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If you have just passed your first driving test,
congratulations! Howevr, you must remember you are "on
probation" for the first two years. If you clock up six or
more penalty points during that time you will lose your
licence and go back to being a learner. You will have to
reapply for a provisional licence and take both the theory
and the practical driving test all over again.
We want to cut the number of people killed and injured on
the roads. Newly qualified drivers[1], especially young ones,
are more at risk in the two years or so after passing the
test than at any other time in their motoring career. One in
five will have an accident in the first year alone. We will
take your licence away if you increase that risk by
committing offences such as speeding.
Penalty points count if you offend in the first two years after
passing your test, even if a court does not award them until after the probation period.
Points awarded if you accept a Fixed Penalty
Notice count towards the "6".
Any penalty points you get before passing
the test may also count as they are valid for
three years.
If you first learnt to drive abroad, the date that counts is the date of the test passed in any of the EU countries, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Gibraltar. For other foreign drivers who pass a UK driving test to get a UK licence, that UK test is treated as your first driving test. For those foreign drivers who (without needing a test) exchanged their licence for a UK licence and subsequently pass a UK driving text for another type of vehicle (e.g. motorcycle or goods vehicle), that UK test is treated as your first driving test and any valid points count towards the six or more that mean you lose your licence.
If you reach six or more penalty points in the 2 year probationary period, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will automatically write to you to say your licence is revoked and is no longer valid. You will have to apply, and pay, for a new provisional licence if you want to drive. As a learner again:
- you cannot drive on the motorway;
- you must display L plates again; and
- you cannot drive a car unless you are with a driver aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for at least three years.
A learner motorcyclist will be restricted to smaller less powerful bikes[2].
To carry on driving without a valid licence is an offence with a maximum penalty of £1,000.
You cannot appeal directly against having your licence
cancelled in these circumstances. But if your case was
heard in a court, it is possible to appeal against the
conviction for which you got the penalty points or
the penalty. The court can advise anyone who
thinks they have a good reason on how to
go about this. Your licence won't be
cancelled before the court has decided on
the appeal.
If you accept a Fixed Penalty Notice you can't appeal that afterwards.
Having your licence revoked affects your insurance policy . You must tell your insurance company immediately.
The retest is just the same as a normal driving test. You must pay for and take the theory test as well as the practical. Passing one retest in a car or motorcycle should give you back all the classes of full licence you held before. However, if you had an LGV (lorry) or PCV (bus/coach) licence, the Traffic Commissioner must be satisfied you are fit to have it back. The Commissioner can insist you take another LGV or PCV test.
In some serious cases, a court may order you to take a retest, which may be an extended test, as part of the penalty You would not have to take two retests to get your licence back, but you would have to take the one ordered by the court.
If you pass a retest and run up more penalty points, you do not go through the same process again. But points are valid for three years and stay on your licence four years from the date of the offence. Twelve points in three years usually means you lose your licence for at least six months.
Main penalty points offences
| Offence | Points |
|---|
| Speeding | 3-6 |
| Traffic light offence | 3 |
| Careless and inconsiderate driving | 3-9 |
| Driving without insurance | 6-8 |
| Failing to stop after an accident or failing to report an accident | 5-10 |
| Failing to identify the driver of a vehicle | 3 |
| Driving when disqualified | 6 |
| Driving other than in accordance with a licence | 3-6 |
| Using a hand-held phone | 3 |
1: The scheme is for first-time drivers, so if you already have a full licence in one category and pass a test in another you do not have another probationary period.However, foreign drivers neeed to read the paragraph about 'Foreign Drivers' because it could be different for them.
2: If you are over 21, you can practise for your retest on larger bikes with certain conditions. See the leaflet "Mopeds and motorcycles routes to your licence" (T/INF/330).
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