How to get your provisional driving licence

Learning to drive starts before you ever sit behind the wheel. Your first step is a provisional driving licence, and your second is the theory test. Here's how to do both, and how I suggest my own pupils in Sevenoaks go about it.

This guide covers England, Scotland and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland, the rules are different, so use the nidirect website (opens in a new tab).

When can you apply?

You can apply for your first provisional licence from 15 years and 9 months, and most people can start driving a car at 17. If you'd like your first lesson on your 17th birthday, apply a few months beforehand so the licence is in your hand. Different rules apply for some people with a disability or long-term health condition, so check GOV.UK's guidance on learning to drive (opens in a new tab) if that applies to you.

To apply, you must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or contact lenses if you need them, and have been given permission to live in Great Britain for at least 185 days (opens in a new tab).

How to apply, and how much it costs

The quickest way is online, through GOV.UK's first provisional driving licence service (opens in a new tab). It costs £34, and your licence usually arrives within a week, although it can take longer if the DVLA needs to make extra checks. You'll create sign-in details, and the service will tell you whether you need to prove your identity.

You can also apply by post, using a D1 application form from most Post Offices. A postal application costs £43, paid by cheque or postal order. Follow the form's instructions carefully, especially those about identity documents and photographs.

One word of warning: only apply through GOV.UK or the D1 form. Some websites offer to apply on your behalf and charge more for exactly the same licence.

Give your photo a little attention

Before you finish your application, spare a thought for the photograph. Does it look like you now, or like a tiny child who should still be asking for a lift? It'll be on your licence for years, and you'll be showing it every time someone asks for ID.

It's easy to overlook when you're concentrating on getting the application done, so if you need to supply a photo, get a fresh passport-style one and follow the instructions for your application route. Check what the service asks for before paying for photographs.

If you already have a provisional licence and want a new photo, GOV.UK's change-your-photo page (opens in a new tab) will take you to the right service. You don't need to replace an otherwise valid licence just because you dislike the picture.

Licence sorted? Now for the theory test

Once your licence arrives, make the theory test your next priority. You need a provisional licence to book it, most learners can take it from their 17th birthday, and you must pass it before you can book your practical test. It has two parts, multiple-choice questions and hazard perception (opens in a new tab), and you need to pass both.

Book only through GOV.UK (opens in a new tab). It costs £23, and you'll need your driving licence number, an email address and a payment card.

Don't underestimate it. In my experience, the learners who pass comfortably first time have usually done at least 15 hours of proper revision.

The theory test app I recommend

There are plenty of theory test apps, but the one I recommend to my pupils is Driving Test Success 4 in 1 (opens in a new tab). It has a comprehensive question bank and hazard perception practice, and it adapts as you go: once you've shown you understand a topic, it concentrates on the areas you're still getting wrong.

I don't recommend trying to learn the Highway Code by reading it from cover to cover. For most people, it's a dull and ineffective way to revise. Work through plenty of practice questions instead. A lot of the answers are common sense, and the app quickly shows you what you need to revise. Whenever you get one wrong, make sure you understand why the right answer is right: you'll need that knowledge on the road, not just in the test. The DVSA's own revision materials and free practice tests (opens in a new tab) are on GOV.UK too.

Take your theory test in Tunbridge Wells

For learners in Sevenoaks and the surrounding villages, I recommend the Tunbridge Wells theory test centre. It's at Foundation House, Coach and Horses Passage, The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5NP. It's tucked away behind the street, so search for "Coach and Horses Passage" on your map rather than the centre's name.

There's no parking at the centre itself, so use a nearby public car park, such as Upper Pantiles, or go by train: trains from Sevenoaks run via Tonbridge, and the centre is about an eight-minute walk from Tunbridge Wells station. Whichever way you go, allow plenty of time. If you arrive late, you may not be allowed to sit the test, and you'll lose your fee.

If Tunbridge Wells has no dates for a while, Sidcup is the other centre I'd check.

Revise while you start your lessons

You don't have to pass your theory test before your first lesson. In fact, revising while you learn helps the two connect: the rule you read about on Monday is the junction we drive through on Wednesday. But get it passed as early as you can, because you can't book your practical test until you have, and practical tests can take months to get.

Frequently asked questions