Your Life

Learning to Drive

From your 17th birthday you’ll be eligible for a provisional driving licence. This lets you drive on the road under the tuition/guidance of an instructor.

  • Learner drivers must display red ‘L’ plates on the front and back of the vehicle they are driving.
  • The person that takes you out for lessons must be over the age of 21 and must have held a full EC licence for 3 years or more.

To get your provisional licence, you’ll need to fill out form D1. You can get this at the post office or direct from DVLA. Once you’ve posted it off, your licence will take around 3 weeks to come back but you can’t drive until it arrives and takes effect.

Before your practical driving test you’ll also have to take an exam to test what you know about driving theory. Ask your instructor about this or at your test centre. There is a touch screen version of the test that can give you the results on the same day! The touch screen version is available in 15 different languages and may also suit you if you have reading difficulties/dyslexia.

  • Drive Safely! - Did you know you are more likely to have an accident in the first two years after passing your test than at any other time!

BEWARE: Once you have passed your test you are on probation for two years. If you obtain 6 penalty points during that time you will lose your licence. You will have to reapply for a provisional licence and take the tests again. Since the introduction of the New Drivers Act over 160,000 new drivers have lost their licences.


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