Provisional Licence for New Drivers
You must have a valid licence to drive on public roads even in a Driving School
car. You can apply for your licence before your 17th birthday, but it won’t be valid
until then.
To apply for your licence go to www.direct.gov.uk/motoring, or pick up a form from a Post
Office. Applications can take several weeks at times.
Overseas Licence
Not sure about your licence? Driving a motor vehicle without a valid licence or
insurance in the UK is a criminal offence. If you do not have a valid licence your
insurance will be invalid, and in the event of an incident resulting in injury to
a third party, you could end up with a lifetime of debt. Please read the summary
below to determine if you are allowed to drive in the UK
Summary Of The Rules For Immigrants & Visitors
The following summary for car drivers is derived from the Government website. Rules
are complicated and can change from time to time, so you should refer to the Government
website
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring for the latest and complete information.
- An overseas provisional licence does not give any entitlement to drive in the UK
- A full licence from the EU
further info
will allow you to drive vehicles as described thereon, subject to the same rules
for UK motorists, and up to your 70th birthday.
- After being resident
further info
in GB for 185 days in the previous 12 months, you may apply to exchange your EU
further info
licence for a GB one. (So long as that licence was not granted temporarily in exchange
for one from outside the EU or designated countries)
- A licence from elsewhere in the world is valid in the UK for 12 months only, so
if you are resident
further info
or visiting longer than that, you must apply for a GB licence and take the GB driving
tests.
- Regardless of your country of origin, after being resident
further info
in GB for 185 days in the previous 12 months you may optionally apply for a GB provisional
licence, take the GB driving tests and qualify for a full GB licence.
- To hold a GB driving licence you will need to have a permanent address in England,
Scotland or Wales.
Upgrading A Motorcycle Licence
You will need to take a theory test and practical test if you want a licence for
a new category of vehicle, for example, if you have a motorcycle licence and you
want a car licence you will need to take a theory test, and vice versa.
Upgrading An Automatic Only Car Licence
If you want to upgrade within a vehicle category, e.g. if you have a full automatic
car licence and you want a manual car licence, you will not normally need to take
a theory test, but you will need to take a practical test.
Revoked Licences
If you lost your licence under the ‘New drivers act 1998’ (more than 5 points within
two years of passing the test) you will need to apply for a new licence and take
both the theory and practical tests again.
If the original licence was issued outside GB, you will need to take the GB tests
and obtain a GB licence before continuing to drive in the UK.