Driving licence in the United Kingdom

Driver registration was introduced in 1903 with the Motor Car Act. Holders of the sulphur-yellow coloured document were entitled to "drive a motor car or motor cycle".[15] The wording was changed in 1930 after which holders were allowed to "drive or steer a motor car or to drive a motor cycle". Shortly afterwards, the document cover was changed to a dark red colour. Holders were for a period entitled to drive a vehicle of "any class or description".[15] Subsequent changes saw the document list precisely those vehicle types for which holders were licensed.

Competency tests were introduced by the Motor Vehicles Regulations 1935 applicable to all drivers who started driving after 1 April 1934. Competency tests were suspended in 1939 for seven years due to the Second World War and in 1956 for one year due to the Suez Crisis. The only person in the United Kingdom who is not required to have a driving licence in order to drive is The Queen.[16][17]

Until 1973, driving licences (and tax discs) were issued by local authorities and had to be renewed every three years. In 1971, the decision was taken to computerise the licensing system to enable it to be linked to the Police National Computer and to extend the life of the licence up to the driver's 70th birthday, extendable at intervals thereafter provided the driver can prove fitness.

Except for Northern Ireland, driving licences issued before July 1998 did not have photographs on them.[18] Anyone who holds a licence issued before this date may retain their photo-less licence until expiry (normally one's seventieth birthday) or until they change address, whichever comes sooner. The new plastic photocard driving licences have to be renewed every ten years, for a fee. Until 2015, the licence consisted of both the photocard and a paper counterpart which detailed the individual's driving entitlements and convictions ("endorsements"). The counterpart was abolished on 8 June 2015[19] and the information formerly recorded on it is now available online via the View Driving Licence service, except in Northern Ireland where the counterpart must be kept with the photocard.[20]

Licences issued to residents of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland appear only in English, while those issued to residents of Wales appear in both English and Welsh. The Union Jack Flag has been included on GB licences since July 2015, but not on Northern Ireland licences.[21]

The distinguishing sign of the United Kingdom is "GB". The allocation of codes is maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe,[22] authorised by the UN's Geneva Convention on Road Traffic[23] and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.[24] The UK is party to both conventions, and shall hence issue licences in conformity with the conventions. Annex 9 of the Geneva convention states that the distinguishing sign (GB) shall be inscribed in an oval. According to the Vienna convention Article 43 shall domestic licences comply with Annex 6, which says that driving licences shall include the name and/or the distinguishing sign of the country which issued the permit. UK licences did include the "GB" distinguishing code, at least until 1990.[25]

In Directive 91/439/EEC which EU Member States had to implement before 1 July 1994, the UK had to include the emblem of the EU with the code "UK",[26] instead of "GB" encircled by an ellipse on the front page. As the UK has subsequently withdrawn from the EU, the EU flag is no longer featured on UK driving licences issued after the transition period ended on 31 December 2020.[27]

Each licence holder in England, Scotland and Wales has a unique driver number, which is 16 characters long. The characters are constructed in the following way:[28]

• 1–5: The first five characters of the surname (padded with 9s if fewer than 5 characters). For surnames beginning with "MAC", they are treated as "MC" for all.[29]
• 6: The decade digit from the year of birth (e.g. for 1987 it would be 8)
• 7–8: The month of birth in two digit format (7th character is incremented by 5 if the driver is female i.e. 51–62 instead of 01–12)
• 9–10: The date within the month of birth in two digit format (i.e. 01-31)
• 11: The year digit from the year of birth (e.g. for 1987 it would be 7)
• 12–13: The first two initials of the first names, padded with a 9 if no middle name
• 14: Arbitrary digit – usually 9, but decremented to differentiate drivers with the first 13 characters in common
• 15–16: Two computer check digits.
• 17–18: Two digits representing the licence issue, which increases by 1 for each licence issued.

Each Northern Ireland licence holder has a unique driver number which is 8 characters long. The characters are not constructed in any particular pattern.

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, starting an 11-month transition period which terminated on 31 December 2020 in accordance with the withdrawal agreement.[30] EU law continued to apply to the UK during the transition period, and hence UK driving licences were valid in the EU and, EU driving licences were valid in the UK, until 31 December 2020. UK licence holders living in the EU were advised to exchange their UK driving licence for a local one before the transition period ended.[31][32][33] The EU flag was removed from UK driving licences when the transition period ended.[34]

From 1 January 2021, with some exceptions, UK licence holders can still use their driving licence to drive in the EU for short visits.[35][36] International Driving Permits, governed by other treaties, such as the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, as well as arrangements within the Common Travel Area will facilitate driving possibilities between the UK and the EU/EEA countries in those cases. Depending on which convention the country in question has ratified, a 1949 IDP (Geneva Convention) might be required in some EEA countries, and a 1968 IDP (Vienna Convention) in other EEA countries. However, none of the EEA countries currently require IDPs for visitors staying shorter than 12 months.[33]

The UK uses a cumulative points system for driving offences. Points are added for driving offences by law courts or where the driver accepts a fixed penalty in lieu of prosecution, and the licence is endorsed accordingly. A UK driving licence may be endorsed for various offences, not only for those committed while driving or in charge of a vehicle.[39] If the individual committing the offence does not hold a valid driver's licence the endorsements may be put by until a licence is held.

Most endorsements remain valid for four years; some (such as driving under the influence) are recorded on the licence for 11 years because more severe penalties apply to those convicted twice within 10 years of drink or drug driving offences.

Twelve points on the licence within three years makes the driver liable to disqualification under the "totting-up" procedure; however this is not automatic and must be decided on by a court of law.[40][41] Endorsements remain on the licence for one year longer than their validity (three or ten years) because a court can consider points awarded even though they are not valid for 'totting up'.

Certain codes are included on driving licences to indicate restrictions on use. These codes are listed on the back of the card under the column headed "12. Codes" and are listed for each category that is licensed.

As long as the UK remains within the EU, these codes are the same than those for the EU, currently defined by DIRECTIVE 2006/126/EC.

The codes and their meanings are as follows:[42]

• 01 – eyesight correction
• 02 – hearing/communication aid
• 10 – modified transmission
• 15 – modified clutch
• 20 – modified braking systems
• 25 – modified accelerator systems
• 30 – combined braking and accelerator systems ( licences issued before 28 November 2016)
• 31 - pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards
• 32 - combined service brake and accelerator systems
• 33 - combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems
• 35 – modified control layouts
• 40 – modified steering
• 42 – modified rear-view mirror(s)
• 43 – modified driving seats
• 44 – modifications to motorcycles
• 44 (1) – single operated brake
• 44 (2) – (adjusted) hand-operated brake (front wheel)
• 44 (3) – (adjusted) foot-operated brake (back wheel)
• 44 (4) – (adjusted) accelerator handle
• 44 (5) – (adjusted) manual transmission and manual clutch
• 44 (6) – (adjusted) rear-view mirror(s)
• 44 (7) – (adjusted) commands (direction indicators, braking light, etc.)
• 44 (8) – seat height allowing the driver, in sitting position, to have 2 feet on the road at the same time
• 45 – motorcycles only with sidecar
• 46 – tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)
• 70 – exchange of licence
• 71 – duplicate of licence
• 78 – restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
• 79 – restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets on the licence
• 79.02 – restricted to category AM vehicles of the 3-wheel or light quadricycle type
• 79.03 – restricted to tricycles
• 96 – allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer where the trailer weighs at least 750 kg, and the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is between 3,500 kg and 4,250 kg
• 97 – not allowed to drive category C1 vehicles which are required to have a tachograph fitted
• 101 – not for hire or reward (that is, not to make a profit)
• 102 – drawbar trailers only
• 103 – subject to certificate of competence
• 105 – vehicle not more than 5.5 metres long
• 106 – restricted to vehicles with automatic transmissions
• 107 – not more than 8,250 kilogrammes
• 108 – subject to minimum age requirements
• 110 – limited to transporting persons with restricted mobility
• 111 – limited to 16 passenger seats
• 113 – limited to 16 passenger seats except for automatics
• 114 – with any special controls required for safe driving
• 115 – organ donor
• 118 – start date is for earliest entitlement
• 119 – weight limit(s) for vehicle do(es) not apply
• 121 – restricted to conditions specified in the Secretary of State's notice
• 122 – valid on successful completion: Basic Moped Training Course
• 125 – tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)

Identity cards for UK nationals were introduced in 2009 on a voluntary basis, and the attempt to introduce a nationwide identity-card scheme in 2010 was reversed mid-course. Its in-progress database was halted and then destroyed.[43] Only workers in certain high-security professions, such as airport workers, were required to have an identity card in 2009, and this remains the case today. Therefore, driving licences, particularly the photocard driving licence introduced in 1998, along with passports, are the most widely used ID documents in the United Kingdom. Most people do not carry their passports with them; this leaves driving licences as the only valid form of ID to be presented. In day-to-day life there is no legal requirement to carry identification whilst driving or otherwise, and most authorities do not arbitrarily ask for identification from individuals.

Non-professional drivers are not legally obliged to carry a driving licence while driving, but section 164 of the Road Traffic Act 1998[44] allows a police officer to require a driver to produce a driving licence within seven days at a police station chosen by the driver. The form which was once issued in such circumstances, the HO/RT 1, was known colloquially as "a producer", as exemplified in Smiley Culture's hit single "Police Officer".[45]

Great Britain has an exchange agreement with 17 'designated' countries/regions[46] which allows the holder of a foreign driving license who is deemed to be resident in the UK to exchange it for a British license. To do this, the holder must send the license, a translation thereof if required, an application form and a fee to the DVLA or DVA (for Northern Ireland).

• The countries/regions are: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe

The UK and Ireland have signed a bilateral agreement, allowing those holding UK driving licence and living in Ireland to continue to be able to swap for an Irish licence after the transition period ends.[47]

The UK and Norway have agreed will continue existing arrangements for mutual recognition and exchange of driving licences.[48][49][50]

• European driving licence
• British passport

• DVLA England, Scotland and Wales driver information website
• DVA Northern Ireland driver licensing website
• Driving licence codes