Learning to drive: Getting started

A provisional license currently costs £45 and can be applied for online on the DVLA’s website, or by filling in a D1 form from the Post Office.

Your license should arrive within three weeks, or longer if the DVLA have to check your medical history.

You won’t be able to take a driving lesson without a provisional license, so make sure you meet the age requirements:

• Cars - 17 years old (or 16 if you receive disability living allowance)
• Mopeds and tractors - 16 tears old
• Motorcycles with a power output of up to 25killowatts – 17 years old
• All other motorcycles – 21 years old
• Buses and other large vehicles – 21 years old

Other essentials:
1. Provide an identity photo and one of the following documents:
• UK Passport
• Birth certificate with national insurance card or pay slip
• EU identity card
• Home Office travel documents
2. Know your last three addresses.
3. Have details of any medical condition which may affect your driving.
4. Make sure you can read a number plate from 20.5metres away.

Choose an instructor

The next step is to select a driving school and an approved driving instructor (ADI).

Ensure the instructor...
• Has held a driving license for at least four years
• Is registered with the DSA
• Has an ADI certificate on their windscreen
• Owns a vehicle which suits you

If you decide not to pay for lessons, you’ll need a friend or relative over 21 years old who has been driving for more than three years.

Book a lesson

Driving schools offer a wide range of lesson types – regular hourly lessons to two-hour sessions per week and more.

There are intense courses which last anything from one week to a month, covering all aspects of driving, usually with a test booked for the last day of the course.

Before you start, you'll need to:

1. Buy a copy of the Highway Code. It's a vital investment to help you study for the theory test and an ideal reference for any road laws and regulations you will need to learn.

2. Create a regular time schedule for your driving lessons. This will ensure you can easily book lessons with your instructor, when you are both free.

3. Know your budget – lessons can cost anything from £15 to £30 per hour. The theory and practical tests cost £28 and 48.50 respectively.

4. Give yourself enough time – on average it takes 45 hours of learning to pass.