Provisional Driving Licence

Before you can legally get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you need to have a valid provisional driving licence.

The provisional driving licence enables you to begin the process of learning to drive, however it also enables you to be able to drive a few different vehicles and you can get out on the road perhaps sooner than you think. Firstly you need to be at least 17 years of age before you can apply for your provisional licence.

Applying is simple, all you need to do is to complete a form which can either be downloaded online or picked up from your local post office. You then need to attach a couple of photos and send everything away and then wait for it to return. This process normally takes in the region of one or two weeks and then you will receive your provisional licence any you can then get behind the wheel and begin learning to drive.

As well as allowing you to learn to drive a car, your provisional licence also enables you to learn to ride a motorcycle. You will need to undertake a one or two day course called your ‘Compulsory Basic Training’ or CBT and then you are able to ride a bike on the road as long as you display your L plates at all times. You can also only ride a bike which is less than 33bhp, which generally is a bike of no more than 125cc.

Once you have passed your driving test, you must send away your driving licence including your pass certificate to enable your full licence to be issued to yourself. It is essential that you do not forget to do this as you only have a limited amount of time. If you fail to send off for your full driving licence within this period you will have to re sit your test.

So to sum up, make sure that before you get behind the wheel you need to be in receipt of your provisional driving licence. If you get stopped by the police and don not have your provisional you may receive a fine and even receive points before you even get your licence. Secondly remember to keep the DVLA updated, so as soon as you pass your test you must let them know and get your licence updated. Lastly keep your licence safe and have it with you on your test day as without it you will not be allowed to undertake your test.