Apply for your first provisional driving licence

Apply for your first provisional driving licence

Get your first provisional driving licence for a car, moped or motorcycle from DVLA online. Apply using your Government Gateway ID. If you don’t have one or need to re-register, you’ll get an ID as part of your application.

Apply for your first provisional driving licence via the DVLA website here

Identity documents needed for a driving licence application

You can use the 9-digit passport number for your driving licence application if you’ve got a UK biometric passport (where the photograph and signature are on the same page).

Otherwise you’ll need to send in an original identity document.

You won’t need to send your biometric passport in with your application.

Other types of identification

Other identity documents are accepted if you don’t have a biometric passport.

You can send:

a current passport
a biometric residence permit (formerly known as the identity card for foreign nationals)
a UK certificate of naturalisation
Send the original document with your driving licence application. Photocopies or laminated certificates are not accepted.

Don’t send in your passport if you need it within the next month – consider delaying your driving licence application until after you’ve travelled.

UK birth and adoption certificates

You can use a UK birth and adoption certificate, but you must send it with 1 of the following:

National Insurance card or a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions showing your National Insurance number
photocopy of the front page of a benefits book or an original benefits claim letter
P45, P60 or pay slip
marriage certificate or divorce papers (decree nisi or absolute)
college or university union card, school record or PASS CitizenCard

If your name has changed

You’ll need to provide evidence if your name has changed since your identity document was issued.

The details you give must show a clear link between the name on your identity document and your current name.

Get your documents back

You’ll get your driving licence and identity documents separately.

Contact DVLA Customer Enquiries if you don’t get your identity documents back within 3 weeks of receiving your driving licence.

Include a stamped self-addressed special delivery envelope if you want your identity documents returned by special delivery.

Related links:

Identity documents needed for a driving licence application from the DVLA website