Provisional Licence
Before you can learn to drive a car you must apply for a provisional driving licence.
Apply online
You can apply for your first provisional driving licence for a car using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) secure and easy to use online service.
Apply in person or by post
You can apply for your provisional driving licence by completing the D1 application form that is available from the DVLA form ordering service or Post Office® branches. You will also need to enclose original documentation confirming your identity, a passport style colour photograph and the fee of £38.00. Send your completed application and payment to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AD or you may be able to use the premium checking service.
DVLA aim to deliver your driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your application. It might take longer if we have to check on your health or personal details. You will need to wait for your new licence to arrive before driving. Please allow at least three weeks for your licence to arrive before contacting DVLA.
Remember your instructor’s only aim is to get you through the test
Your lessons will follow a carefully structured plan, which is designed to help you learn to drive as quickly and safely as possible. At no time will you feel out of your depth as your 121 Driving Tuition Instructor will guide you through each step of the learning process until you become proficient. Your lessons will be set out in the following format: -
We will even teach you to fill the car with fuel
As you can see this is a fairly comprehensive list but using good instruction techniques and well laid out diagrams you will soon learn how to drive. Of course how long the course takes depends on your ability to learn, your commitment and how often you take lessons.
The Driving Standards Agency state that on average it takes 45 hours of training with a qualified instructor plus another 22 hours of private practice to reach test standard. N.B. You should add another lesson for every year of your age above 18 years
Everyone learns at a different rate and you may well pass your test with a lot less lessons. Your instructor will tell you when he thinks you are ready and will give you a mock test prior to your DSA Driving test to ensure you are up to standard.
You will be encouraged to take your Theory test as soon as possible after you start learning to drive. Knowing the answers will assist your driving skills and the Hazard perception will help you to anticipate the unexpected.
Once you have reached the required standard, you can book your DSA Practical Driving Test and take it in the car you learnt to drive in.
THEORY TEST & HAZARD PERCEPTION
About the Theory Test
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a Theory Test
The DSA Theory Test for learner drivers in the UK was introduced in 1996, it was designed specifically to help improve user understanding and promote better road safety in light of rising car accidents.
Taking your theory test
The theory test is made up of two parts; the multiple choice part and the hazard perception part. The multiple choice part is delivered using a touch screen computer and mouse and the hazard perception part records your responses through the use of a computer mouse button.
You need to pass both parts to pass the theory test. If you pass one part and fail the other you will fail the whole test, and you will need to take both parts again.
The questions in each multiple choice test vary according to the category of vehicle you are hoping to obtain a licence for, ie a motorcycle theory test will contain specific questions that do not appear in any other test.
For the hazard perception test there are no separate versions for different vehicles, each vehicle category takes the same test, however the pass mark is different for different categories of tests.
Part one - multiple choice
Before the test starts you will be given instructions on how the test works.
You can also choose to go through a practice session of the multiple choice questions to get used to the layout of the test. At the end of the practice session the real test will begin.
A question and several answer options will appear onscreen and you have to select the correct answer to the question by touching the screen or using the mouse. Some questions may require more than one answer.
You will be asked
50 questions in 57 minutes. You can navigate between questions and ‘flag’ questions that you want to come back to later in the test.
The pass mark for the multiple choice part of the theory test is
43 out of 50.
After the multiple choice part you can choose to have a break of up to three minutes before the hazard perception part starts.
Part two – hazard perception
After the break you will then be shown a short tutorial video clip about how the hazard perception part works.
The hazard perception part is also delivered on a computer but you respond by clicking a button on the mouse. You will be presented with a series of 14 video clips which feature every day road scenes. In each clip there will be at least one developing hazard, but one of the clips will feature two developing hazards.
To achieve a high score you will need to respond to the developing hazard during the early part of its development. The maximum you can score on each hazard is five.
You will not be able to review your answers to the hazard perception test; as on the road, you will only have one chance to respond to the developing hazard.
The pass mark for the car and motorcycle hazard perception part of the theory test is 44 out of 75.
When you have finished the test you may leave the examination room. Once you have left the room, you will not be allowed to enter it again. You will then be given your result by the test centre staff.
Learn the Highway code, read all the questions and answers for the Theory Test, take practice Theory tests online. Don’t leave anything to chance!
About the Practical Test
Frequently asked questions
In the early days of motoring there were few rules or regulations. The first car and driver licences were introduced in Britain in 1903.
By the early 1930s motoring had become more popular and more affordable. However, rules and regulations were scant and drivers received only basic instructions before being allowed on the roads. Consequently, accidents and fatalities began to reach worrying proportions.
The practical driving test
The driving test is straightforward and has been designed to see if you:
What will the test include?
The test will include an eyesight test (if you fail this, your test will not continue).
After the eyesight test you will be examined on your general driving and on two reversing exercises. The reversing exercises will be chosen from:
You may also be asked to carry out an emergency stop exercise.
A standard driving test takes about 40 minutes.
What happens during the test?
During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions. During the test, the examiner will ask you to carry out set exercises.
Throughout the test you should drive in the way your instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test. If at any time your examiner considers you to be a danger to other road users your test will be stopped.
You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test.
Driving test standards
All examiners are trained to carry out the test to the same standard, they do not have pass or fail quotas. So as long as you demonstrate the standard required you will pass your driving test.
Weather conditions/ mechanical problems etc
DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or in adverse weather conditions for the safety of the candidate and the examiner. We will arrange another appointment at no further cost, but compensation is not payable. Candidates should call the telephone number quoted on the appointment letter to check whether their test will go ahead.
If the driving test is not completed for reasons attributable to you or your vehicle, you will have to take another test at your own cost.
Frequently asked questions
About Pass Plus
PASS PLUS is a training scheme for new drivers. It's much more than just a few extra lessons. This specially designed course by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), with the help of insurers and the driving instruction industry, helps you
There is no test at the end of it – your driving will be continually assessed and you must successfully complete all the modules in the course to an achieved or exceeded standard:
In exceptional circumstances, if a module can't be done on the road it will be covered in a theory session. The highest level you can reach is 'achieved' as you've not been able to demonstrate the relevant practical skills.
Don’t worry if you haven’t got a car at the moment, you may be able to defer the discount for up to two years. Again, check with your insurance company.
If you passed your test more than a year ago you should check that you’ll be eligible for the discounts on offer from your insurance company before you take the course.
121 Driving Tuition recommend the following publications to help you prepare for the DSA Theory and Practical Test but the lists are endless and most good bookshops will sell a complete kit for about £10 that may include a CD-rom with all the theory test questions and even a mock theory and hazard perception test. But if you register on the DSA site you can take their mock test online (see the links below).
Here are some of the publications
The Highway Code, http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/