Provisional Driving Licence UK 2026: How to Apply and Costs

A provisional driving licence is the licence you need before you can learn to drive on public roads in Great Britain. You can apply from 15 years and 9 months old on GOV.UK for £34 (or £43 by post), and it usually arrives within a week. You can start driving a car once you turn 17, as long as you are supervised, display L plates and are insured.

Here is everything you need to know before you apply, plus the rules that apply as soon as the licence lands on your doormat.

Who can apply for a provisional driving licence?

To apply for your first provisional licence you must:

1. Be at least 15 years and 9 months old.
2. Be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, with glasses or contact lenses if you need them.
3. Have been given permission to live in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for at least 185 days.

You can start driving a car at 17. If you get the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you can drive a car from 16.

You also need to tell DVLA about certain medical conditions that could affect your driving. The application asks about this.

How to apply for a provisional licence step by step

1. Go to the official GOV.UK page "Apply for your first provisional driving licence". Avoid websites that appear above it in search ads and charge a "checking fee".
2. Sign in or create an account. You'll be told if you need to prove your identity, usually with photo ID such as a passport.
3. Fill in your personal details and answer the questions about any medical conditions.
4. Pay £34 by debit or credit card.
5. Wait for the photocard. Online applications usually arrive within a week.

Applying by post

You can also apply by post with form D1. It costs £43, paid by cheque or postal order, and takes longer than applying online.

What you can and can't do with a provisional licence

What you can do

• Learn to drive a car on public roads once you're 17 (or 16 with the PIP exception above).
• Book and take the theory test.
• Take lessons with an approved driving instructor (ADI) or a trainee instructor.
• Practise with a family member or friend who meets the supervisor rules.

What you can't do

• Drive alone. You must be supervised at all times.
• Drive on a motorway with a friend or relative. Learners can only use motorways with an ADI in a car fitted with dual controls.
• Pay an unqualified person for lessons. Anyone you pay must be an ADI (green badge) or a trainee instructor (pink badge).

The supervisor rules

Your supervisor must:

• be over 21
• be qualified to drive the type of car you're learning in (for example, a manual car if you're learning in a manual)
• have held a full licence for at least 3 years
• not use a hand-held phone while supervising you

Driving without proper supervision can lead to a fine of up to £1,000 and up to 6 penalty points on your provisional licence. Those points matter: if they're still valid when you pass, they carry over, and 6 or more points within 2 years of passing means your licence is revoked.

Insurance and L plates

You need insurance that covers you as a learner. If you're driving your own car, you'll need a learner policy; in someone else's car, you either need to be added to their policy as a learner or take out your own. Some insurers also require supervisors to be over 25.

L plates (a red L on a white background) must be displayed on the front and back of the car, and D plates can be used instead in Wales. You can get up to 6 penalty points if you don't display them or they're the wrong size. Take them off when a learner isn't using the car.

What to do next

Once your licence arrives:

1. Start revising for the theory test so you can book it early.
2. Find an instructor; our guide to choosing a driving instructor lists what to ask.
3. Sort out learner insurance if you'll practise privately.
4. Read our full step-by-step guide to getting a UK driving licence.

Summary

A provisional licence costs £34 online, arrives in about a week and lets you learn under supervision from 17. Apply only through GOV.UK, follow the supervisor and insurance rules, and avoid picking up penalty points before you've even passed.

Practise with Co-Drive

Co-Drive is an iOS app that helps learner drivers in Great Britain prepare for both tests, with original theory practice questions written from The Highway Code (not official DVSA questions), practical test practice and step-by-step driving lessons. It isn't affiliated with the DVSA and doesn't replace an instructor. See how Co-Drive works.