INF95
A general guide to
driving licences
For more information go to www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
15686
11/07
Q What type of licences are there?
Questions and answers
A Provisional driving licences are
on driving licences
issued to learner drivers. Full driving
licences are issued to drivers who pass
Q Why do we need driving
a driving test (theory and practical).
licences?
From July 1998 we have issued
A The main reason is road safety.
photocard driving licences with a
You need to meet certain medical
paper counterpart. Photocard driving
standards and show that you can drive
licences have to be renewed every 10
safely by passing a driving test (theory
years until the driver is 70, to make
and practical). Driving licences also
sure the photograph remains a true
help the police to enforce the law as
likeness of the driver.
they can only be held by people who
Q How do I apply for a driving
are not disqualified from driving.
licence?
Q At what age can I drive?
A For ordinary vehicles you need to fill
A Most drivers can start learning to
in a D1 form. You can get this from
drive at the age of 17 (at 16 for
Post Office� branches, DVLA local
mopeds). Driving licences are valid
offices, or from us by phoning
until the driver is 70. After that, they
0870 240 0009. You can order forms
need to be renewed every three years.
and get more information from our
We may issue short-period licences
website at www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
to people with certain medical
Q How do I apply for a minibus, bus
conditions. Some drivers have to be
or lorry licence?
older to drive certain vehicles (for
A You need to fill in a D2 form which
example, 21 for driving lorries and
you can get from us, DVLA local
buses). These licences are valid until
offices or any Traffic Area Office.
the driver is 45, and then have to be
You can also order one online at
renewed every five years. After the age
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
of 65, they are renewed every year.
Strict medical rules apply for these
Stricter medical standards apply to
applications and you may need to
drivers of buses and lorries.
provide a D4 medical report. (You can
get these from us, DVLA local offices
and at www.direct.gov.uk/motoring,
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and they must be filled in by a When you have passed your driving
doctor.) These licences need to be test (theory and practical), exchange
renewed when you are 45 and you your pass certificate for a full licence
must provide a D4. as soon as possible. If you do not do
this within two years of passing your
Q I have applied for a provisional
test, you will have to pass a further
licence. Can I start to drive?
driving test (theory and practical) for
that category of vehicle.
A You must not drive until you receive
the licence or we have confirmed the
Q What do I do if I lose my licence?
date your licence starts. This is usually
A Tell the police about the loss and
the day after the date we process your
apply to us for a new one by filling
application, unless you have asked for
in a D1 application form and
a later date.
sending it to us with the appropriate
Q How much will it cost? fee. If none of the details on the
licence have changed, you can order
A Driving licence fees are listed on the
your new licence by phoning the
D1 application form. You can also
Customer Enquiries Group on
find details on the website at
0870 240 0009 and pay the fee by
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
credit card or debit card.
Q I am nearly 17 and I have a
provisional licence to drive a Q What do I do if I change my name
moped. Do I need another licence or address?
to drive a car?
A Fill in the change of address section
A As long as the licence is current, when
on your paper licence or your
you are 17 you can learn to drive a car.
photocard s paper counterpart and
send it to us. If your name has
Q How do I apply for a driving test?
changed, send us original proof of the
A You can apply online at
name change (for example, a marriage
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring, over the
certificate, decree absolute or deed
phone by calling 08700 101372, or
poll certificate) with the licence and a
by filling in a form DL26 and TT26
filled-in D1 form.
from the Driving Standards Agency
If you do not tell us about a change of
(DSA) or from approved driving
name or address, you may be fined up
instructors or driving test centres.
to Ł1000.
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Q At what age can someone You do not need to take a CBT course
supervise a learner driver?
in the following circumstances.
A For car drivers it is 21, as long as
" If you have passed a moped test
that person has held a full GB,
since 1 December 1990.
Northern Ireland or EC driving
" You already have a full licence for
licence for at least three years.
one class of motorcycle entitlement
Q How do I apply for a
and want to upgrade to another.
provisional motorcycle
However, you will need to take a
entitlement?
further training course on the larger
A Since March 2002, provisional
machine if your full licence limits
entitlement for motorcycles has
you to riding automatics and you
automatically been included in
want to ride a manual motorcycle.
provisional licences.
If you have any questions about the
CBT course, phone the DSA on
Q How long is provisional
0115 901 2500 and choose the
motorcycle entitlement
CBT option.
valid for?
A The licence is valid until you are
Q What is the procedure for
70. (Licences issued before
reporting a medical condition?
1 February 2001 show a two-year
A When you apply for a driving licence,
motorcycle entitlement if this
you must tell us if you have any of the
was asked for.) You must take a
medical conditions listed in the health
compulsory basic training (CBT)
section of the D1.
course before riding a moped
Q What if I report a condition?
or motorcycle on the road.
When you successfully complete A If you tell us about a medical condition,
a CBT course you will get a we will ask you to fill in a medical
training certificate (DL196). The questionnaire. We may also ask your
doctor for a medical report. (We will
certificate is valid for two years.
only do this with your permission.)
Keep your certificate safe because
you will need to show it to the
Our medical advisor will consider the
examiner when you take your
reports and decide whether you can
moped or motorcycle practical
have a licence. If you can, they will
test. You may also need to show
decide whether your condition should
it to the police.
be reviewed at set intervals.
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Q What convictions do lorry and licence to drive as a learner and to pass
bus drivers have to report?
the theory and practical tests again.
A Drivers of Large Goods Vehicles (LGV)
Passing the tests does not remove the
and Passenger Carrying Vehicles
penalty points from your licence and
(PCV) must tell us about any driving
if the total reaches 12, you may be
convictions they have. PCV drivers
disqualified from driving.
must tell us about all convictions, not
just those relating to driving.
These rules also apply to drivers who
have exchanged a licence issued in a
Q What happens if I get penalty
designated country for a UK licence
points or am disqualified?
and then passed a test in this country
A If you are convicted of a motoring
for driving another type of vehicle
offence, the court can put penalty
(for example, a HGV). This is
points on your licence, or disqualify
treated as a first driving test and the
you from driving for a period. Points
special rules apply.
will stay on your licence for four or 11
years, depending on the offence. After
Q How do I apply for an International
this period you can apply to have them
Driving Permit (IDP)?
removed from your licence. For drivers
A You should contact the AA, RACMS
(including motorcyclists) from the UK,
or Green Flag for advice, but you will
EU/EEA, the Isle of Man, the Channel
need to produce a valid GB licence.
Islands or Gibraltar, special rules apply
You do not need to be a member of
for a period of two years from the date
any of the organisations.
of passing their first driving test in these
countries. The rules also apply to other
Q What if I hold a foreign licence?
foreign drivers who have to pass a test
A If you have a full licence from a country
for a UK licence because this is treated
in the European Community or
as their first driving test.
European Economic Area you can drive
in the UK with that licence until it ends
If you get six or more penalty points
or would need to be renewed under
before the end of the two-year
the laws of England and Wales. If you
period (including any points you
have a foreign licence, which we do not
got before passing the test), your
recognise for the purpose of exchanging
licence will automatically be revoked
licences, you can drive as a visitor for
(withdrawn). To get your licence
up to 12 months from the date you
back you must apply for a provisional
last entered the UK. If you live in the
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UK you can drive for up to 12 months and a power of no more than
from the date you become a resident. 11kw (14.6 horsepower)
To continue driving you must get a
A Motorcycles (with or without
provisional GB licence and pass a driving
a sidecar) up to 25kw or
test before the 12-month period ends.
33 horsepower and a
power-to-weight ratio of up
Q What countries licences do we
to 0.16kw/kg
exchange for GB licences?
B1 Motor tricycles and quadricycles
A We exchange licences from countries in
weighing up to 550kg when
the European Community/European
unladen (not loaded)
Economic Area (EC/EAA). We also
B Motor cars or light vans
exchange licences from the following
with up to eight passenger
countries.
seats and weighing up to
Australia, Barbados, British Virgin
3500kg (allowed to tow a
Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands,
trailer weighing up to 750kg)
Faroe Islands (not motorcycle
C1 Vehicles weighing between
entitlement), Gibraltar, Hong Kong,
3500kg and 7500kg (allowed
Japan, Monaco, New Zealand,
to tow a trailer weighing
Republic of Korea (not motorcycle
up to 750kg)
entitlement), Singapore, South Africa,
C Vehicles weighing over 3500kg
Switzerland, Zimbabwe.
and with a trailer of up to 750kg
Q I hold a foreign licence and intend
D1 Small passenger-carrying
to take a British driving test. Do I
vehicles with nine to 16
need to display  L plates?
passenger seats and a trailer
A Not if you take the test within the first
weighing up to 750kg
12 months of becoming a resident. If
D Any bus with more than eight
12 months have passed, you need to
passenger seats and a trailer
apply for a provisional licence and the
weighing up to 750kg
rules for learner drivers will apply.
B+E Motor cars or light vans with
up to eight passenger seats,
Q What categories of vehicle are
with a trailer of more than 750kg
shown on licences?
C1+E Vehicles over 3500kg and a
A The categories are as follows.
trailer of more than 750kg
A1 Light motorcycles with an
C+E Vehicles over 3500kg and a
engine size of up to 125cc
trailer of more than 750kg
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 D1+E Small passenger-carrying vehicles during office hours. We monitor or record
with nine to 16 passenger seats some calls for quality-control purposes.
with a trailer of more than 750kg
Our e-mail address is
D+E Any bus with more than eight
[e-mail]
passenger seats and a trailer of
Our fax number is 0870 240 1651.
more than 750kg
f Agricultural tractors
The following information leaflets
or booklets are also available from
g Roadrollers
us or to download from
h Tracked vehicles
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
k Pedestrian-controlled vehicles
(those powered by a person)
INF28  Driving a minibus
p Mopeds
INF29  Minimum Test Vehicles
INF30  Towing Trailers in Great Britain
You can get more information on driving
licences from the D100 booklet. You can get INF31  Motorcycles
this from us, from Post Office� branches,
INF38  Driving in GB as Visitors or New
and from the website at
Resident
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
INF40  Renewing your Car Driving
Licence
Driver Customer Services
Correspondence Team INF52  Special Licensing Arrangements
DVLA for Drivers of Large Vehicles
Swansea
This booklet only gives general information.
SA6 7JL
It is not a complete guide to the law. The
Customer Enquiries (Drivers)
information in this booklet was correct at
0870 240 0009
the time it was printed. Visit the website at
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring or contact us
Customer Enquiries (Vehicles)
for the latest information.
0870 240 0010
The lines are open between 8am and 8.30pm
Monday to Friday, and between 8am and
5.30pm on Saturdays. Your call may be
answered by an interactive voice system
but you will be able to speak to an operator
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