Legal obligations of drivers and riders

You must do several things before you drive a car or ride a motorcycle. These include getting a driving licence, registering, insuring and taxing your vehicle, and getting an MOT.

Before you drive or ride

You must:

Learner drivers

You must:

  • be supervised by a qualified driver (except if riding a motorcycle)
  • display L plates (L plates or D plates in Wales)

Vehicle requirements

The vehicle must:

You must also have a minimum of third party insurance that covers your use of the vehicle.

Changes to personal or vehicle details

You must tell DVLA if you:

You’ll need to change your name on both your driving licence and your vehicle log book (V5C).

Driving larger vehicles or buses

There are higher medical and eyesight standards for driving larger vehicles.

You must tell DVLA if you have any driving convictions.

If you’re applying for a passenger-carrying vehicle (PCV) licence then you must also tell DVLA if you have any other convictions.

Showing your driving documents

If a police officer asks you to, you must be able to show:

  • your driving licence
  • a valid insurance certificate
  • a valid MOT certificate (if your vehicle needs one)

If you don’t have the documents with you at the time, you may be asked to take them to a police station within 7 days.

  1. Step 1 Check you're allowed to drive

  2. Step 2 Get a provisional licence

  3. Step 3 Driving lessons and practice

  4. and Prepare for your theory test

  5. Step 4 Book and manage your theory test

  6. Step 5 Book and manage your driving test

  7. Step 6 When you pass

    You can start driving as soon as you pass your driving test.

    You must have an insurance policy that allows you to drive without supervision.

    1. Find out about Pass Plus training courses