Driving Ages Explained
Driving is fundamental for many people in the UK, offering freedom and convenience, and with that comes a significant level of skill and responsibility to maintain everyone's safety on the road.
Operating a vehicle is a challenging task, and to ensure motorists are adequately prepared for these challenges, there are minimum age restrictions that govern who can legally obtain a driving licence.
This guide will delve into the minimum age restrictions for driving various motor vehicles, from cars and vans to motorbikes and mopeds, and explore the topic of maximum age restrictions in the UK.
Contents
- Minimum driving age in the UK
- Is there an age limit for driving in the UK?
- Mopeds and motorbikes
- Light vans, buses, and minibuses
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) driving licence
Minimum driving age in the UK
The legal minimum driving age for most vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, is 17 years old. You may apply for a provisional driving licence shortly before your 17th birthday, and begin learning to drive as soon as you turn 17.
Learner drivers must be under the supervision of a qualified instructor or an experienced driver who is at least 21 years old and has held a full driving licence for a minimum of three years. This ensures they have sufficient driving experience to guide the learner safely.
Learner drivers must display L-plates on their vehicle and are restricted from driving on motorways unless accompanied by an approved driving instructor in a dual-controlled car.
Age limits are designed to ensure that new drivers possess the necessary maturity and decision-making skills to handle the responsibilities of driving, thereby promoting safety for all road users.
Is there an age limit for driving in the UK?
There is no legal maximum age limit for driving in the UK; as long as elderly drivers are physically and mentally fit, they can continue operating a vehicle.
With that being said, once drivers reach the age of 70, they're required to renew their driving licence every three years to ensure older drives remain safe on the roads.
This process involves self-certifying that they meet the required health standard, but a medical examination or driving test isn't required unless there are specific concerns about the driver's ability.
Mopeds and Motorbikes
You can drive a moped with an engine size of no more than 50cc at age sixteen, but this can only be done once you have acquired your provisional driving licence and have also undertaken a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course.
CBT is designed to familiarise you with the rules of the road for motorcycles and mopeds, and must be completed before you can legally ride.
At 17, you can ride: a light motorcycle up to 125cc and maximum power output of 14.6bhp; a medium-sized motorbike up to 33bhp and a power to weight ratio of up to 0.16 kW/kg or a motorbike with sidecar and a maximum power to weight ratio of 0.16 kW/kg.
At 21, you can ride any size motorbike with or without a sidecar, but you need to have completed the large motorcycle Direct Access Scheme first.
There are two types of motorbike licence based on the size of the bike: with the light motorcycle licence (A1), you're restricted to any bike up to 125cc and a maximum power output of 14.7bhp; with the standard motorcycle licence (A), your practical test must be taken on a bike of between 120 and 125cc and capable of at least 60mph.
Once you've passed the standard motorcycle practical test, will only be able to ride a bike of up to 34bhp for the following two years, after which you can ride a bike of any size.
Light vans, buses, and minibuses
At 17, you can drive a car or van with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 3,500kg, towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM, for a combined total of up to 4,250kg. If you wish to tow a trailer over 750kg MAM, the trailer’s weight must not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, with the combined weight not exceeding 3,500kg.
If you've passed the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC), at 18 you can drive vehicles weighing between 3,500kg and 7,500kg, with or without a trailer, as long as the trailer does not exceed 750kg.
At 21, with a Driver CPC, you can drive vehicles in this weight range with a trailer exceeding 750kg, provided the total weight of the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 12,000kg. Additionally, at 21, you can also drive buses and minibuses.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) driving licence
You can apply for your driving licence at the age of 16 if you're in receipt of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) which carries with it the ability to claim for aid with mobility.
In this circumstance, you may qualify for help in purchasing a motor vehicle through the government's Mobility Scheme. If this is granted, a driving licence can be applied for earlier if there are sufficient grounds for the aid of a motor vehicle to achieve mobility.
This is more likely if the person receiving DLA (Disability Living Allowance) is physically impaired and cannot rely on public transport in the same way an able-bodied individual would.
Understanding driving ages in the UK
Whichever vehicle you're interested in driving, it's important to adhere to the laws and rules laid down by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) and the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency).
Failure to comply with the rules may result in revocation of a driving licence as well as a potential driving ban - this could have an impact on both your insurance premiums and employment opportunities.
To learn more about road safety and the laws around driving in the UK, explore our blog section, which is regularly updated with motoring advice and insight.
