This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
You need a licence to drive most vehicles on a public road. A public road is one which is the responsibility of the local authority or the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, or, in Northern Ireland, the Department of the Environment, to repair.
You do not need a licence to drive any vehicle on a private road. A private road is one to which the public does not have access, for example, a road on a private estate.
However, there are some vehicles which do not require a licence, either on a public or a private road. The most common examples of these are bicycles and horse drawn carts.
| Age | Vehicle |
| 14 years | - electrically assisted pedal cycle |
| 16 years | - mopeds - cars. This applies to people receiving the mobility component of disability living allowance at the higher level - small agricultural tractors - small mowing machines or any other small pedestrian controlled vehicle |
| 17 years | - motorbikes up to 125cc power - cars - large agricultural tractors - small road rollers |
| 18 years | - In England, Wales and Scotland, vans and lorries if you are a member of the young driver’s scheme (see below) - In Northern Ireland, minibuses with between nine and 16 passenger seats towing a trailer up to 750kg if you are a member of the armed forces - Medium lorries (in N. Ireland, medium lorries of between 3,500kg and 7,500kg towing a trailer up to 750kg |
| 21 years | - large road-roller - all other vehicles |
| 70 years | A provisional or full licence only lasts until your 70th birthday. Once you are 70, you must apply to renew your licence. The licence will then normally be renewed for three years. |
The young driver scheme provides an opportunity for a young person to obtain a full licence for large vehicles at the age of 18 rather than 21. The scheme is run by an organisation called Skills for Logistics. You can call them on: 01908 313360. Their website is: www.skillsforlogistics.org.
| Vehicle | Category |
| Car | B |
| Car with trailer. The trailer must weigh up to 750kgs. It can weigh more than 750kgs as long as the total weight of the car and the trailer is not more than 3,500kgs and the trailer, when unloaded, weighs less than the car | B |
| Motorbikes | A |
| Mopeds | P |
| Vans and lorries weighing up to 3500 kgs (including vehicles with a trailer weighing up to 750 kgs) | B |
| Vans and lorries weighting between 3500 and 7500 kgs (including vehicles with a trailer weighing up to 750 kgs) | C1 |
| Buses with fewer than 9 seats (including vehicles with a trailer weighing up to 750 kgs) | B |
| Buses with more than 8 but fewer than 17 seats (including vehicles with a trailer weighing up to 750 kgs) provided they are not used for hire or reward | D1 |
| Any vehicle in category B with a trailer weighing more than 750kgs | B & E |
| Any vehicle in category C1 with a trailer where the combination weighs no more than 12000 kgs (in Northern Ireland, towing a trailer weighing over 750kg with a combined weight of 1200-8250 kg for licences issued before 1 January 1997 | C1 plus E |
| Any vehicle in category D1 with a trailer weighing more than 750 kgs where the combination weighs no more than 12000 kgs | D1 plus E |
| 3 or 4 wheeled cars or vans where the unladen weight is no more than 550 kgs | B1 |
| Motor tricycles | B1 |
| Invalid cars | B1 |
| Agricultural tractors | F |
| Mowing machines | K |
| Pedestrian-controlled vehicles | K |
| Road Roller | G |
| Tracked vehicles | H |
| Electrically propelled vehicles | L |
| Vehicles exempt from vehicle excise duty | N |
These vehicles do not require a special licence but do require you to have additional entitlements, for example to drive vans, lorries or passenger carrying vehicles. If you are unsure what type of licence you need you should consult the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), in Northern Ireland Driver Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI) (for address, see under heading Further help).
A driving licence is either a ‘provisional’ licence or a ‘full’ licence.
You must apply for a provisional licence if:-
If you want to drive a motorbike, and are applying for a provisional licence, you should indicate this on the application form. If you already have a full licence covering groups B, C1, D1 or P (see under heading The type of vehicle the licence covers), you can use it automatically as a provisional licence for driving a motorbike.
A provisional licence has certain restrictions on its use. If you have a provisional licence to drive a motorbike:-
If you have a provisional licence to drive a car or other vehicle (except a motorbike):-
However, if you have passed a driving test and are still waiting to receive a full licence you are not subject to the above restrictions.
You are entitled to apply for a full driving licence if you have passed a driving test in the UK within the previous two years.
If you have a full driving licence issued outside of the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, see under heading Driving Abroad.
A full licence does not have any restrictions on its use other than those relating to:-
You can get information on how to apply for a driving licence from the Directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring.
In Northern Ireland, for information about the types of identification you need when you apply for a driving licence, go to: www.dvlni.gov.uk.
Licences are issued in two parts. One section is a credit card sized photocard and contains details of the categories of vehicles which you are entitled to drive. The other section is a paper document setting out your licence entitlement history and any valid endorsements, including penalty points and disqualification periods. These licences are called photocard licences.
Photocard licences must be renewed every ten years to ensure the photograph remains up to date.
Paper licences issued before the introduction of photocard licences remain valid until they run out or the details on them need to be changed.
If you have applied for a first provisional licence, you must not start driving until you receive the licence. This will usually be at least three weeks. If you have a medical condition, you may have to wait longer because more information may be needed before the licence is issued.
If you have had a licence before (and are still entitled to one) and are not applying for your first provisional licence and there are no medical problems, you are allowed to drive as soon as the application form reaches DVLA. You do not have to wait until you receive the licence.
All learner moped and motorcycle riders (except for those listed below) must complete a compulsory basic training (CBT) course.
These people do not have to complete a CBT course:-
CBT courses are run by motorcycle training bodies approved by the Driving Standards Agency. They are listed under ‘motorcycle training’ in the Yellow pages or ‘motorcycling instruction’ in Thompson directories. For further information about CBT courses, contact the Driving Standards Agency on 0115 901 2500.
If you have a provisional licence which is restricted to the use of motorbikes or scooters, this will last for an initial period of two years. If you have not passed the test by the end of two years you will have to wait one year before applying to renew the licence. During this year you will not be able to drive a motorbike or scooter.
In order to get or keep a licence, a minimum eyesight standard must be met.
If you need glasses or contact lenses to meet the eyesight standard, you must always wear them when you drive. If you drive without wearing your lenses or glasses, you are committing an offence.
If you have been disqualified from driving, you can have a licence again either:-
If you intend to wait until the end of the disqualification period, you will usually receive a reminder from the DVLA eight weeks before the end of the disqualification period to apply for a new licence. If you do not receive a reminder, you should fill in form D1 available from the post office and send it to the DVLA.
You can apply to the court which dealt with your case to have the disqualification lifted if you have been disqualified for a minimum of two years. When you can apply, depends on the length of time for which you were disqualified.
For some driving offences a court can disqualify you and order that you be re-tested. If the offence is very serious the court can order that you are ‘disqualified until test passed’ and that you must take a double-practical driving test known as an ‘extended driving test’. You will therefore need to apply for a provisional licence. A fee is payable for this.
The rules about when to apply to the court are complicated and someone who is thinking about this course of action should consult an experienced adviser for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
In Northern Ireland, if you were disqualified for twelve months or less, you should reapply in writing to the DVLNI (using form DL1) towards the end of the period of disqualification. You should give your name, address, date of birth, date of court appearance, length of the disqualification and a photograph. There is a fee for this.
You may incur penalty point endorsements on your licence for being convicted of committing certain driving offences. After a certain time you can apply to the DVLA on form D1 (DVLNI in Northern Ireland on form DL1) to have endorsements removed for a small charge. The time you will have to wait to have endorsements removed from your licence will vary according to the type of driving offence committed. This is usually four years, unless you have been convicted of a drinking and driving offence (in which case it is eleven years).
If your licence is stolen or lost, you should tell the police as soon as possible. You should also apply for a duplicate licence using form D1 (DLI in Northern Ireland). You can obtain this form from the post office (local vehicle licensing offices in Northern Ireland) and send it to the DVLA (DVLNI in Northern Ireland). There is a charge for obtaining a duplicate licence. Duplicate licences may also be obtained by phoning the DVLA - for telephone number, see under heading Further help.
If your licence is defaced or destroyed in some way so that the information on it is no longer clear, you have to apply for a duplicate licence (see above). You do not have to tell the police in this situation.
If you hold a paper driving licence and you need to notify a change of name or address, you must complete a D1 application form, available from most post offices.
If you hold a photocard driving licence and you need to notify a change of address, you should complete the changes section on your paper counterpart licence and send it to the DVLA together with your photocard licence. If you need to notify a change of name, you should use form D1.
For both paper and photocard driving licences, documentary evidence of a change of name is required, for example, a birth certificate, passport or deed poll. You can continue to drive whilst you are waiting for the licence to be returned to you. The DVLA does not make a charge for changing the details of your name and address. However, you may be fined for not telling the DVLA about a change in your name or address.
If you have a full Great Britain (GB) or Northern Ireland driving licence, you can drive in any Economic European Area (EEA) country on this licence. An International Driving Permit is not required if you have a licence. Countries in the EEA are Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway and the European Union countries.
You can exchange your GB licence for one of the country in which you are living if you want to.
To find out which countries are in the European Union, see The European Union.
If you wish to drive in a country outside the EEA, you may need to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP). If you need an IDP you may apply by post to one of the motoring organisations or get one in person from a major post office. You do not have to be a member of the organisation. You can only be issued with an IDP if you have a full GB or Northern Ireland licence.
If you go to live permanently in another country you may be able to exchange your licence for a driving licence in that country. You should check with the driver licensing authority in the country in which you are going to live. The appropriate embassy may be able to provide this information.
If you have a full and valid driving licence which has been issued in another EEA country (a ‘Community licence’), you may be able to drive in the UK on this licence. You do not have to exchange it immediately for a GB licence. Provided the Community licence remains valid in the issuing country, and it is a licence to drive an ordinary car you can use it to drive here until you are 70, or for three years after you become resident. If it is a 'vocational licence', for example, a licence to drive a minibus or bus, the rules are different.
However, if you want to, you can exchange your driving licence for a full GB or Northern Ireland licence. You should complete form D1 (DL1 in Northern Ireland) available from post offices or local licensing offices in Northern Ireland and send your own driving licence with the application form. A photocopy will not be accepted. A fee is payable.
To find out which countries are in the EEA, see Timeshare and holiday clubs.
If you have a full and valid driving licence which has been issued in another country other than an EEA country you can drive in the UK on this licence for twelve months.
If you intend to be resident in the UK beyond this period, you can exchange your licence for a full GB or NI licence if it is a British Forces Germany licence or if it was issued in:-
Australia
Barbados
British Virgin Islands
Canada (GB licence only)
Falkland Islands
Hong Kong
Japan
Monaco
New Zealand
Republic of Korea (excluding motorbike licences)
Singapore
South Africa (GB licence only)
Switzerland
Zimbabwe
If you do not exchange your licence before the 12-month period runs out, you will not be able to drive. However, you have a period of five years from the date of last entry into the UK within which you can exchange your licence and then start driving again. If you do not exchange the licence within this period you will have to apply for a provisional licence in the normal way - see under heading How to apply for a driving licence.
If you have a driving licence issued in a country other than those listed above, you must take a UK driving test to obtain a full GB licence if you intend to drive after the initial twelve month period. You must obtain a GB provisional licence before booking a driving test.
You can get more information about driving licences from the directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk.
In Northern Ireland, you can get more information about driving licences from the nidirect website at: www.nidirect.gov.uk.
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