UK provisional driving licence: how to apply and what the rules are

To apply for a provisional car driving licence in England, Scotland, or Wales:

• You must be at least 15 years and 9 months old
• You must be a resident of Great Britain
• You must meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving (able to read a number plate at 20 metres)
• You must not have been refused a licence on medical grounds

There is no requirement to have a National Insurance number, though DVLA uses it to confirm your identity if you have one.

For a moped or light motorcycle, you can apply from age 15 years and 9 months and ride from age 16. For a standard motorcycle, you must be 17. Northern Ireland uses a separate licensing system run by the DVA.

Online, the quickest route. Apply at GOV.UK through the DVLA service. What you need:

• Your National Insurance number (if you have one)
• A valid UK passport (DVLA uses it for identity and takes your photo from the passport database)
• A payment card (£34 as of June 2026. Verify at GOV.UK.)

Processing takes around a week. The photocard arrives by post.

By post, D1 form. Available free from any Post Office. Use this route if you do not have a passport, or in certain situations where the online service cannot process your application. Postal applications take 3 weeks or more.

With a provisional car driving licence, you can drive a car on public roads in Great Britain with a qualified supervising driver present. The supervising driver must:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Have held a full UK driving licence for at least 3 years
• Sit in the front passenger seat

L plates (or D plates in Wales, both are legally valid in England and Wales) must be displayed at the front and rear of the vehicle while you are driving. The supervising driver does not need to display L plates when they drive the vehicle separately.

You cannot drive unsupervised under any circumstances on a provisional licence.

L plates must be visible at the front and rear of any vehicle you drive as a learner. They must be removed or covered when a fully licensed driver is using the vehicle without you.

The plates must be the correct size: a red L on a white background. Homemade plates that do not meet the standard dimensions can technically be issued as a fault at the roadside.

One practical note: remove L plates before going through a car wash. It is easy to forget and they can cause damage or get removed by the machinery.

Since June 2018, learner drivers can drive on motorways in England, Scotland, and Wales. There is a specific condition: you must be accompanied by an approved driving instructor (ADI) in a vehicle fitted with dual controls.

You cannot drive on a motorway accompanied by a friend or family member, even if they are a qualified driver. The ADI and dual controls requirement is non-negotiable.

This change was introduced to give learners experience of motorway driving before they pass. Previously, the first time most new drivers used a motorway was after their test with no instruction at all. Many driving instructors now include a motorway lesson as standard. If yours does not, ask.

The provisional photocard expires after 2 years (verify at GOV.UK, as guidance may have changed). Once you pass your practical driving test, DVLA upgrades your record automatically. Your provisional licence is surrendered when you collect your full licence.

The theory test pass certificate is valid for 2 years from the date you pass. If you do not complete your practical test within that window, the theory certificate expires and you have to retake the theory before rebooking the practical.

These two timers are separate and run independently. The practical test waiting list being long means the gap can eat into your theory certificate validity. Book your practical test as soon as your theory is done.