This guide is for internationals who have recently moved to the United Kingdom and want to learn to drive here, starting with a provisional licence. By the end, you will know who can apply, what the official fees are, and how the theory and practical driving tests are booked.
- Check whether you can apply
- Apply for your provisional licence
- Lessons, practice and the theory test
- Book the practical driving test
- After you pass
- FAQ
Check whether you can apply
Your first document is a provisional driving licence, issued by DVLA. The official page on applying for your first provisional driving licence says that you must:
- be at least 15 years and 9 months old
- be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away
- have been given permission to live in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for at least 185 days
Being able to apply at 15 years and 9 months does not mean you can drive at that age. GOV.UK states that most people can start learning to drive when they are 17. The rules also differ by age and by type of vehicle, so GOV.UK advises learners to check which vehicles they can drive, and when, before they start.
The residence condition depends on your permission to live in Great Britain, which means it depends on your immigration status. The official pages used for this guide do not explain how particular visas or permits count towards the 185 days. If you have a question about your own status, speak to an adviser regulated by the OISC or a solicitor regulated by the SRA.
This DVLA service covers Great Britain only. The pages used here do not describe how to get a provisional licence in Northern Ireland, which has its own services.
Apply for your provisional licence
An online application costs £34. You sign in to the service, or create sign-in details if you do not have any. When you sign in, you will be told whether you need to prove your identity. DVLA says this usually involves photo ID such as a passport. Payment is by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card. The service is also available in Welsh.
After you apply, DVLA sends a confirmation email. An online application should bring your licence within one week, although it can take longer if DVLA needs to make additional checks.
You can also apply by post using form D1, “Application for a driving licence”, which most Post Offices stock. You send the form to the address printed on it, with a cheque or postal order for £43 and the correct postage. The official page does not give a processing time for postal applications.
The same page links to services for people who already hold a provisional licence. These cover renewing it, replacing it if it is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, reapplying after a disqualification, and changing the address on it.
Lessons, practice and the theory test
You need a provisional driving licence before you can take lessons or practise. The GOV.UK step-by-step guide to learning to drive a car lists resources for this stage, including the Highway Code, a search for driving schools and instructors, a practice theory test, and a theory and hazard perception test app. The official pages do not list lesson prices.
Your provisional licence is also needed to book the theory test, which costs £23. GOV.UK has pages on what to take to the test and on changing, checking or cancelling your appointment. The pages used for this guide do not give the test format, the pass mark or how long a pass stays valid. The official theory test pages cover those details.
Book the practical driving test
The official page on how to book your driving test says that you must usually pass your theory test before you book. Taxi tests, tractor tests and most “upgrade” tests are the exceptions. The step-by-step guide lists the practical car test at £62 to £75, and GOV.UK lets you check the cost before you start.
There is also a residence rule for the test itself. You must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the 12 months before the day you take your test. This rule is different from the one for the provisional licence. It is about the time you have actually lived there, counted back from your test day, rather than how long your permission to live there lasts.
To book, you need:
- your UK driving licence number
- a credit or debit card
- your driving instructor’s personal reference number, if you want to check that they are available
Who can book. You must book your car test yourself, and you must also make any changes, swaps or cancellations yourself. Your driving instructor is not allowed to do this for you, and it is against the law to book a car driving test for someone else.
How appointments are released. When you start booking, you are placed in a queue and told how long the wait will be. New appointments are added 24 weeks in advance and released at 6am every Monday. Earlier tests, sometimes called “cancellation appointments”, appear whenever another learner changes or cancels a test, and that can happen at any time during the week. There is no waiting list or cancellation list. The online service runs from 6am to 11:40pm.
Upgrade tests and help. Upgrade tests, such as moving from an automatic to a manual car, are booked by calling DVSA on 0300 200 1122, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. GOV.UK also explains what to do if the service does not load, or if you see an “error 15” or “search limit reached” message.
Northern Ireland uses a separate service for booking driving tests.
After you pass
You can start driving as soon as you pass your driving test. Before you do, you must have an insurance policy that allows you to drive without supervision. GOV.UK also has information about Pass Plus training courses for newly qualified drivers. The pages used for this guide do not explain how DVLA issues the full licence after a pass.
FAQ
Can I apply for a provisional licence as soon as I arrive?
You can apply only if you have been given permission to live in Great Britain for at least 185 days, and you also meet the age and eyesight conditions. The official pages do not explain how specific visas count towards the 185 days, so questions about your own status are best taken to an OISC-regulated adviser or an SRA-regulated solicitor.
What are the official fees from licence to driving test?
A provisional licence costs £34 online or £43 by post, the theory test costs £23, and the practical car test costs £62 to £75. The official pages do not list prices for driving lessons.
Can my driving instructor book my test for me?
No. You must book your car driving test yourself, along with any change, swap or cancellation. Your instructor is not allowed to do it, and booking a car test for someone else is against the law. You can enter your instructor’s personal reference number to check whether they are available.
How can I find an earlier driving test date?
New appointments are released 24 weeks in advance at 6am every Monday. Earlier slots appear whenever another learner changes or cancels a test, which can happen at any time during the week. There is no waiting list or cancellation list, so these slots can only be found through the booking service.
Official sources: gov.uk · gov.uk
Last verified: 23 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.
Sources
- gov.uk: Apply for your first provisional driving licence, accessed 23 October 2026 (archived copy)
- gov.uk: Book your driving test, accessed 23 October 2026
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