Driving after passing your test: rules and restrictions
Passing your test lifts the learner restrictions: you can drive alone, on motorways, without L-plates or a supervisor. The main thing that changes the other way is a two-year probationary period, during which just six penalty points will cost you your licence. There is no legal curfew or passenger limit for new drivers in Great Britain.
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What changes when you pass your driving test?
The moment you pass, you hold a full licence and the learner rules fall away. You can drive unaccompanied, take the L-plates off, carry passengers, and drive on any road including motorways straight away.
You also no longer need anyone to supervise you, and you can drive any vehicle your licence category covers. The freedom is immediate, but it comes with one important catch in the form of the probationary period, which makes your first two years stricter than the years that follow.
One thing worth planning for is insurance. Newly qualified drivers face some of the highest premiums on the road, because they have no claims history and are statistically more likely to have an early accident. A confidence-building course such as Pass Plus, recognised by some insurers, can help, as can building a no claims record from your first policy.
What is the 2-year probationary period?
For two years from the date you pass your first practical test, you are a "new driver" under the New Drivers Act. The rule that matters is the points threshold: if you build up six or more penalty points within those two years, your licence is revoked.
This is a much lower bar than the twelve points that lead to a totting-up ban for established drivers. It exists because new drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in collisions in their first years on the road.
What is the new driver points limit?
The limit is six points in the first two years. Reach it and the DVLA revokes your licence automatically. Crucially, points you picked up while learning count towards the six, so they do not reset when you pass.
That makes some common offences especially costly for new drivers. Using a handheld phone carries six points on its own, which alone would revoke a new driver's licence. A single speeding offence at three points leaves very little room before the limit.
Can new drivers drive on motorways?
Yes, immediately and unaccompanied. As soon as you pass, you can use motorways on your own. While learning you could only drive on a motorway with an approved instructor in a dual-control car, but that restriction ends the moment you pass.
If motorways feel daunting, a voluntary post-test motorway lesson or a Pass Plus course is a good way to build confidence with an instructor beside you before driving on one alone. Our guide on learner insurance after passing your test covers the transition.
Are there any restrictions on night driving for new drivers?
No. There is no legal curfew or night-time driving restriction for newly qualified drivers in England, Scotland or Wales. You can drive at any time of day or night as soon as you pass.
Some other countries operate graduated licensing schemes that restrict new drivers at night, and such schemes have been discussed and consulted on in the UK, but no curfew is currently in force here. Be wary of online claims that one exists; as of now, it does not.
Are there passenger restrictions for new drivers?
No. There is no legal limit on the number or age of passengers a newly qualified driver can carry in Great Britain. You can drive friends and family from your first day with a full licence.
As with night driving, passenger restrictions are part of graduated licensing proposals that have been debated but not introduced into law in England, Scotland or Wales. The only specific new driver rule currently in force is the six-point probationary limit.
What happens if you get 6 points in your first 2 years?
Your licence is revoked. You must then reapply for a provisional licence and pass both the theory test and the practical test again before you can drive unaccompanied. You do not simply serve a ban and resume driving on your old licence.
This is a harsher outcome than for an established driver, who would not lose their licence at six points. It is worth knowing before you take any risk that might add points, because the cost of rebuilding from a provisional licence is significant in time and money.
How to convert your provisional licence to a full licence
In most cases there is nothing to send off. If you handed your photocard provisional licence to the examiner when you passed, the DVSA arranges for your full licence to be issued and posted to you automatically, usually within a few weeks.
If you did not present your licence at the test, or you hold an older-style licence, you may need to apply to the DVLA to exchange it. You can keep driving in the meantime on the strength of having passed. For your first stretch of solo driving while you sort out cover, temporary car insurance or a young driver policy can keep you legally on the road without an immediate annual commitment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new driver probationary period and what does it mean?
For two years from passing your first practical test you are a new driver under the New Drivers Act. If you reach six penalty points in that period your licence is revoked, a much lower threshold than the twelve points that apply to established drivers.
How many points before a new driver loses their licence?
Six points within the first two years of passing means automatic revocation. Points gained while learning count towards the six, so they do not reset when you pass. A single phone offence at six points would revoke a new driver's licence on its own.
Is there a curfew on night driving for new drivers in the UK?
No. There is no legal night-time curfew for newly qualified drivers in England, Scotland or Wales. Such restrictions exist under graduated licensing in some countries and have been consulted on here, but none is currently in force, despite some claims online.
Is there a passenger restriction for new drivers in the UK?
No. There is no legal limit on the number or age of passengers a new driver can carry in Great Britain. Passenger limits are part of graduated licensing proposals that have been debated but not made law. The six-point limit is the only current new driver rule.
Do you have to retake your tests if you lose your licence as a new driver?
Yes. If your licence is revoked for reaching six points in your first two years, you must reapply for a provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again before driving unaccompanied. You cannot simply wait out a ban.
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