driving licence

For driving cars in the UK there are two kinds of driving licences — a Provisional Driving Licence and a Full Driving Licence. You need to have held a Provisonal Licence before you can progress to a Full Licence.

Provisional Licence

You need a Provisional Licence BEFORE you can learn to drive on the public road. The usual minimum age for driving cars is 17, but if you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, you can drive at 16.

You can apply for one in advance so you can be driving legally on your birthday if you want to get driving straight away.

Full Licence

This is what you get if you pass your driving test and what you can lose if convicted of serious motoring offences. It is very valuable and worth keeping hold of. After a passport, it is one of the most useful documents for proving who you are.

For many people having a driving licence is an important part of their everyday life — to provide you with personal transport for your travel to and from work or place of study, and for social activities. Some people even still enjoy driving just for the fun of it! For others, having a driving licence is an integral part of their job. If your job involves driving or getting yourself about, then losing your licence can have a devastating effect on your employment.

When you've got your licence that last thing you'll want to do is lose it.

Driving Licence Categories and Codes

The UK driving licence has many categories covering everything from mopeds to tracked vehicles. The category for cars is 'B' but if you take and pass your driving test in a car with an automatic gearbox you'll be given a '78' code, "restricted to vehicles with automatic transmissions". If you then want to drive a car with a manual gearbox you'll have to retake your driving test in a car with a manual gearbox.

Towing and the Driving Licence

Once you get your full licence you only have the legal right to tow something weighing up to 750kg - this would only be a small trailer - and you'll have to take an additional test to be able to tow more. Don't get caught out — find out more about additional driver tuition