After Your Driving Test

Once you've passed your test, the examiner will give you a certificate, confirming that you've passed. They will also ask for your provisional licence. If you give it to them, they can make the necessary arrangements to get your full license issued and sent to you in the post.

You can, if you'd prefer, send your own pass certificate and provisional licence to the DVLA yourself. If you do want to do this, you must do so within 2 years of passing your test. If you don’t do this you'll have to retake the test.

New Driver Probation Period

Once you have passed your test, you are on probation for two years. If you get six or more penalty points during this time, you will lose your licence. You will have to reapply for a provisional licence and have to take all the tests again. Since the New Drivers Act was introduced in 1997, over 80,450 drivers have lost their licences.

Safe Driving For Life

Passing the test is a great feeling but it’s only the first step in learning to drive. New drivers are at a greater risk of having an accident than experienced motorists. New drivers account for 10% of all drivers, but are involved in 29% of all accidents. You are more likely to have an accident in the first two years after passing your test than at any other time.

It is important to remember that safe driving is not just about passing the test but is about safety – your own as a driver and the safety of your passengers and other road users. You need to know how to drive safely, how to stay alive and how to avoid killing or injuring others. As a driver, you are responsible for making decisions that can affect other people’s lives as well as your own.