Key takeaways:
- You can apply for a provisional driving licence after you reach 15 years and nine months.
- The current price for a provisional licence is £34 if you apply online.
- If you’re learning to drive, you need to make sure the right insurance is in place.
Who can apply for a provisional licence?
To get your provisional licence, you need to be at least 15 years and nine months old. Although you can’t start learning to drive a car until you turn 17, you can drive a moped at the age of 16 as long as you’ve completed your Compulsory Basic Training.
As well as the age requirements, you also need to meet several other criteria:
- You should be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away (including with glasses or contact lenses).
- You need a UK passport that is either current, or which has expired within the last 12 months. (Non-UK citizens may need a current identity document, provided they have the right to live in Great Britain.)
- As part of the process, you may need to provide your address details for the past three years as well as your National Insurance number if you have one.
How the application process works
The government has a website set up to process provisional licence applications. The application costs £34. During the application, you may need to upload a photo for your licence as well as a picture of your signature – although the DVLA may be able to take these from your passport.
Alternatively, you can apply by post using a D1 application form – these are available from the DVLA as well as from your local post office.
If you’re applying by post, you’ll need to include documents confirming your identity, a passport-style photo for the licence and a higher £43 fee in the form of a cheque or postal order.
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Can I apply for a provisional licence if I don’t have a passport?
Yes, but it can be a more complex process. According to the government, you can submit a copy of a UK birth, adoption or naturalisation certificate.
You will also need to provide additional documentation, such as:
- Your National Insurance card, or correspondence from the Department of Work and Pensions or HM Revenue & Customs showing your National Insurance number
- A P45, P60 or payslip
- A marriage or civil partnership certificate
- A divorce certificate
- A gender-recognition certificate
- A college or university union card, or an education certificate.
You will also need to have your application form and photo signed by someone who has their own driving licence and who knows you, but who is not a relative or housemate.
How long does it take to get a provisional licence?
At present, the government says your provisional licence should arrive within a week of making an online application, provided no extra checks need to be made by the DVLA. Postal applications can be expected to take a little longer – maybe as long as three weeks.
How long does a provisional licence last?
Your provisional licence is valid for 10 years: in most cases this should be long enough to learn to drive and pass the driving test.
However, if you do need to renew a provisional licence that is about to expire or has already done so, you can simply follow the process outlined above. You’ll need to pay the same fee again (£34 online or £43 by post, at current rates).
Do I need car insurance to apply for a provisional driving licence?
No you don’t, and you do not need insurance if you are taking driving lessons in a registered instructor’s vehicle.
However, if you are learning in a relative or friend’s car, they will need to ensure you are added to their policy. If you are learning in your own car under someone else’s supervision, you need an insurance policy suited to new drivers in place before your first lesson.
