Before you can start your driving lessons on public highways or apply for the theory test, you must first have a provisional driving licence.
You can apply for a provisional driving licence after you are 15 years and 9 months old, but you can’t legally learn to drive until you are 17 years old.
If you get the higher rate of the mobility part of disability living allowance, you can start driving lessons at 16 years old.
Apply for your driving licence online
To get your first provisional driving card online for a car, motorcycle or moped you need to:
– be at least 15 years and 9 months old
– meet the minimum eyesight requirement and read a number plate from 20 metres away
– Have legally lived in the UK for at least 185 days in total in the past 12 months.
You can apply by pick up a form for the post office or you can apply online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence
To apply online you will need to:
– pay £34.00 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron, Maestro or Delta debit or credit card (or £43.00 if applying by post)
– have a valid UK passport or other form of identity
– have your National Insurance number if known
– provide addresses where you’ve lived for the last 3 years
Identity documents needed to apply for a driving licence
You must send in an identity document with your application unless you have a valid UK passport (where the photograph and signature are on the same page).
You do not need to send your passport in with your application, use the 9-digit passport number instead.
If you do not have a UK passport
You must send one of the following identity documents with your application:
- a current and valid foreign passport, with a visa sticker or stamp (called a ‘vignette’) showing you have permission to live in the UK
- a current and valid Irish passport – it does not need to have a visa sticker or stamp
- a travel document
- a biometric residence permit (BRP)
You’ll have digital confirmation of your immigration status instead of a visa vignette or BRP if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ or ‘EU Exit: ID Document Check’ app when applying:
- for a visa
- to the EU Settlement Scheme
You need to get a ‘share code’ to use in your application.
How to send your document
You must send the original document with your driving licence application.
You cannot use:
- photocopies or laminated certificates
- certified copies including those certified by the Post Office document certification service
It may take longer than usual for you to get your passport and licence back because of coronavirus (COVID-19). Consider delaying your driving licence application if you need your passport.