Provisional driving licence UK guide 2024

Learning to drive can be an important milestone, regardless of your age. It opens up new horizons, from job opportunities to different places to live. Before you start your learning journey, however, you will need to apply for a provisional driving licence.

Below we will explain everything you need to know about applying for your provisional driving licence, including how much it costs and what type of car insurance you need to get when you’re learning to drive.

What is a provisional driving licence?

Getting a provisional driving licence should be your first step when learning how to drive, as it is a legal requirement for UK learner drivers. Even if you’re supervised by a driving instructor or qualified driver – another requirement when learning how to drive – you must have a valid provisional licence. If you get caught driving without a provisional licence, you may be fined up to £1,000.

While, obviously, you’ll need your provisional licence when taking your practical driving test, you’ll also need to have one when booking your theory test.

When can I get a provisional driving licence?

You can first apply for a UK provisional licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old. However, you won’t actually be able to take your first lesson until you’re 17 years old, and then only with the correct supervision. The exception to this is if you receive, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – if so, you can drive from the age of 16.

Alongside meeting the age requirements, you will need to:

• be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away
• have been given permission to live in in Great Britain for at least 185 days

Who can supervise me while I’m learning to drive?

When learning to drive, you must be supervised by a driving instructor or qualified driver at all times. While a qualified driver can include family and friends, they must:

• be over 21 years old (however, some car insurers may require a minimum age of 25 when teaching someone to drive)
• have had a full driving licence for at least three years
• have a driving licence from one of the following eligible regions: the UK, the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Norway or Lichtenstein
• be qualified to drive the vehicle you want to learn in, e.g. a manual car licence for a manual car

If you’re supervised by a friend or relative, it is illegal for them to use their mobile phone for the duration of the session. Similarly, you can only practise driving on a motorway if you’re supervised by a qualified driving instructor. Your friend or family member also cannot take money for the lessons unless they’re a driving instructor approved by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

If you’re caught driving without the correct supervision, you can be fined up to £1,000 and get up to six points on your provisional licence. If they have not expired, these points will be carried over to your full driving licence when you pass your practical test.

How do I apply for a provisional licence?

You can apply for a provisional driving licence either online at gov.uk, or via the post. If you’re applying online, you will need to:

1. Provide the right forms of identification: this includes one identity document, such as a passport, and the addresses of where you have lived for the last three years. If you have one, you may also be asked to supply your National Insurance number.
2. Supply a valid photo and signature: this will be used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on your provisional licence. You may be able to use your passport photo, as well as its signature, if your passport has one.
3. Provide details of any medical conditions or specifications: this includes, but is not limited to, epilepsy, diabetes controlled by insulin, strokes with symptoms lasting longer than a month, and any condition affecting both your eyes (or your remaining eye if you only have one). If you do have one of the listed medical conditions, you will be directed to apply using the only online service; this may entail you sending your identity documents via the post.

If you’re applying by post, meanwhile, you can either:

• download and print, or order online, the correct forms from the DVLA
• visit a Post Office that offers DVLA services and collect the forms in person

How much is a provisional licence?

£34 if you apply online (MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit card, or credit card)

£43 if you apply via post (cheque or postal order)

What is provisional driving insurance and do I need it when I’m learning to drive?

Provisional driving insurance is a form of car insurance designed to cover you while you’re learning to drive. You must have some form of insurance in place before learning to drive. If you’re caught driving without insurance, you can receive an unlimited fine, get up to eight penalty points, or even be banned from driving outright.

If you’re learning to drive in a car you own, then you will need a learner driver insurance policy in your name. If you are practising in someone else’s vehicle, however, then you will either need to check that you are covered by the car owner’s insurance policy, or take out your own cover. While the legal minimum age for a qualified driver is 21 years old, some insurance policies require your supervisor to be 25 or over. So always make sure to check the age requirements of a policy if you intend for a friend or relative under 25 to help you learn to drive.

Once you’ve passed your driving test, you will need to upgrade from learner driver insurance to a full policy. Unfortunately, as a brand new driver, you’ll be faced with some of the most expensive car insurance premiums around. However, there are ways you can bring the cost of your car insurance down, aside from shopping around for the best quote available.

For example, you could consider telematics insurance. Otherwise known as black box insurance, a telematics policy will see a smart device installed in your car that tracks your driving habits. This includes your speed, how fast you break, what kind of roads you regularly drive on, and the times of day you take your car for a spin.

Telematics insurance can be much cheaper than standard car insurance, as you’re proving yourself as a safe driver. This is especially useful for new drivers, who have no driving, and therefore no insurance, history to go on. And, over time, this evidence may entitle you to cheaper car insurance down the line without the need for a telematics device. You aren’t guaranteed a cheaper quote with telematics insurance, however, so always compare a wide range of premiums before putting pen to paper.

Another option is to build up your no-claims bonus. This is where you receive a discount to your premium for every year you go without making a car insurance claim. While this will not make your car insurance cheaper from the outset, over time you may be able to claim discounts worth anywhere between 30 and 60 per cent.

You could also consider adding an older, more experienced driver to your policy as a named driver. This may be particularly advantageous for young drivers who still live at home with their parents. In the eyes of the insurance provider, this lessens the chance of an accident, and therefore potentially your premium, because it may not always be the newly-qualified driver behind the wheel of the car.