adds complexity to the processes and IT systems they have built.

              The more scenarios you add the more complexity you add and you starting increasing costs, but sure let's pay more for the licence to have a more complex system so that you can save 3 months of a licence fee just because you happened to go overseas at the time of expiry.

              And as per my other comment, how many people do you think are going overseas or will be in a situation where they do not need there licence for a period of time that warrants not renewing it straight away? Or are you implying that you should be able to pause your licence whenever you feel like it? Maybe 6 month licences so you can really make the most of it, and then you can expect a higher fee because they will have to print a new licence (new expiry date) every time you hold off on renewing.

  • plmko on 23/01/2025 - 18:25
    -1

    Small mind set right here

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:35
      -2

      *Makes valid point about being ripped off on OzBargain, gets accused of small mindset.

      Last I checked OzBargain was about saving money.

      • Nugs on 24/01/2025 - 10:16
        +4

        "Last I checked OzBargain was about saving money"
        Take the bus, sell the car etc
        .

      • Euphemistic on 24/01/2025 - 10:38

        Appears most of us dont think its about being 'ripped off'

      • Muppet Detector on 24/01/2025 - 15:27

        Want to save money? Renew your license on time and avoid potential fines, terms of imprisonment or the need to start out again with a Learner's license.

        Alternatively, sell car, surrender license and learn how to hitch hike safely.

  • Drakesy on 23/01/2025 - 18:27
    +8

    This definitely sounds like they're having their cake and eating it too.

    If you get pulled over during the time without a license you'd be classed as driving without a license because you don't have a license.

    Don't see how Service NSW can charge you for it when you literally don't have it. My passport is from the day it's granted, not the day it last expired.

    You make a fair point.

    • mskeggs on 23/01/2025 - 18:42
      +5

      Maybe think of it as "continued licensing", so you don't need to resit a driver's test if you were late paying.

      • Drakesy on 23/01/2025 - 18:43
        -1

        But on the other hand we don't have to resit a citizenship test if our passport lapses.

        • mskeggs on 23/01/2025 - 18:44
          +4

          Don't tell anyone, but I never even sat for the citizenship test!

          • Drakesy on 23/01/2025 - 18:48
            +1

            @mskeggs: Touche.
            I too was born with a durry in my mouth, VB in my right hand and fell straight into a kangaroo's pouch and lived purely off vegemite for the length of my childhood.

            That was reason enough.

        • Muppet Detector on 24/01/2025 - 15:35
          -1

          The status of your Australian passport does not affect your Australian citizenship.

        • Jake17 on 24/01/2025 - 16:55
          -1

          I must be here illegally then. I have never owned a passport

      • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:17

        From what I understand you only need to retake a test once you hit a certain age (75?).
        Having a continuous licence doesn't have anything to do with proving you're still physically capable of driving.

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:32
      +1

      Exactly. Finally some sense here!

      • MS Paint on 23/01/2025 - 21:48
        -1

        Some sense or bias confirmation?

        • Bugs Bunny on 24/01/2025 - 00:29

          Perhaps a bit of both.
          But I'm yet to see a valid reason that a driver's licence should be considered continuous.
          If I'm late on my insurance payment, my insurance will still be active until I eventually don't pay up (usually a couple of months). If I'm late on licence renewal I'd cop a hefty fine, so logic would suggest it's not continuous.

  • surfingedge on 23/01/2025 - 18:28
    +2

    You can only do it if you want to have no licence for more than 6 months (but less than 5 years)

    https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/driver-…

  • tenpercent on 23/01/2025 - 18:33
    -3

    Yes they are.
    They operate like the Mafia.
    'Pay for this piece of paper/plastic or else we will set our blue gang members on you with violence and they will either deprive you of your property, your liberty, or physically hurt you if you so wish to decline being deprived of your property or your liberty.'
    So their fees and charges are basically protection money.

    • Gdsamp on 23/01/2025 - 18:37

      DEFUND THE POLICE !

      • tenpercent on 23/01/2025 - 18:43

        No. Just let them police real crimes like murder, rape, theft, assualt, etc and don't use them like mob goons.

        • Protractor on 23/01/2025 - 19:15
          +1

          But who will fill the jails with petty crims , and instigate car chases, while the gangsters rule the roost?

          Quotas mate, quotas

    • Gdsamp on 23/01/2025 - 18:37

      BLUE LIVES MATTER !

      • Protractor on 23/01/2025 - 19:16

        Let them hold their collective breaths then.

        EDIT< tell me why Victorians weren't outraged when plod used choppers and plod mobiles for a union stunt last weekish?
        No wonder the black Ninjas are growing.

  • racer1234 on 23/01/2025 - 19:33
    -1

    Maybe just cancel it and go back to the start if you fail to renew by the due date?

  • EFC94 on 23/01/2025 - 19:47
    -1

    Have you considered being more prepared in the future and planning things a little bit better?

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:20
      -1

      Not sure how this would help my complaint.
      The fact remains that they are not giving a full period of time for the amount paid.

      • EFC94 on 24/01/2025 - 11:53
        +1

        Well if you don’t leave it till the last day you’ll have time to go in and get your photo retaken. The new period you’ve paid for will extend from the current expiry date.

  • Shoocat on 23/01/2025 - 19:47

    The government is also protecting people from themselves. If you drive unlicensed, insurance won't touch you. Completely on your own if an accident happens.

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:33

      Then why don't they do like many other "continuous" services and just auto renew when it expires.

      • Shoocat on 24/01/2025 - 08:43

        Because then people would level similar accusations at them as you have about overreach.

        This isn't a new tension - it's there in all government regulation and all law.

  • AndyC1 on 23/01/2025 - 20:06
    -2

    Sounds like OP should have cancelled the old license and then apply for a new license in order to not get penalized for not paying before the license expired.

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:21

      If I am overseas and not using the licence or car in the case of rego why should I get penalised for not renewing?

      • surfingedge on 24/01/2025 - 01:42
        +1

        If you only drive once a week should you be able to cancel and then renew 6 days later and pay a pro-rata price?

  • foxmulder on 23/01/2025 - 20:46

    Op doesn't mention the 50% discount on renewal, I guess op didn't get one.

    • lgacb08 on 23/01/2025 - 21:18
      +5

      you dont get that anymore.

  • Bignudge on 23/01/2025 - 21:05
    +2

    Same thing applies for expired car registration in NSW. You can renew your rego within 3 months of its expiry without needing to get a blueslip to get it reregistered… but the renewal is counted from the date of expiry. So if you wait for 2.5 months before renewing and you renew for 12 months, it'll expire in 9.5 months.

    • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:22
      +1

      Don't even get me started on green slips! 🤣

      • Bugs Bunny on 23/01/2025 - 21:26

        Curious to how it works in other states/countries with regards to rego.
        I don't think someone should have to pay road tax for a car sitting in their garage.

        • Euphemistic on 23/01/2025 - 21:41
          +1

          Rego is not road tax, its a registration fee. 'Road tax' is built into fuel costs.

          How would you define 'sitting in the garage? How would you measure how much it wasnt driven? Do i get a free day today because i didnt drive anywhere? Does my partners car get a week off while we were away on holiday last week? Do i need to log all my driving or submit a nomination to say it wasnt used?

          How would that work?

          If you want to lay up your car, cancel the rego.

          • Bugs Bunny on 24/01/2025 - 00:31

            @Euphemistic: Again, I'm clearly referring to once the rego (or licence) has expired. Very different to your example of not using something you've already paid for.

            • Euphemistic on 24/01/2025 - 06:30

              @Bugs Bunny: It isnt that different. The odea that yoy choose not to use it at the start is no different to not using it during the middle.

              If you want to let it laspe to 'save money' then you hand it back and go through the process of reobtaining it. Thats the way it works.

        • surfingedge on 24/01/2025 - 01:55
          +2

          Well in the UK you can cancel your car tax (vehicle excise duty) and get a refund for unused whole calendar months if your car is stored on private land during that time.

          And as for your licence, the permission to drive is actually valid until age 70. If you have a licence with a photo (not required before 1998), the photo is valid for 10 years. You only need to pay when you update your photo, and unlike in NSW the validity is not backdated to 10 years since you last updated it.

          Also, since photos can be digitally obtained from the passport office, you can actually have a photo on your DL that was taken 20 years ago (if your passport is 10 years old at the time you renew your DL).

  • Edeena on 23/01/2025 - 21:13
    +3

    I think it makes sense, you're renewing to have your license & rego extended from the expiry date, not applying for a new license. Passport is different as the number does not repeat so once it's expired, it's not valid anymore. When you renew it, you get a new number with new date of issue and expiry.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join