Last checked: 19 September 2026
You can apply for a provisional driving licence from 15 years and 9 months old. The quickest way is online through GOV.UK, which costs £34 and usually arrives within a week. You can also apply by post using form D1 from most Post Offices, which costs £43. You can usually start driving a car at 17.
A provisional licence is the first thing every learner needs. You can’t book a theory test without one, and you can’t legally practise on the road without one either. Applying is straightforward, but a few details catch people out: paying more than they need to on an unofficial website, applying too late for a planned 17th birthday lesson, or not knowing the rules that apply the moment the licence arrives.
This guide covers provisional licences in England, Scotland and Wales, which are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Northern Ireland has its own system, which we mention near the end.
Who can apply for a provisional licence?
To apply for your first provisional licence, you must:
- be at least 15 years and 9 months old
- be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away (with glasses or contact lenses if you need them)
- have been given permission to live in Great Britain for at least 185 days
The 15 years and 9 months rule is there so your licence can arrive before you’re old enough to drive. If you want to be on the road on your 17th birthday, apply about three months before it. Applying at the earliest date costs nothing extra and removes any last-minute stress.
How much does a provisional licence cost?
The official fee depends on how you apply. These are the DVLA prices, alongside a few other licence fees you might need later:
| What you’re paying for | Online | By post |
|---|---|---|
| First provisional licence (car, motorcycle or moped) | £34 | £43 |
| Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged licence | £20 | £20 |
| Renewing your photocard licence after 10 years | £14 | £17 |
| First full licence after passing your driving test | Not applicable | Free (£17 if you use a different photo) |
Applying online is £9 cheaper and faster. You pay by debit or credit card. If you apply by post, you pay by cheque or postal order made payable to DVLA. Renewals can also be done at a Post Office for £21.50. Source: Driving licence fees on GOV.UK.
Watch out for lookalike websites. Some sites offer to “process” your application for an extra fee, then submit the same form you could fill in yourself. Make sure the web address ends in gov.uk before you pay, and you’ll never pay more than £34 online.
How to apply for a provisional licence online
The online service is the route most people use. Here’s how it works, step by step:
- Check you’re eligible. Make sure you meet the age, eyesight and residence rules above.
- Start the application on GOV.UK. Go to the official apply service and sign in, or create sign-in details if you don’t have them yet.
- Prove your identity if you’re asked to. You’ll be told when you sign in whether this is needed. It usually involves photo ID such as a passport.
- Fill in your details and pay £34. You can pay with a Mastercard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card.
- Keep your confirmation email. DVLA emails you once you’ve applied. Your reference number is in it, and you’ll need it if you want to track the application.
- Wait for your licence. It should arrive within one week of applying online, although it can take longer if DVLA needs to make extra checks.
Can you apply without a passport?
Yes. A passport makes the online route easier, because the identity check usually uses photo ID like a passport. If you can’t complete the online service, you can apply by post instead.
To apply by post, pick up form D1 “Application for a driving licence” from most Post Offices, complete it, and send it to the address on the form with a cheque or postal order for £43. Follow the instructions that come with the form about which identity documents and photo to include. It costs more and takes longer than applying online, but it’s the standard alternative if the online identity check doesn’t work for you.
How long does a provisional licence take to arrive?
If you apply online, your licence should arrive within a week. It can take longer if DVLA needs to make extra checks on your application.
You can track an online application. If your reference number starts with “FP”, use GOV.UK’s tracking service for provisional licence applications. You’ll need your reference number, the addresses where you’ve lived in the last 3 years, your National Insurance number and your UK passport number. For other online applications, you can track progress through your driver and vehicles account. If you applied by post, you need to contact DVLA to check on it.
When can you start driving on a provisional licence?
Getting the licence and being allowed to drive are two different milestones. If you want to drive bigger vehicles later, our guide to driving licence categories explains what each one covers. You can usually start driving a car when you’re 17, and that’s also when you can take the car theory test. The rules are different if you have a disability or long-term health condition, so check GOV.UK if that applies to you.
| Age | What you can do |
|---|---|
| 15 years and 9 months | Apply for your provisional licence |
| 17 | Start driving a car with supervision, and take your car theory test |
| After passing your theory test | Book your practical driving test |
Once your provisional licence arrives, you can book your theory test. It costs £23, and our guide to theory test costs explains what that covers. Once you’ve passed it, our guide to driving test costs sets out what the practical test and a full licence cost in total.
What are the rules on a provisional licence?
Once your licence arrives and you’re old enough, these rules apply every time you drive a car as a learner:
- You must be supervised. This can be a driving instructor, or someone else who meets the rules, such as a family member or friend.
- Your supervisor must qualify. If you’re not paying them, they must be over 21, qualified to drive that type of car (for example, a manual licence for a manual car), and have held their full licence for 3 years.
- Display L plates front and back. In Wales you can use D plates instead. You can get up to 6 penalty points if you don’t display them or they’re the wrong size.
- You can drive at any time of day or night. There’s no curfew for learners.
- Motorways only with an instructor. You can only drive on a motorway in England, Scotland or Wales if you’re with an approved driving instructor in a car with dual controls. It’s illegal to practise on a motorway with family or friends.
- You need insurance. If you practise in your own car, you need your own learner insurance. In someone else’s car, you need to be covered by their policy as a learner, or have your own learner policy.
Getting these wrong is expensive. Driving without the right supervision can mean a fine of up to £1,000 and up to 6 penalty points on your provisional licence. Driving without insurance can mean an unlimited fine, a driving ban and up to 8 penalty points. It’s also illegal for the person supervising you to use a mobile phone while they do it.
If you pay someone to teach you, they must be an approved driving instructor or a trainee. Qualified instructors display a green badge in the windscreen, and trainees display a pink one.
How long does a provisional licence last?
Your provisional licence doesn’t run out just because you haven’t passed your test yet. What does expire is the photocard: you must renew a photocard licence every 10 years, and DVLA sends you a reminder before it runs out. Renewing costs £14 online, £17 by post or £21.50 at a Post Office.
Don’t confuse this with your theory test pass, which is a separate clock. A theory test pass is only valid for 2 years, so if you don’t pass your practical test in that time, you’ll have to take the theory test again. Our guide to the theory test covers this in more detail.
What happens to your provisional licence when you pass?
When you pass your practical test, the examiner will ask if you want your full licence sent to you automatically. If you do, you hand over your provisional licence there and then. You can drive on your own straight away, without waiting for the new licence to arrive.
If you choose not to hand it over, you have 2 years from your test to apply for your full licence. Your first full licence is free by post, or £17 if you want to use a different photo. You can read more about test day in our guide to how long the driving test takes.
Lost your provisional licence?
You must replace a licence that’s been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, and it costs £20. You can do this through GOV.UK’s replacement service. Our guide to replacing a lost provisional licence covers what to do first and how to protect a booked test. If you have a test booked, remember you need your licence with you on the day.
Learning to drive in Northern Ireland?
Provisional licences in Northern Ireland are issued by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), with different fees and rules. For example, learners in Northern Ireland have a 45mph speed limit, and new drivers must display R plates for a year after passing. Check the details on nidirect.
Once your provisional licence arrives, you can start lessons. Our guide to how many driving lessons you need explains how DVSA measures your progress, and the driving lesson cost calculator helps you budget.
Can learners drive on the motorway?
Only with an approved driving instructor. In England, Scotland and Wales, learners can drive on motorways if they’re with an approved driving instructor in a car with dual controls. It’s illegal to drive on a motorway while practising with family or friends. Our guide to learner drivers on motorways covers the full rules.
Frequently asked questions
What age can you apply for a provisional licence?
You can apply from 15 years and 9 months old. You can usually start driving a car at 17.
How much is a provisional licence?
It costs £34 if you apply online through GOV.UK, or £43 if you apply by post using form D1.
How long does a provisional licence take to come?
If you apply online, it should arrive within one week. It can take longer if DVLA needs to make extra checks.
Can you drive on your own with a provisional licence?
No. When you’re learning to drive a car you must be supervised, either by a driving instructor or by someone over 21 who has held a full licence for the same type of car for 3 years.
Can learner drivers drive on the motorway?
Only in England, Scotland or Wales, and only with an approved driving instructor in a car fitted with dual controls. You can’t practise on a motorway with family or friends.
Sources: Apply for your first provisional driving licence, Driving licence fees, Driving lessons and learning to drive, Renew your driving licence and Track your driving licence application, all on GOV.UK.