How to Get a UK Driver's Licence

Before you begin to learn to drive you have to apply for a provisional driver’s licence. The minimum driving age in the UK is 16 for motorcycles under 50cc and 17 for all cars and motorcycles over 50cc. You can apply online, in person at a post office or by posting the application form to DVLA in Swansea.

Online

You can apply online through direct.gov.uk. All you need is a valid debit or credit card and your National Insurance number and UK Passport. The site will also ask for details of your previous addresses. Once completed, the DVLA aim to send the driver’s licence within 2 weeks of your application.

Verification

The DVLA uses the information you send to verify you with government agencies like the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs. They electronically capture your image from your existing passport, so there’s no need to send a picture with the application. The website is encrypted so you can be sure that the information you enter is secure.

Post Office

To apply for your provisional licence at the Post Office you will need to complete a D1 form. It can be downloaded from direct.gov.uk or picked up at your local branch. Once the form is completed you will need to provide proof of your identification. If you hold a digital passport, which is a passport where the photograph and signature appear on the same page, you only need to provide the DVLA with the nine digit passport number. If not, you will need to send the passport or another form of ID like your National Insurance card, your P45, P60 or a pay slip. These have to be the originals as the DVLA can’t accept copies.

Premium Checking Service

The application form and identification need to be posted to the DVLA along with a passport style photograph and the fee of £50.00. If you carry out the application in the Post Office, they will package it together and send for you. They also offer the Premium Checking Service where a clerk will check your application to make sure it’s been completed properly and then send to the DVLA. The service only costs £4 but is available at 740 Post Office branches.

L-Plate

When the provisional licence is received a driver can only drive under certain conditions. An L-Plate has to be displayed on the front and rear of the car and every journey had to be taken with a passenger who has held a full driver’s licence for at least 3 years and is over 21. These conditions exist until all three sections of the driver’s test have been passed.

P-Plate

Statistics show that new drivers are more likely to get into accidents in the first 2 years of driving than at any other time. To help combat this, new drivers can display a P-Plate. Whilst the P-Plate is optional, it’s advisable to display the plate as it indicates to other drivers that you are new to the road.