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Before you start

Essential information for learners

Prior to taking driving lessons with Argus School of Motoring, you must fulfil a few initial requirements

Before you can begin learning to drive on public roads in the United Kingdom

  • you must be at least 17 years old; and
  • you must hold a valid, signed Provisional Driving Licence for Great Britain.

A Provisional licence permits you to drive a car under the supervision of another driver who is at least 21 years old and who has held (and still holds) a Full driving licence for at least three years. Any vehicle you drive must be fitted with “L” plates front and rear.

You may apply for a Provisional licence up to three months before your seventeenth birthday, but it will not become valid until you turn seventeen. You may book tuition with Argus before you receive your Provisional licence, but you must have it in your possession before you may take any practical lessons.

To apply for a Provisional licence, you will need application form D1, which you can obtain from Post Office branches. The current application fee is £45.00.

You can find out more about applying for your licence on the Directgov web site. www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/fs/en

Are there any other restrictions?

Obviously, you must have sufficiently good eyesight, whether naturally or corrected by prescription spectacles or contact lenses. You should be able to read accurately the registration number

  • from a “new-style” UK car number plate at a distance of 20 metres; or
  • from an “old-style” number plate at 20.5 metres.

New-style number plates were introduced on 1 September, 2001 and are easily identifiable because they start with two letters, e.g. AB51 ABC. You can find out more about eyesight requirements on the DSA web site. www.dsa.gov.uk/Content.asp?id=SXEF4C-A77F5330

There are certain medical conditions that may prohibit you from driving. Driving licence application forms include a series of health questions, and you must declare if you suffer from any of the conditions listed. You can find more information about medical rules on the DVLA web site. www.dvla.gov.uk/medical.aspx