Getting Started

Under 17

Three months before your 17th birthday you can apply for your provisional license – or as soon as you're 16, if you're disabled and receiving mobility allowance. Then once you're 17, you can legally drive a car on
public roads in the UK. It's okay to start practising on private land, as long as the site is gated and far away from public highways. But remember, supermarket car parks are classed as public roads, so don't use these.

Check your eyes

Before you start learning, make sure you can read a number plate in good daylight from 20.5 metres away – that's about five car lengths. For the new-style number plates (that were introduced on September 2001), the distance is 20 metres. If you wear glasses or contacts, that's fine. Just make sure you always wear them when driving.

Get your 'L' plates

When you're learning, you'll need to put 'L' plates on the front and back of your car or somewhere they can be seen easily. You're only allowed to drive with someone who's passed their test, who is over 21 and has been driving for three years or more.
Your 'L' plates also have to meet legal specification - so buy them rather trying to knock some up yourself. Whenever the car is driven by a fully qualified driver, the plates need to come off or be covered up.