How to apply for a driving test
Apply for your first provisional driving licence
Get your first provisional driving licence for a car, motorbike, moped or other vehicle from DVLA online. To apply you must:
be at least 15 years and 9 months old
be able to 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
Driving lessons and practice
You must have a provisional driving licence for Great Britain or Northern Ireland when you’re learning to drive or ride.
You must be supervised when you’re learning to drive a car. This can be by a driving instructor or someone else who meets the rules, for example family or friends.
The car you learn in must display ‘L’ plates.
You can drive at any time, day and night.
You can only drive on motorways if all of the following apply:
you’re driving in England, Scotland or Wales
you’re with an approved driving instructor
the car is fitted with dual controls
In England, Scotland and Wales the speed limits (https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits) when driving with ‘L’ plates are the same as when you’ve passed your test.
In Northern Ireland the speed limit is 45 miles per hour when you’re learning to drive a car.
Find driving schools, lessons and instructors
https://finddrivinginstructor.dvsa.gov.uk/DSAFindNearestWebApp/findNearest.form?lang=en
Practise vehicle safety questions
You’ll be asked 2 vehicle safety questions during your car driving test. The questions will be taken from this list.
Prepare for your theory test
Multiple-choice questions
The multiple-choice questions in the theory test are based on 3 books:
Study these to learn the rules and skills you’ll be tested on.
You can buy them from most high street and online book shops.
Take free mock tests:
https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/free-practice-tests/
Book your theory test
https://www.gov.uk/book-theory-test
Book your driving test
https://driverpracticaltest.dvsa.gov.uk/application?execution=e1s1
Apply for your full driving licence
After your test, your examiner will give you your pass certificate.
You can use this as evidence that you have passed until you get your photocard driving licence.
Your examiner will take your provisional driving licence photocard to send to the DVSA, where it will be updated for your new full driving licence.
You'll get your updated full licence photocard through the post within 3 weeks, but you don't need to wait for it to arrive before you drive.
If you keep your provisional licence because you need to send it off yourself (to change your address or photo, for example), you must exchange it for your full licence within 2 years. If you don't, you'll have to take your test again.