Points on a Provisional Licence Guide

Driving Without L Plates

In the UK, learner drivers must display L plates at all times. They need to be the correct size and colour too; failure to follow this rule can result in up to six penalty points placed on your provisional licence.

Driving on a Motorway Without an Instructor

To drive on a motorway, learners must be with their ADI (approved driving instructor) in a car with dual controls. Breaking this rule can land learners with three penalty points and a £100 fine.

Driving Without Insurance

All drivers need insurance, including learners! Driving without insurance is a serious offence, potentially leading to an unlimited fine, eight penalty points or even a ban from driving. There are plenty of ways to insure learners if you only need to insure a car to practise for a few days we have daily learner insurance options.

Speeding as a Learner

Speeding is an offence for all drivers, but for learners, you could face even more consequences. The minimum penalty for this offence is three points on your licence and a £100 fine. But learner drivers should know speeding may also cause a delay in taking your driving test, meaning you’ll have to wait longer to get your full licence. 

What Happens if You Get Points on Your Provisional Licence?

Points that are accumulated on your provisional licence WILL carry over to your full driver’s licence. 

Learners and qualified drivers alike should avoid accumulating points. If a driver has only had their licence for less than two years and has six or more points, your licence can be revoked! This means driving carefully in the first few years of your driving life is vital, otherwise, you risk setting yourself back, costing you time and money. 

Penalty points can last on your record from four to 11 years depending on the offence!

How Many Points Can You Get on Your Provisional Licence?

Learner drivers can gain up to 11 points on their licence and still take their test, but that doesn’t mean they should. Accumulating points on your provisional licence means you put yourself at risk of a driving ban, even once you have your full licence. 

In the first two years of driving after passing your test, drivers cannot surpass six points on their licence, otherwise, they could have their licence revoked. Penalty points on a provisional licence will set you up negatively for when you pass your test, as you’ll have to be extra careful not to get any more points during the probation period. 

Also, accumulating points or having previous driving bans will impact the cost of insurance for you. This means it’ll be more expensive to get insured as a new driver due to having a poor record, and with insurance premiums at an all-time high, this is something all drivers will want to avoid. 

If there is anything to take away from this, it’s that driving carefully and within the rules of the road is the most important thing a driver should do whether you have a provisional licence or a full one. As a learner, mistakes will happen naturally, but by taking care on the road and following simple protocols such as having supervision, being insured and displaying L plates, you’ll be able to keep your record clean as you work towards passing your test. 

Fortunately for learner drivers, our flexible temporary learner insurance provides a great option for practising outside of lessons. Choose from daily, weekly or monthly options so you can get those extra practice hours in outside of lessons and get your full licence in no time!