A provisional driving licence allows you to start learning to drive a car on public roads. You can’t drive a car, even with your parents, without one. You can’t even book your theory test! Luckily, applying for a provisional driving licence is really easy.
You can apply for your provisional licence from 3 months before your 16th birthday if you want to drive a car, motorcycle, or moped. But you won't be able to drive a car on public roads until you are seventeen unless you’re receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance, which allows you to drive at 16. You also need to be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away.
The quickest way is to apply for your provisional online with the DVLA. Simply visit gov.uk to get started. If you’d rather fill in a good old-fashioned form, you can request a D1 form from the DVLA form ordering service or you can visit selected post offices and get one from there.
If you do decide to order your provisional licence using a paper form, post it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AD.
When you come to apply for a provisional licence, you’ll need to have some documents to hand:
If you choose to fill in a postal application for a provisional driving licence, you’ll need to send off some documents as originals. These are:
The DVLA now only issues photocard licences. It’s easiest to submit your provisional driving licence photo online by requesting that the DVLA uses the same photo and signature on your provisional driving licence as the ones on your passport.
If you don’t want to use your passport photo and signature, you’ll need to send a colour passport-style photo to the DVLA by post along with those who decide to complete their provisional licence application by post.
Some people will need to get their provisional driving licence photo signed to verify their identity. This won’t apply to you if you have agreed that the DVSA can verify your identity by:
If you do need to get a signature, then be aware that not just anyone can sign a provisional driving licence photo in the UK. A suitable person would be someone who:
Go to gov.uk to find out more.
The provisional licence cost varies depending on how you apply.
If you apply for a provisional licence online, it will cost £34. Make sure you have your payment details to hand when you’re applying - you can pay by Visa, Mastercard, Electron or Delta debit or credit cards.
If, on the other hand, you submit your provisional driving licence application by post, you’ll need to pay £43. You should enclose a cheque with your application.
If you apply for your provisional driving licence by post, it should arrive within 3 weeks.
If you’re wondering, ‘can I get my provisional licence quicker?’ then you should instead order your provisional licence online. This way, you should cut the wait down to just a week.
Watch out that you don’t apply for your provisional driving licence on any unofficial sites. They might promise that they can get you your provisional licence quicker, but in reality, you might pay more than you need to and your application may never even be sent off.
A provisional is a learning driving licence. It allows you to start learning to drive. So, you won’t be able to take driving lessons without one. Your driving instructor is legally required to check that you possess a provisional driving licence, so make sure you bring it to your first lesson!
Driving lessons aren’t all your provisional driving licence allows you to do. Without a provisional driving licence, you won’t be able to:
When you book both your practical and theory tests, you need to enter your provisional driving licence number.
Once your provisional driving licence arrives, you’re free to practise driving with an approved driving instructor. However, you’re not allowed to drive on your own. If you’d like to practise driving outside of driving lessons, you’ll need to be with an accompanying driver who:
You must also display L-plates on your vehicle. They must be placed in prominent positions; we’ve written a guide to placing L-plates to help you to get yours just right. Fun fact: In Wales, they use D-plates instead of L-plates!
If you hold a provisional driving licence, you’re not allowed to drive on motorways unless you’re with a qualified driving instructor in a dual-control car. However, you’re free to drive elsewhere in any weather and at any time, as long as you have a driving instructor or appropriate accompanying driver.
If you’re only going to be driving during driving lessons with a qualified instructor, you won’t need provisional licence insurance, known as learner driver insurance. This is because you’ll be covered on your driving instructor’s insurance.
On the other hand, if you’re planning on driving between your lessons, you will need car insurance that covers you on your provisional driving licence. There are plenty of specialised insurance options that cover people on their provisional licences, such as learner driver insurance.
A provisional licence lasts for 10 years. So, you won’t need to apply for a new one any time soon (unless, of course, you lose your provisional licence… we’ll cover that further down!).
Bear in mind, however, that once you pass your theory test, you only have two years in which to pass the practical driving test. If you don’t pass your practical test within this time, you’ll have to retake your theory test.
If you do let 10 years go by and you find yourself needing to renew your provisional licence, you can quickly renew it online by heading to the DVLA. You’ll need to:
A new provisional driving licence costs £14 when yours has expired, but there’s no cost if you’re over 70 years of age or have a medical short period licence. Once you’ve submitted the application, your new provisional licence should arrive within a week.
Everyone loses something every now and again. If you’ve lost your provisional driving licence, it’s not the end of the world.
You can get a replacement provisional licence online with the DVLA if yours has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. It’s £20 for a new provisional licence in this scenario.
If you find your old licence after you’ve already applied for a new provisional licence, you’ll need to send your old one back to the DVLA, explaining what happened. The address to send it to is DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AB.
As long as you haven’t changed your name, your driving test examiner will take care of everything for you once you’ve passed your test. They’ll arrange to have your provisional driving licence sent to the DVLA, and you’ll receive your full driving licence within three weeks.
If you have changed your name, you’ll need to apply for your full driving licence yourself after passing your test. This involves:
If you’re applying yourself, you have to send your provisional off along with these documents when you pass the test. Make sure you do this within 2 years of passing the driving test, otherwise you’ll have to take the test again!