09 / Driving in the UK

From L plates
to the open road.

Everything a new UK driver needs to know: getting your licence, what it costs to own a car, the limits, the rules that cost points, and what all those lights on the dashboard mean. This is a learning aid, so always check gov.uk and the Highway Code.

Your road to a full licence

Eight steps. The DVSA says the average learner needs about 45 hours of lessons plus 22 hours of private practice.

Check your eyesight

You must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or contacts if you need them. The examiner checks this at the start of your test.

FREE

Get a provisional licence

Apply on gov.uk from age 15 years 9 months. You can start driving a car on public roads at 17.

≈ £34 ONLINE

Learn with an instructor

Book an approved driving instructor (ADI). You can also practise with anyone over 21 who has held a full licence for 3 years, if you are insured and display L plates.

LESSONS ≈ £35–£50/HR

Pass the theory test

50 multiple-choice questions (pass mark 43) plus a hazard perception test of video clips (pass mark 44 out of 75). Your pass lasts 2 years.

£23

Book the practical test

Waiting lists can be months long, so book as soon as you pass your theory. Only book through gov.uk.

£62 WEEKDAY · £75 EVE/WKND

Take the practical test

About 40 minutes: about 20 minutes of independent driving following a sat nav or signs, one reversing manoeuvre, "show me, tell me" questions, and possibly an emergency stop. Pass with 15 or fewer minor faults and no serious or dangerous ones.

≈ 40 MIN

Get your full licence

The examiner can send your details to DVLA and your full licence arrives in the post. Green P plates are optional but a good idea.

NO EXTRA FEE

Survive the first two years

If you get 6 or more penalty points within 2 years of passing, your licence is revoked and you must pass both tests again.

6-POINT LIMIT

FEES ARE GOV.UK PRICES AT TIME OF WRITING (2026). CHECK GOV.UK BEFORE BOOKING.

The four things every car needs

Before you drive any car, even a friend's, it must be insured for you, taxed and have a valid MOT.

01 · REQUIRED BY LAW

Insurance

Third party only is the legal minimum. Third party, fire & theft is the next step up, and comprehensive covers your own car too. For new drivers comprehensive is often no more expensive. A black-box (telematics) policy can cut costs.

02 · REQUIRED BY LAW

Car tax (VED)

Pay DVLA online. Tax does not transfer when you buy a used car, so you must tax it before driving away. Electric cars have paid VED since April 2025.

03 · YEARLY FROM AGE 3

MOT

A safety and emissions test once a car is 3 years old (4 in Northern Ireland). Maximum fee for a car is £54.85. Check any car's MOT history free on gov.uk.

04 · KEEP IT UPDATED

V5C logbook

Shows the registered keeper. Tell DVLA when you buy, sell or move house. A car kept off the road must have a SORN.

Insurance is the big one. For a 17 to 19-year-old it can easily cost more than the car. Ways to cut it: a small engine in a low insurance group (1 to 10), a black-box policy, adding an experienced named driver (never "fronting", which is fraud), Pass Plus, and parking off-road.

Speed limits for cars

Limits are a maximum, not a target. If there are street lights and no signs, assume 30 mph (20 mph in Wales).

Built-up areas

Roads with street lights, unless signs say otherwise. In Wales the default on most of these roads is 20 mph.

20 mph zones

Near schools and in residential areas, and the default on most street-lit roads in Wales since 2023.

Single carriageway

National speed limit for cars: 60 mph. Applies on most country roads.

Dual carriageway

National speed limit for cars: 70 mph.

Motorway

70 mph. Watch the overhead signs on smart motorways, which can set a lower limit.

The white circle with a black diagonal stripe is the national speed limit sign. It means 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways for cars. Lower limits apply when towing.

Stopping distances & interactive simulator

These come straight from the Highway Code and appear in the theory test. White is thinking distance (before your foot hits the brake) and orange is braking distance. Test different speeds and weather below.

2secMinimum gap to the car in front in dry conditions

×2Double it in the wet: braking distances at least double

×10Up to ten times longer on ice

Roundabouts and junctions

In the UK you go clockwise around roundabouts and give way to traffic coming from your right. Practice your lane choice and indicator timing in the simulator below.

LEFT: Signal left on approach, stay in the left lane, and keep signalling as you exit.
AHEAD: Usually the left lane (follow road markings). No signal on approach; signal left after passing the exit before yours.
RIGHT: Signal right on approach and use the right lane. Keep signalling right, then signal left after passing the exit before yours.
MINI: Mini-roundabouts follow the same rules. Drive around the painted circle, not over it, if you can.

Hierarchy of road users (2022). The Highway Code now says drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road you are turning into, and to cyclists going straight ahead when you turn. The bigger your vehicle, the more responsibility you have.

Motorways & Smart Motorway gantries

Learners can now have motorway lessons with an approved instructor in a dual-control car. On smart motorways, overhead gantries set mandatory variable speed limits and close lanes with a Red X.

Keep left

Use the left lane unless overtaking, then move back. Middle-lane hogging can earn a careless driving fine.

Overtake on the right

Never undertake, except when queues on the right are moving more slowly.

Red X means closed

A red X above a lane means it is closed. Driving in it is an offence that can bring points and a fine.

Breakdowns

Get onto the hard shoulder or an orange emergency area, leave by the left-hand doors, wait behind the barrier, and call for help.

Dashboard warning lights

They use traffic-light colours. Red means stop as soon as it is safe. Amber means get it checked soon. Green and blue are just telling you something is on.

Oil pressure

Stop as soon as it is safe and switch off. Driving on can wreck the engine in minutes.

Engine temperature

Overheating. Pull over, switch off and let it cool before checking coolant.

Brake system

Handbrake still on, low brake fluid or a brake fault. Do not drive until checked.

Battery / charging

The alternator is not charging. You are running on battery and will soon stop.

Airbag / SRS

Airbags may not deploy in a crash. Get it checked soon. It is also an MOT fail.

Seatbelt

Someone is not belted in. Fines are up to £500.

Engine management

The ECU has spotted a fault. If it flashes, reduce speed and get help. If steady, book a check.

ABS

Normal brakes still work, but anti-lock is off. Brake gently and get it checked.

Tyre pressure (TPMS)

One or more tyres is low. Check and inflate at the next garage.

Stability control (ESC)

Flashing means it is working on a slippery road. Steady means it is off or faulty.

Glow plug (diesel)

Wait for it to go out before starting a cold diesel.

Low fuel

Usually about 30–50 miles left. Running out on a motorway is dangerous and can get you fined.

Dipped headlights

Your normal headlights are on.

Indicators

Flashes when you signal. Fast flashing means a bulb has gone.

Main beam

Full beam is on. Dip it for oncoming traffic and when following someone.

Rear fog light

Only use when visibility is under 100 m, and turn it off when it improves. It dazzles drivers behind.

The rules that cost you points

Points stay on your licence for 4 years (11 for drink-driving). Remember: 6 points in your first 2 years and you are back to being a learner.

Offence	Typical penalty	Good to know
Using a hand-held phone	6 points + £200	Applies even when stopped at lights or in traffic. For a new driver, this alone loses your licence.
Driving without insurance	6 points + £300	Can go to court for an unlimited fine and a ban. The car can be seized.
Speeding	From 3 points + £100	Higher speeds go to court. You may be offered a speed awareness course instead.
Drink- or drug-driving	Minimum 12-month ban	Plus an unlimited fine and possibly prison. It shows on your licence for 11 years.
Running a red light	3 points + £100	Includes crossing the white stop line after the light turns red.
Not wearing a seatbelt	Up to £500	You are responsible for passengers under 14 too.
Illegal tyres	3 points + up to £2,500	Per tyre. Four bald tyres could be 12 points.
Careless driving	3 points + £100	Such as middle-lane hogging or tailgating. Worse cases go to court.
No car tax (VED)	Fine, no points	DVLA cameras catch untaxed cars automatically, and the car can be clamped.

Drink-driving limits

Alcohol affects everyone differently and there is no reliable way to know you are under the limit. The only safe amount is none.

Measured in	England, Wales, N. Ireland	Scotland
Breath (µg per 100 ml)	35	22
Blood (mg per 100 ml)	80	50
Urine (mg per 100 ml)	107	67

The government has consulted on lowering the limit in England and Wales, so check gov.uk for the latest. You can still be over the limit the morning after a night out. Driving with certain drugs in your system, including some prescription medicines above set levels, is also illegal.

Reading a number plate & interactive decoder

UK plates tell you where a car was registered, how old it is, and whether a green strip marks a zero-emission EV. The age identifier changes twice a year, on 1 March and 1 September.

01 · REGION

The first two letters show where the car was first registered: "L" is London, "M" Manchester and Merseyside, "S" Scotland, "Y" Yorkshire, and so on.

02 · AGE

March cars get the year (26 = March 2026). September cars get the year plus 50 (76 = September 2026).

03 · RANDOM

The last three letters are random. Private "cherished" plates can make a car look newer, but never older, than it is.

Show me, tell me

At the start of your test you are asked a "tell me" question, and during the drive a "show me" one (like working the rear demister while moving). Learn the POWDERY checks and you can answer most of them.

Petrol

Enough fuel for the journey

Oil

Dipstick between min and max

Water

Coolant and screenwash topped up

Damage

Walk around: bodywork, glass, mirrors

Electrics

All lights, indicators and horn work

Rubber

Tyre tread, pressures and wiper blades

You

Fit to drive: not tired, ill, drunk or on drugs

COCKPIT DRILL · DSSSM

Doors closed, Seat adjusted, Steering wheel position, Seatbelt on, Mirrors set. Do it every time before you move off.

Reversing manoeuvres on the test

The examiner will ask you to do one reversing manoeuvre: parallel park at the roadside, park in a bay, or pull up on the right and reverse two car lengths.

Road signs by shape and colour

You can understand most signs before you can read them. Shape tells you what kind of message it is, colour tells you what kind of road.

Circles give orders

A red ring means you must not. This one is "no entry".

Blue circles

Something you must do, such as "turn left" or "ahead only".

Triangles warn

A hazard ahead: bends, junctions, children, animals.

Stop

The only eight-sided sign. Stop fully at the line, even if the road is empty.

Give way

The only upside-down triangle. Give way to traffic on the major road.

Blue rectangles

Motorway signs. Learners can only use them with an instructor.

Green rectangles

Primary routes (main A-roads), with yellow road numbers.

White rectangles

Local and non-primary roads. Black text.

Brown rectangles

Tourist attractions: castles, parks, beaches.

Using your lights

Modern cars switch many lights on automatically, but on the test and at night you need to know which is which.

Dipped headlights

At night, and in the day when visibility is poor. If you would struggle to see a car 100 m away, put them on.

Full beam

Unlit roads with nobody ahead. Dip as soon as you see oncoming traffic or catch up with someone.

Fog lights

Only when you can see less than about 100 m. Switch them off when the fog clears or they dazzle people.

Hazard lights

When you are stopped and causing an obstruction, or briefly on a motorway to warn of a queue ahead.

Driving in bad weather

Britain rarely has extreme weather, which is exactly why people get caught out when it happens.

Rain

Double your gap. If the steering goes light in deep water you are aquaplaning: ease off, don't brake hard.

Ice and snow

Stopping distances can be ten times longer. Use the highest gear you can, and gentle steering and braking.

Low sun

Common in autumn and winter. Keep the windscreen clean inside and out and use the visor.

Strong wind

Watch out on bridges and open roads, and give cyclists, motorbikes and high-sided vehicles extra room.

UK speed cameras decoded & top practical test faults

Knowing how enforcement cameras work and what catches learners out on test day keeps your licence clean.

01 · SPOT CAMERA · WHITE CALIBRATION LINES

Gatso (Rear-Facing Radar)

The classic yellow box. Uses radar and flashes twice from behind so you aren't dazzled, photographing the car against white secondary check lines painted on the tarmac.

02 · GANTRY ANPR · POINT-TO-POINT

SPECS / Vector (Average Speed)

Yellow cameras on high yellow poles, common in roadworks and A-roads. Pairs of infrared ANPR cameras time how long you take between two points—braking for the camera does nothing.

03 · SIDE-MOUNTED · DISCREET GREY/YELLOW

HADECS 3 (Smart Motorway)

Small cameras mounted on the side of smart motorway gantries rather than underneath. Automatically adjusts to enforce temporary variable speed limits and Red X lane closures.

04 · JUNCTION ENFORCEMENT · 24/7 VIDEO

Red-Light & Yellow-Box ANPR

Triggered when wheels cross the white stop line after red, or when a vehicle stops stationary inside a yellow box junction with a blocked exit.

DVSA TOP FAULT

01 · Junction Observation

Failing to look right, left and right again before emerging, or misjudging the speed of an approaching vehicle on a fast main road.

DVSA TOP FAULT

02 · Mirrors Before Signalling / Changing Speed

Forgetting the MSM (Mirrors – Signal – Manoeuvre) routine when changing lanes, passing parked cars, or slowing down.

DVSA TOP FAULT

03 · Moving Off Safely

Pulling away from the side of the road without checking the blind spot over your right shoulder.

DVSA TOP FAULT

04 · Junction Positioning & Roundabout Lanes

Approaching a roundabout in the right-hand lane when going straight ahead (unless road markings say otherwise) or straddling lane lines.

DVSA TOP FAULT

05 · Steering & Kerb Control on Manoeuvres

Mounting the pavement during a parallel park or failing to pause and look all around when pedestrians walk near the car.

DVSA TOP FAULT

06 · Response to Traffic Signs & Road Markings

Missing a change to a 20 mph zone, creeping over a stop line, or entering a bus lane during operational hours.

If you have an accident

Stay calm. If anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, call 999.

Stop

You must stop if there is damage or injury. Switch on your hazard lights and turn off the engine.

Make it safe

Get everyone out of danger. On a motorway, get behind the barrier.

Swap details

Give your name, address and registration to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask, plus insurance details if anyone is injured.

Record it

Take photos of the cars, positions, road and any damage. Note witnesses, the time and the weather.

Report it

If you could not swap details, report it to the police as soon as possible and within 24 hours.

Tell your insurer

Even if you don't claim, your policy probably requires you to report it.

Don't admit fault

Stick to the facts. Let the insurers decide who was to blame.

Look after yourself

Shock can hit later. Get checked out if you feel unwell.

This guide is a learning aid, not official guidance. The official sources are The Highway Code, gov.uk/driving and the DVSA. Fees and rules change, so double-check anything important.