You need a provisional driving licence before you can learn to drive a car.
A provisional driving licence allows you to take driving lessons. And once you’ve taken enough lessons, it will also allow you to take your theory test and your practical test. It does not give you total freedom to drive wherever you want, and whenever you want. It comes with some very clear restrictions.
Can A Learner Drive Alone?
No, a provisional driving licence does not let you drive alone. A learner driver can never drive alone. You can only drive with supervision, whether that’s during your structured driving lessons, or outside of your lessons.
The law also states that you must display an L plate on any car you drive – or a D plate in Wales. This learner plate must be the right size, and you must display it in the right area. Head here to read our complete guide to L plates.
There are no exceptions to these rules! And the penalties are very severe for any learner drivers caught driving alone.
What Happens If a Learner Driver is Caught Driving Alone?
You’ll get a £1,000 fine and up to six points on your licence. The offence will also stay on your driving record. This means that, once you finally pass your test, you’ll probably have to pay more for your new driver car insurance than you might have expected.
And insurance premiums for new drivers can be high already.
Can You Get Points on a Provisional Licence?
Yes – you can indeed get points on your provisional driving licence. And if a learner driver is caught driving alone, the penalty can be up to six points on their provisional licence.
What happens if you get six points on a provisional licence?
It is possible to get disqualified from driving before you pass your test. But for that, you’d probably have to accrue 12 points or more on your provisional licence. If you get six points, as we saw above, it will most likely affect the price of your car insurance.
However, one thing to know is that these points will stay on your licence after you pass your test. So you could potentially have six points on your licence from the moment you obtain your full licence and this is bad news.
New drivers are disqualified from driving if they build up six points on their licence within the first two years of driving. So if you already have six points on your licence when you qualify, almost any subsequent motoring offence could be enough to get you banned – even if it only carries a light penalty.
Penalty points don’t stay on your licence forever. But you’ll make life a lot harder for yourself if you build up any points in your early days as a driver. So follow the law closely! Never drive alone on a provisional licence.
Who Can Supervise a Learner Driver?
So to sum up, as a learner driver you need someone to supervise you at all times.
But not just anyone can supervise you.
The person who supervises you must:
- Be at least 21.
- Be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you’re learning to drive.
- Have had their full driving licence (from the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein) for at least three years.
You can read our full guide to who can supervise learner drivers.
Affordable Car Insurance for Learner Drivers
Driving without insurance is also against the law, and the penalties are even harsher than they are for learners who drive without supervision: An unlimited fine, up to eight penalty points, and even a driving ban.
You’ll have to arrange for your own learner insurance. And if you’re practicing in someone else’s car, make sure their insurance policy covers you as a learner driver.
We offer learner driver insurance that’ll bring you full peace of mind at a price you can afford. Learn more about our learner driver insurance.
