Applying For Your Provisional Licence

Starting your driving lessons can be a very exciting time, but before you can get behind the wheel of any car you need to have your provisional licence. This allows you to take lessons with anybody who is qualified to teach them, plus the information you provide while applying will also be used to create your full licence when you pass your test.

Applying for your provisional has changed in recent years. For one, you will no longer receive a paper counterpart to your licence. Instead you will only receive the main card, so it is important that you keep it safe at all times.

When Can I Apply

You can apply for a provisional licence from the time that you are 15 years and 9 months old. Bear in mind that this does not mean that you can start taking lessons right away. You will not be able to start learning how to ride a moped until you are 16 years of age, whereas you will need to wait until you are 17 before you can get behind the wheel of a car for the first time. However, completing the application process early means that you can have your provisional licence ready so that you can start taking lessons the second that you turn 17.

Starting The Process

To start the application process, head to https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence. There is a handy step-by-step guide through the process that can be started by clicking the ‘Start Now’ button. However, you should ensure that you have all of the following before you do:

• You must be a legal resident of Great Britain. However, if you live in Northern Ireland there is a different process that you must follow to apply.
• You must meet the minimum eyesight requirements or have glasses that ensure your have the required level of visibility.
• You must be at least 15 years and 9 months old.
• There must be no reason for you to be prevented from driving, such as a prior criminal conviction.
• You must have a UK passport, some of the details of which will be used to create your licence if you have a biometric passport. If you don’t you will need to send one of the following documents through to the DVLA:
  • A biometric residence permit.
  • An EU or EEA national identity card.
  • A travel document.
  • A UK certificate of naturalisation.
• If possible, you should have your National Insurance number handy, but you can still apply if you don’t.
• You must provide details of where you have lived over the course of the last three years, including any changes in address.
• Finally, you will need to have a credit or debit card with which you can pay the £34 fee for applying.

The DVLA has taken a number of steps to ensure it is easier to obtain a provisional licence than ever before, including the aforementioned biometric passport method of obtaining your data and lowering the fee from £50 down to £34.

Bear in mind that you will still need to apply for a full licence once you have passed your test as well.