Driving Licence

​​The link below explains how you can replace a motorcycle CBT certificate:

Replace a lost or stolen motorcycle CBT certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

VISITING GREAT BRITIAN
Ordinary licences
While your full licence or driving permit is valid, you can drive vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes, and with up to eight passenger seats, for up to 12 months from the date you came to Great Britain.

Vocational licences
If you hold a vocational licence, you can only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside Great Britain and which you have driven into Great Britain.

BECOMING RESIDENT IN GREAT BRITIAN
Ordinary licences
While your full licence is valid, you can drive any type of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident in Great Britain. To continue to drive after this you must pass a GB driving test before the 12 month period ends. If you get a GB provisional licence during this period, you will not have to display 'L' plates or be supervised by a qualified driver, and you will be able to drive on motorways. If you do not pass a test within the 12 month period, you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and the conditions of a GB provisional licence will apply. If you do not apply for a provisional licence within 12 months, you must stop driving and get a GB provisional licence – the conditions of a GB provisional licence will then apply – see Q357: I am going to act as the supervisor for a learner driver. What are my basic legal responsibilities and those of the learner? You can apply for a provisional licence online via the link below:

Apply for your first provisional driving licence

Vocational licences
You cannot drive large vehicles until you have passed the relevant GB driving test. You must pass a car driving test before applying for provisional entitlement to drive larger vehicles as a learner.

If you continue to drive after the periods stated above you will be committing an offence and your vehicle could be seized.

EXCHANGE DRIVING LICENCES
You can exchange a valid driving licence from any of the following countries:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, UAE and Zimbabwe.

Notes:

• If your driving test was not passed in a designated country, you will not be able to exchange it.
• If you have an EU or EEA licence by exchanging one from a designated country, it will only be valid in GB for 12 months. However, you can exchange your EU or EEA licence for a GB licence.
• If you have an EU or EEA licence by exchanging one from a country that is not a designated country, it will only be valid for 12 months and you cannot exchange it for a GB licence.

Visiting GB
Ordinary licences
If you are visiting GB and normally live abroad, and you hold a full ordinary licence from a designated country, you can drive any type of vehicle that:

• weighs up to 3.5 tonnes
• has no more than 8 passenger seats
• is shown on your licence

You can use your ordinary licence for up to 12 months from the date you last came into GB, whether or not you brought the vehicle into GB.

Vocational licences
If you hold a vocational licence from a designated country, you are only allowed to drive lorries and buses that you have driven into GB and have been registered outside of GB.

Licences issued in Gibraltar
If you have a licence from Gibraltar you can drive lorries and buses registered in GB.

Becoming resident in GB
Ordinary licences
You can drive small vehicles for 12 months from the time you became resident in GB. To continue driving you must exchange your licence for a GB one before the end of the 12 months. If you do not do this you must stop driving. You can apply to exchange your licence at any time within 5 years of becoming resident in GB.

Vocational licences
You cannot drive medium-sized or large vehicles (lorry), or passenger carrying vehicles (bus), until you have passed the relevant GB driving test.

Licences issued in Gibraltar
If you hold a full Gibraltar vocational licence, you can drive these vehicles for 12 months, and can exchange a valid vocational licence within 5 years of becoming resident in GB.

If you continue to drive after the periods stated above you will be committing an offence and your vehicle could be seized.

You can find out if you can exchange your driving licence via the link below:

Exchange a foreign driving licence

Further information
The following questions may also be of use:

• Q416: I have a European driving licence how long can I drive with it in this country?
• Q418: I have a foreign licence and have been caught speeding, what's the process?

If you get six or more points on your licence within two years of passing your driving test your licence will be revoked.

Any penalty points you get on your provisional licence that haven't expired will be carried over to your full licence when you pass your test – points usually last for 3 years. However, your licence will be revoked if you get any further penalty points that take you up to a total of 6 or more within 2 years of passing your driving test.

If your licence is revoked, in order to be able to drive again, you'll have to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical parts of the driving test again to get your full licence back.

The 2 year probationary period only applies to the very first test you take, this will usually be for a car or motorcycle, it doesn't apply to any further tests.

If your driving licence has been taken away because you've been disqualified you must apply for a new licence before you can start driving again. The way in which you apply will depend on whether you're a high risk offender. You're a high risk offender if you:

• were convicted of 2 drink driving offences within 10 years
• were driving with an alcohol reading of at least 87.5 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 200 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, or 
267.5 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine
• refused to give the police a sample of breath, blood or urine to test for alcohol
• refused to allow a sample of your blood to be tested for alcohol (eg if it was taken when you were unconscious)

Medical examination with a DVLA doctor
You'll be sent an application form by the DVLA 90 days before your disqualification ends. During this period you must have a medical examination that will be conducted by one of the DVLA's appointed doctors - you will need to pay for this. This in intended to establish whether you're fit to drive and will include:

• a questionnaire about your medical history and use of alcohol
• a physical examination
• blood tests

Non-high risk offenders
DVLA will send you form D27, 56 days before your disqualification ends. You must complete this form and return it to the DVLA . You may have to include a new passport type photograph with your application. If you don't receive your renewal form you can order one from the DVLA's online ordering service Download and order DVLA forms

Bus, coach or lorry licence
You will need to complete form D2. You can order a D2 form from DVLA Download and order DVLA forms

Northern Ireland
You will need to contact the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA ).

Non-GB licence holders
DVLA will return your licence when your disqualification period ends.

Short Period Disqualification (SPD)
A disqualification of less than 56 days is known as a Short Period Disqualification (SPD). You won't need to renew your licence.

Driving licence categories on or after 19^th January 2013

Note 1
Age 24 or 2 years from date of Standard A2 test pass. Tricycle restriction code 79 (tri)/79(03) – this means restricted to tricycles.

Note 2
Age 16 if you are getting or have applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (mobility component) at the enhanced rate.

Note 3
You can drive at age 17 if you are a member of the armed forces. You can drive at 18 if one of the following apply:

• you passed your driving test and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC ) initial qualification
• you are learning to drive or taking a driving test for this category or Driver CPC initial qualification
• you are taking a national vocational training course to get a Driver CPC initial qualification
• you had your driving licence before 10 September 2009, you must take the Driver CPC periodic training within 5 years of this date.

Note 4
You can drive at age 17 if you are a member of the armed forces.

You can drive these vehicles at age 18 if one of the following apply:
(i) If you are learning to either:

• take your Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driving test, or
• get your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC )

(ii) If you have passed a PCV driving test and Driver CPC initial qualification, you can drive if:

• carrying passengers on a regular service where the route doesn't exceed 31 miles, or
• not engaged in the carriage of passengers, or
• driving a vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1
• you don't drive a bus or minibus abroad.

(iii) Since 10 September 2008, drivers passing a PCV test and driving under a bus operator's licence, or minibus permit, or community bus permit, you can drive if:

• carrying passengers on a regular service where the route doesn't exceed 31 miles, or
• not engaged in the carriage of passengers, or
• driving a vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1
• you don't drive a bus or minibus abroad.

You can drive at age 20 after passing a PCV driving test and Driver CPC initial qualification.

For further advice you can contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency by phoning 0300 200 1122.

Age 21 for categories D and DE if:

• the vehicle is being used by the fire service or for maintaining public order
• undergoing road tests for repair or maintenance purposes, or
• if you were entitled to drive the vehicle before 19 January 2013.

Note 5

If you passed your test for category B or B automatic before 1 January 1997 your licence will already show entitlement to C1, C1E (8.25 tonnes), D1 and D1E (not for hire or reward).

Note 6

National category only.

Note 7

At 16 you can drive tractors less than 2.45m wide. It must only pull trailers less than 2.45m wide with two wheels, or four wheels that are close-coupled.
Note 8
At 17 you can drive small roadrollers with metal or hard rollers. They must not be steam powered, weigh more than 11.69 tonnes or be made for carrying loads.

Note 9
You can drive at 17 if the MAM of the tracked vehicle is not more than 3,500kg.

Note 10
You can ride or drive at age 17 if you are a member of the armed forces.

Note 11
An exemption exists for the holder of category B, to drive large motor tricycles in category A if they are over 21 years of age.

Note 12
This applies to all category B licence holders regardless of the test pass date.

MAM – means Maximum Authorised Mass.

Depending on the offence, penalty points and disqualifications are valid for either 3 or 10 years, but they remain on your record for an additional year. Please see the link in Related Information which tells you how long points will remain on your driving record.

If you apply for a driving licence at the age of 17, any points you received as a 15-year-old will be shown on your driving record - you can view your driving record via the link in Related Information.

If you acquire further points on your licence so that the number reaches 6 or more within 2 years of passing your test your licence will be revoked and if you obtain 12 points with a 3 year period, you will be disqualified.

If you acquire 6 or more penalty points within 2 years of passing your first driving test you will automatically have your licence revoked. To get it back you must apply and pay for a new provisional licence, drive as a learner (supervision, 'L' plates etc.) and pass both theory (including hazard perception) and practical tests again.

You can acquire penalty points on your provisional licence before you pass your test but if you then receive more points after passing your test, taking the total to 6 or more, your licence will be revoked. Having your licence revoked when you have acquired 6 or more penalty points does not 'wipe the slate clean', any live penalty points will still be shown on your licence when you get it back.

Revocation only applies where the offence that causes the points to number 6 or more is committed during the probationary period (2 years from passing your test). This means that if you obtain 6 points or more points before you have taken your test you can still pass your test and obtain your licence, but if you obtain any more points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence will be revoked.

Note: If the points on your licence number 12 or more within a three year period, you will be liable to be disqualified under the 'totting up' provisions – usually for at least 6 months.

Note: The penalty for using a mobile phone whilst driving is 6 penalty points and a £200 fine. For newly qualified drivers this could result in your licence being revoked for a single offence.

You can check your driving licence entitlement at View or share your driving licence information

You can check your vehicle tax and MOT at Check if a vehicle is taxed and has an MOT

You can check your insurance at Check if your vehicle is on the Motor Insurance Database

The licence you need to ride a Piaggio MP3 will depend on the power output and the spacing of the front wheels.

If the vehicle is classed as a motorcycle you'll need the appropriate category for its power output:

• A1- Light motorcycle up to 11 kW (and a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.1 kW per kg) and 125 cc. The minimum age is 17.
• A2- Standard motorcycle up to 35 kW (and a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 0.2 kW per kg) bike must not be derived from vehicle more than twice its power. The minimum age is 19.
• A- Unrestricted motorcycles in power/size, with or without a sidecar. The minimum age is 21.

If the vehicle is classed as a tricycle, you can drive a motor tricycle of any power rating if you are over 21 and have a full car driving licence. If not, you will need a full category A1 motorbike licence to ride motor tricycles up to a power output 15 kW , and a full category A motorbike licence to ride trikes with a power output of more than 15 kW .

To mark the UK’s exit from the EU, the EU flag has been removed from all UK driving licences, with the first batches issued from 1 January 2021. While existing licences will still be valid, the new versions will be issued to everyone renewing a licence or getting one for the first time.

(Thanks to Gov.uk for the photo)

Please see the website in Related Information for more information.

There are a number of different designs of L plate fixings available, as opposed to the traditional flat plastic plates that have been used for many years. Whilst the law doesn't specify how L plates must be attached to a vehicle, it does require that they must be displayed to the front and rear of a vehicle that's being driven by a learner and they must be the correct size – please see the link below:

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - L plates

L plates should be removed from a vehicle when it's not being used by a learner.

If you fail to display an L plate on your vehicle when you're learning to drive or if it's the wrong size, you can be fined and receive up to 6 penalty points on your driving licence.