To drive a car in the UK, you must be the minimum age of 17 years, hold the appropriate driving licence for the vehicle and meet the legal eyesight standards. You should also be aware of what to do in the event of and accident and where you can legally park.

Driving Licence

You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you're 15 years and 9 months old. You can start driving a car when you're 17. You can drive a car when you are 16 if you get, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). You can start using a provisional driving licence at 16 to ride a moped or light quad bike.

In order to qualify for a driving licence for a vehicle or motorbike, you must pass both a  theory and hazard perception test followed by a supervised driving test.

Enrolment at a driving school is not mandatory, but learner drivers must be accompanied by a driver aged at least 21, and with a minimum of three years' driving experience.

Learner plates 'L' plates ('D' plates in Wales) must be fixed to the front and back of the car.

Information on driving licences, learning to drive and driving tests are available at the following links:

An A-Z of all information relating to driving licences is available from GOV.UK.   

Highway Code

The Highway Code is a set of information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for all road users in the United Kingdom. Its objective is to promote road safety.

The complete highway code is available at this link.

National Speed Limits

British roads are limited for most vehicles by the National Speed Limit. Speed limits are posted in miles per hour and are the maximum speed at which certain drivers may legally drive on a road.

Full details of UK speed limits are available at this link.

Exceeding the speed limit is an offence and subject to the penalties listed at this link.

Motorway Driving

UK motorways have specific rules that differentiate to other roads. Understanding motorway rules is important both in terms of safety but to also avoid traffic offences due to the ever increasing presence of safety cameras.

A complete guide to diving on a motorway is available in The Highway Code.

Traffic Accidents

If you’re involved in an accident, it’s important to get as much information as possible.

Full details of what to do if you are involved in a traffic accident are available at the following links:

Parking and Parking Fines   

Full details of all aspects of parking your vehicle are available as follows:  

London Congestion Charge

The London Congestion Charge is a fee charged on most motor vehicles operating within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) in Central London between 07:00 and 18:00 Mondays to Fridays. It is not charged on weekends, public holidays or between Christmas Day and New Year's Day (inclusive).

Full details of the charge are available from Transport for London.

Driving with a Medical Condition or Disability

You must tell DVLA if you have a driving licence and:

  • you develop a ‘notifiable’ medical condition or disability
  • a condition or disability has got worse since you got your licence

A complete guide to driving with a Disability is availble from rac.co.uk.

You could be fined up to £1,000 if you fail to tell DVLA about a condition that might affect your ability to drive safely and uou could be prosecuted if you are involved in an accident.

Full details are available at GOV.UK.

There are various schemes designed to help disabled drivers namely:

Driving for the over 70's

Once you reach the age of 70 you need to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to renew yor license every three years. The DVLA should send you a renewal form automatically and renewal is free of charge. More information and advice on driving for the over 70's can be found in the guide "In the driving seat" from AgeUk.org.

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