Quick answer: Your UK driving licence photo must be 35mm wide by 45mm high, in colour, taken within the last month against a plain light grey or cream background. Your head must measure 29–34mm, with a neutral expression and eyes open. Apply online with a digital upload, or by post with a booth-printed photo. A…
Quick answer: After you pass your practical driving test, DVLA usually sends your full UK driving licence automatically and it arrives within 3 weeks. You can drive straight away — you do not need to wait for the licence. Keep your pass certificate safe as proof until it arrives. You did it — you passed…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Details are taken from GOV.UK. A driving licence check code is the only way left to prove your entitlements and penalty points to someone else, since the paper counterpart it replaced was abolished over a decade ago. Get the format wrong, or let it expire, and a car hire desk or…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules are taken from GOV.UK. Turning 70 does not end your ability to drive, but it does end your existing licence. Renewing at 70 costs nothing and does not involve a driving test, yet DVLA figures suggest a meaningful number of older drivers let their licence lapse simply because they missed…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules are taken from GOV.UK. Penalty points on a driving licence do not simply vanish after a set date. They stay on your record for either 4 or 11 years, but only count toward disqualification for part of that time, and the difference catches a lot of drivers out. This guide…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Details are taken from GOV.UK. Search “DVLA driving licence” and you may land on a copycat site before the real one. Every UK driving licence in England, Scotland and Wales is issued by one organisation, the DVLA, and going anywhere else usually means paying extra for something that is free or…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Fees and rules are taken from GOV.UK. £20 gets you a replacement driving licence, and the online route is usually the quickest. If yours was stolen rather than simply lost, though, there is one extra step most people skip before they apply. Below is exactly what to do, what you need,…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Details are taken from GOV.UK and the official DVLA licence format. Your driving licence number is not random. It is a 16-character code built from your surname, date of birth and initials, sitting in field 5 on the front of your photocard. Once you know the pattern, you can read most…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules are taken from GOV.UK. You can drive in Great Britain on a foreign licence for 12 months. After that, whether you can simply exchange it for £43, or must pass UK tests from scratch, depends entirely on which country issued it. This guide covers the designated country list, the exact…
Last reviewed: September 2026. Figures are taken from GOV.UK. The theory test pass mark is 43 out of 50 on the multiple-choice section and 44 out of 75 on hazard perception. You must pass both in the same sitting, and one strong score does not cover a weak one. This guide covers the exact format,…