Before Starting Driving Lessons in Leeds or Bradford
Before you can start driving lessons in Leeds, Bradford or anywhere else in the UK, you must make sure you know about the rules that apply to you by law.
Minimum age and eyesight requirements
The minimum age you can start having driving lessons is usually 17 and you must hold a valid provisional driving licence (see below). If you are receiving disability living allowance at the higher rate, your provisional licence will come into effect when you are 16 and you can start taking lessons after your 16th birthday.
You are also required to be able to read a number plate on a stationary vehicle. The distance requirement using an old style number plate is 20.5 metres or 20 metres if the new style number plate is used. New-style number plates are easily identifiable starting with two letters, eg DA10 ABC.
You will be asked to demonstrate this on your first driving lesson and again on your practical driving test. If you can't speak English or have difficulty reading, you may copy down what you see.
Applying for a Provisional driving licence
You can apply for a provisional driving licence 3 months before your 17th birthday, or if you are receiving disability living allowance at the higher rate you can apply for it within three months of your 16th birthday. You must wait until you are 16/17 before you can start taking driving lessons.
You can apply for your first provisional driving licence for a car, moped or motorcycle using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) secure and easy to use online service. Alternatively, 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 £50.00.
DVLA aims to deliver your driving licence to you within three weeks of receiving your application. It will take longer if your health or personal details have to be checked.
When your licence is issued it will now have a number of added security features. One of the main features being a laser engraved black and white photograph.
Apply for a provisional licence online
Private Practise
It is important to learn safe driving practise from the beginning of your driving career because bad habits are hard to break.
It is unlikely that anyone except an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) would have the experience, knowledge and training to teach you properly. Learning safe driving habits from the start will improve the safety of yourself and other road users.
If you want to practise your driving with an accompanying driver, the accompanying driver must be over the age of 21 and must have held (and still hold) a full licence, in the relevant vehicle category, for 3 years.
As a learner driver you must display 'L' plates in a suitable position on the front and rear of the vehicle you are driving.
For more information visit www.directgov.uk/motoring
