Before you begin
Learning to drive isn't always as easy as it looks. Below is some information from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), that we hope will help you getting your driving licence.
Before you start learning to drive you must make sure you hold a valid Great Britain or Northern Ireland provisional driving licence.
It is also compulsory that you make sure that ANY vehicle you drive is roadworthy, taxed and you have insurance for that vehicle.
How to get a Provisional Licence
To apply for a provisional UK licence, you need to fill in a D1 form. This can be obtained from your local post office.
You can apply for a provisional licence up to 3 months before your 17th birthday, but your licence will not be valid until you become 17.
Once you have applied for your provisional licence, and it is valid, you can apply to take your theory test either straight away or when your driving instructor has advised you to.
Foreign Licenses
If you hold a valid Community licence and you are only visiting the UK, you are entitled to drive any vehicle for as long as your licence is valid. The appropriate full entitlement for the vehicle you wish to drive must be shown on your licence.
The EEA countries are as follows:-
A - Austria
B - Belgium
C - Czech Republic / Cyprus (Republic of)
D - Denmark
E - Estonia
F - Finland / France
G - Germany / Greece
H - Hungary
I - Iceland / Ireland / Italy
L - Latvia / Liechtenstein / Lithuania / Luxembourg
M - Malta
N - Netherlands / Norway
P - Poland / Portugal
S - Slovenia / Slovakia / Spain / Sweden
U - United Kingdom
If you live within the EEA and wish to live in the UK you will have to apply for a UK licence.
For more information please visit the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website - website address available on our Links page.
If you live outside the EEA and hold a full driving licence, it may be possible to exchange it for a british licence. To find out of you are able to exchange your licence to a UK licence please contact DVLA on 0870 850 0 007.
If, for any reason, you cannot exchange your licence or you do not currently hold a full driving licence, then you will have to apply for a UK provisional licence and take a theory and practical test.
For more information about licenses within th European Community please visit the Europa Transport website (website link on our links page)
Medical conditions
If you have ever had or currently suffer from any medical condition, that may affect your vehicle control , it is very important that you inform the DVLA of your past or current condition and the same if you have a medical condition that may progress into a new condition or a worse condition, failure to do so is known as a criminal offence and will result in a rather heavy fine!
Taking your driving lessons
Once you have received your new provisional licence, you are entitled to start taking driving lessons. It is very unlikely that anyone apart from an approved driving instructor (ADI) will be able to teach you the correct and up to date rules of the road.
You are however allowed to take driving lessons with another adult over the age of 21 years and they must have held a full UK licence for a minimum of 3 years.
As a learner driver it is up to you to make sure you display 'L' Plates (can also be 'D' plates in Wales) on both the front and back of your vehicle when you are driving. If you fail to do so you shall be fined and given points on your licence.
