Getting Started
Legal requirements for learning to drive

To learn to drive a car in the UK you must be 17 years of age or over and have a UK provisional driving licence.

You can apply for a driving licence online on the Direct.gov web site or by completing an application form which you can pick up at your local post office.

You can apply for your driving licence up to 2 months before your 17th birthday, however your licence will start on the date of your birthday. If you receive Disability Living Allowance at the higher-rate (mobility component) you can currently get a licence from age 16.

Your instructor will check your eyesight on your first lesson so please make sure you wear your glasses or contact lenses if required (and any time you are driving). You will need to be able to comfortably read a number plate from 20.5 metres away or 20 metres for newer style plates. That’s about 5 car lengths, in simpler terms!

You’re now ready to start learning to drive.