How old do you have to be to get a drivers license in the UK?

Answer 1

You need to be 17 years old in the UK to get a car driver's licence; at the age of 16 you are permitted to drive only motor scooters and mopeds of 50cc, farm tractors, and disabled youngsters are allowed to have small cars that are specially adapted to their needs and have their maximum speed limited to about 40 mph.

Before a 17 year old passes their driving test, their licence is termed a PROVISIONAL licence- it means that they cannot drive a car without a qualified driver sitting next to them, are not allowed on motorways ('freeways' as they are termed in the US), and have to display 'L' plates on the front and rear of their vehicle (L for Learner, although in Wales 'D' plates are allowed, 'D' standing for 'dysgu', which means learner in Welsh). Nowadays, the British driving test consists of two parts- a theory test, where learners have to take a simple written exam about the rules of the road and how to drive a car properly, and the standard practical test where they go out with an examiner, who tests them on various essential driving techniques and assesses their all-round ability.

There is no limit to the number of times you can take your driving test if you fail, although administrative backlog usually means that you have a wait of about 10 weeks between tests if you re-apply for one straight away.