So you're victorious - you've passed your practical and theory tests, you've got your test pass certificate and you're ready to hit the road as a qualified driver.

In the fourth of our learner driver features Alex Eckford looks at what happens next.

The first step in claiming your pass is to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about your success. If you didn’t opt to have your full licence issued to you automatically (see our feature on practical and theory tests), you'll need to send your test pass certificate to them.

Send your photocard driving licence, the D740 paper counterpart and fee with your pass certificate.

And if your name has changed since you passed you'll need to complete a D1 form – available from the DVLA and post offices – and provide original documentation confirming your new name.

Once you've posted the application, a full photocard licence should be in your hands within three weeks.

But if you opted to use the automatic licence issuing service (see our feature on practical and theory tests), where the examiner scans in your licence and sends it to the DVLA, you should receive your licence within ten days.

It's worth noting there is a time limit – if you don’t send you certificate with two years of passing your test your entitlement to a licence will be lost, and you'll have to take the tests all over again.

It's legal to drive before the licence is returned as long as you’re not disqualified from driving, are likely to be refused a licence on medical grounds, or any other special conditions which apply to the licence.

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Learning to drive - practical and theory tests

Learning to drive - getting started