If your child has reached an age where they’re legally allowed to begin driving, being behind them every step of the way is important. Before your teen can get behind the wheel, they will need to obtain a provisional driving licence first, which will be needed before they can book their theory test, hazard perception, and practical driving test.
While your teen is able to apply for their provisional licence as early as three months before they turn 16, they will need to wait until their 17th birthday before they can start learning. To help, here is a guide on how to apply for your teen’s provisional driving licence.
Provisional Driving Licence Requirements
There are several requirements that your teen will need to meet in order to apply for their provisional licence from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, such as:
- They must be a resident of Great Britain (citizens in Northern Ireland will need to apply for their license via another service, the DVA)
- Your teen must be at least 15 years and 9 months old at the time of applying for their provisional licence
- They must be able to read a standard licence plate from a 20-meter distance (with contact lenses or glasses if necessary)
How to Apply
Your teen will need to either apply on the DVLA website or fill out a D1 form from the Post Office for their provisional licence. While online applications can be processed within a week, it can take up to three weeks for postal applications to be completed. When submitting a provisional licence application, your teen will need to let the DVLA know of the addresses they have held over the last 3 years, as well as providing a passport-style colour photo.
Your child will need to provide a valid form of identification such as a current passport, or a UK certificate of naturalisation when applying for a provisional driving licence. If your teen doesn’t have any of these documents, they are able to send their birth certificate along with another form of ID, such as their national insurance number, or a college union card.
Costs to Consider
When applying for your teen’s provisional driving licence, it’s important that you stay safe on the internet and only visit reputable websites. There are many unofficial sites that claim to process your licence application, however, they tend to charge high admin fees on top. It’s advised to use the DVLA website where you will be charged a fixed fee of £34 if you use the online service, or £43 if you make your application by post.
Your teen should also consider taking out provisional insurance, which can keep them covered if they drive your car under your supervision. There are websites like Quotezone which enable you to compare numerous insurance providers in one go, helping you to find the best provisional insurance quote.
If your teen is ready to hit the road and start driving lessons, following all the advice above will ensure that they have their provisional driving licence in place before getting started.