Provisional Licence information

On your first lesson you will be asked to produce your Provisional Driving Licence. You can apply for your licence up to 3 months before your 17th Birthday but it is only valid when you turn 17 and you will not be able to take lessons on a public road or take your theory test until then.

You can apply for a provisional licence by completing and sending the application form (Form D1) which can be obtained from your local Post Office, however, you can also apply online on the 'Direct Gov' site.

Applying for your licence online requires that:

• You are a resident of Great Britain
• You meet the minimum age requirement
• Your eyesight is of the required standard
• You are not currently prevented from driving for any reason
• You can pay by Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, Electron, Delta or Solo debit or credit card
• You have a valid UK passport or another formal form of identity
• You can provide addresses of where you have lived over the last three years

A photo is required for your licence and the DVLA can use your passport photo if you have one. If you don't, or you want to use a different one, this will need to be sent to the DVLA separately.

You can find costs for all licence types here

Theory test

The next step is to take the theory test. This is made up of two parts: multiple choice and hazard perception. Both need to be passed for you to get your theory test pass certificate. Only once you have passed this can you apply for a practical driving test.

You can get information on the theory test from the the Direct Gov site.

You can also book the theory test online from the booking section on the same site.

The Practical Test

Once your driving has reached a suitable level, you will want to get your driving test booked. The timescale for bookings can vary one month to the next depending on the number of other learners applying around the same time. You should not just go ahead and book the test before checking that a car will be available first!

During the 'independent driving' section of the test you will be asked to follow signs to a particular location to see how well you deal with driving without direction from the examiner.

For more information regarding the practical test please go to the official site.

You can book your practical test here.

Official DSA Video