Licence requirements

The law in Northern Ireland

The laws relating to driving and the processes you need to follow to get the right paperwork aren’t always the same in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.For example, in Great Britain your vehicle is required to pass an MOT test three years after the date of first registration, but in Northern Ireland an MOT isn’t required until four years after registration.

Your driving licence

Driving any vehicle carries with it legal requirements, and you must satisfy some of these before you begin to drive on the public road. Others apply after you start to drive.

For the category of vehicle you intend to drive, you MUST have one of the following

• a valid provisional driving licence
• a valid full driving licence

or, in certain circumstances

•  a signed, valid International Driving Permit (IDP)
• a full driving licence issued outside the UK.

Your age

You MUST be at least 17 years old to drive a car. As an exception, you can drive a car when you’re 16 if you get, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Changes to your driving licence

If you change your name and/or address, you must complete the details on your licence and send it to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BN (DVA in NI) or you can do this online at www.gov.uk

Provisional licence

You can apply for a provisional driving licence online at www.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can apply by post by completing a D1 application form, which you can get from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) form-ordering service or from a post office. You’ll also need to include

• original documentation confirming your identity
• a colour passport-style photograph
• the current fee.

When you receive your provisional licence, check that all the details are correct.

L plates (D plates in Wales)

You MUST display L plates (D plates) which conform to legal specifications, and which are clearly visible from both in front of the vehicle and from behind the vehicle.

If the vehicle is NOT being driven by a learner driver, the L plates (D plates) should be removed or covered.

Your accompanying driver

You MUST be accompanied by a driver who’s at least 21 years old and who holds a full EC/EEA licence for that type of car (manual or automatic) and has held one for three years.

Motorways

Learner drivers may have driving lessons on motorways but only with an approved driving instructor (ADI) and in a car fitted with dual controls that’s clearly displaying L plates.

Full licence

To obtain your full licence you MUST pass a theory test, followed by a practical test for the category of vehicle you wish to drive. You’ll then be able to drive unaccompanied and on a motorway. Your car licence also allows you to drive a light van of up to 3.5 tonnes maximum laden weight, but different speed limits apply to vans over 2 tonnes maximum laden weight.

Electronic driver record

On 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence was discontinued. Details of the vehicles you can drive and any penalty points or bans you’ve received are now stored electronically. You can view this information at www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

You can also share this information with anyone who needs to see your details (for example, an employer or car-hire company) by generating a ‘check code’. Visit the link above for more information.

Note: if you have a paper driving licence that was issued before the photocard licence was introduced in 1998, it remains valid.

Visitors and new residents

Visitors and new residents with a full, valid EC/EEA driving licence may use that licence to drive/ride a car or motorcycle in Great Britain until they’re 70 years old, or for three years after becoming resident in Great Britain, whichever is longer. If your EC/EEA licence was obtained by exchanging a non-EC/EEA licence, you may drive/ride on your licence in Great Britain for no more than 12 months.

Those with licences from outside the EC/EEA may drive/ride a car or motorcycle in Great Britain for up to 12 months from the date they last entered or became resident in this country. After this period, they must obtain a full British licence.

If you come from certain designated countries (see www.gov.uk for more details), you may exchange your full driving licence for a British one within five years of becoming a resident. If you come from any other country, you can obtain a full British licence by applying for a British provisional licence and passing a British driving test.

Different rules apply if you wish to drive a lorry, minibus and/or bus. See www.gov.uk for full details.

Renewing your driving licence

You must renew a photocard licence every 10 years. You’ll receive a reminder in the post before your current licence ends. There are three ways to renew

1. online at www.gov.uk
2. at a participating post office (find your nearest suitable post office at postoffice.co.uk/uk-driving-licence-photocard-renewal)
3. by post with DVLA (visit www.gov.uk for more details).

Your driving licence should arrive within one week if you apply online.

Renewing your driving licence if you’re 70 or over

All drivers must renew their licence at the age of 70, and every three years thereafter.

You can renew online at www.gov.uk for free if you’re 70 or over (or soon will be). Alternatively, you can apply by post using the D46P application form. DVLA will automatically send you this form 90 days before your 70th birthday. If you haven’t got the D46P form, you can use a D1 Application for a driving licence form, which you can get from your local post office.