Apply for your Driving Licence

​Need Help Getting Started?

​At Thames School of Motoring, we guide learners through every step of the process—from applying for your provisional licence to passing your practical test with confidence. Whether you’re applying for your first provisional licence or exchanging your pass certificate for a full licence, the process is straightforward when you know what to do.

​Here’s everything you need to know about applying for your UK driving licence through the DVLA.

Here’s everything you need to know about applying for your UK driving licence through the DVLA.

​Step 1: Check You’re Eligible

Before you apply, make sure you meet the basic requirements:
  • Age: You must be at least 15 years and 9 months old to apply for a provisional licence, but you can’t drive a car until you’re 17.
  • Residency: You must be a resident of Great Britain (England, Scotland, or Wales) for at least 185 days in the past 12 months.
  • Eyesight: You must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away (with glasses or contact lenses if needed).
  • Medical fitness: You must declare any medical conditions that could affect your ability to drive safely.

​Step 2: Apply for Your Provisional Driving Licence

You can apply for your first provisional driving licence online or by post.

Apply Online (Recommended) Cost: £34

Timeframe: Usually arrives within 1–2 weeks
What you’ll need:
  • A valid UK passport (or other identity documents if you don’t have a passport)
  • Addresses where you’ve lived over the last 3 years
  • Your National Insurance number (optional but speeds up verification)
  • A debit or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Electron, or Delta)
How to apply:
  1. Visit the GOV.UK provisional licence page.
  2. Click “Start now” and create or sign in to your GOV.UK account.
  3. Complete the online form with your personal details, address history, and identity information.
  4. Choose whether to allow DVLA to use your passport photo and signature (if you have a UK passport).
  5. Pay the £34 fee securely online.
  6. Receive a confirmation email from DVLA.
Your photocard provisional licence will be posted to your address once your application is processed.

Apply by Post Cost: £43

Timeframe: Can take up to 3 weeks
What you’ll need:
  • Form D1 “Application for a driving licence” (available at most Post Offices)
  • Original identity documents (e.g., passport, birth certificate, biometric residence permit)
  • A passport-style photo (if you don’t have a UK passport)
  • A cheque or postal order for £43 payable to DVLA
How to apply:
  1. Complete form D1 carefully.
  2. Enclose your original ID documents, photo (if required), and payment.
  3. Send everything to the address on the form:
    DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BN

​Step 3: Start Learning to Drive

Once you receive your provisional licence, you can:
  • Book driving lessons with a qualified instructor (like Thames School of Motoring)
  • Practise with a supervising driver who is at least 21 and has held a full licence for 3+ years
  • Begin studying for your theory test
Remember: You must have your provisional licence before you can book your theory or practical driving test.

​Step 4: Pass Your Theory and Practical Tests

Before you can get your full licence, you must:
  1. Pass your theory test (£23): Includes multiple-choice questions and a hazard perception section.
  2. Pass your practical driving test (£62 weekdays / £75 weekends): Assesses your ability to drive safely and independently.
You’ll need your provisional licence and theory test pass certificate with you on the day of your practical test.

Step 5: Get Your Full Driving Licence

Once you pass your practical test, your examiner will:
  • Take your provisional photocard licence
  • Give you a driving test pass certificate
  • Automatically arrange for the DVLA to send you your full licence
Your full photocard licence should arrive within 3 weeks. You can start driving immediately after passing—you don’t need to wait for the full licence to arrive.
If You Need to Apply by PostIf you have a paper provisional licence or need to apply manually:
  • Sign the declaration on your pass certificate
  • Complete form D1
  • Include original identity documents and your paper provisional licence
  • Send everything to DVLA within 2 years of passing your test (or you’ll need to retest)

​Step 6: View and Manage Your Licence

Once you have your licence, you can:
  • View your driving record online at GOV.UK
  • Share your licence details with employers or car hire companies
  • Update your address or personal details with DVLA
  • Renew your licence when it expires (every 10 years for photocard licences)

Norwich Driving Courses

Beginner courses
​If you’re just starting out, we’ll guide you through the basics in a patient and friendly way. You’ll learn essential car control, road awareness, junctions, manoeuvres, and how to prepare for your driving test.
Intensive driving courses
​For learners who want to pass sooner, our intensive driving courses provide concentrated training over a shorter period. These lessons are ideal if you want to build momentum quickly and focus on test readiness.
Refresher courses
​If you haven’t driven for a while, refresher lessons are a great way to rebuild confidence. They can help with roundabouts, parking, busy traffic, and general road awareness in and around Norwich.
Pass Plus courses
​For newly qualified drivers, Pass Plus is a useful next step that helps you build experience after passing your test. It can also support safer driving habits and may help with insurance benefits.
Motorway driving course
​Motorway lessons are ideal for drivers who want more confidence at higher speeds and on longer journeys. You’ll learn how to join, leave, overtake, and drive safely on dual carriageways and motorways.
Manual or automatic
Offering manual or automatic driving lessons in Norwich to suit your preference and learning style. Whether you want the control of a manual car or the simplicity of an automatic, we can help you with the option that feels right for you.​

Patient and friendly driving instructors

Our Norwich driving instructors will work with you closely to build your confidence and skills to make you into a confident and experienced driver with our range fo driving courses designed around you.

Courses designed to help you pass quickly

Learn

Learn to drive quickly and safely with our great driving courses in Norwich

Help

We respond to your driving needs and learning requirements.

Pass

Learn to drive more quickly with our fast driving courses and test results.

Driving Courses in Norwich

Our driving courses in Norwich are ideal for new learners, nervous drivers, students, and anyone who wants to refresh their skills. We cover the city and nearby areas, helping you build confidence in everything from quiet residential roads to busier junctions and roundabouts.
We aim to make every lesson productive, supportive, and practical, so you can make real progress with every drive.

Driving Test Centres in Norwich

Click on the links below to find out more about these local driving test centres, including local pass rates

Norwich (Peachman Way): Plot 16A, Peachman Way, Broadlands Business Park, Thorpe St Andrew, NR7 0WE.

Norwich (Jupiter Road): Jupiter Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 6SS.
​
King's Lynn: Rollesby Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, PE30 4LS.

Book a driving course with us

Drop us a line, and we will call you back at a time to arrange your driving course.

Covering the whole of Norwich including;

Driving test success stories in Norwich

A big part of our success is the way lessons are tailored to each student’s pace and ability. Review after review mentions first-time passes, improved confidence, and instructors who genuinely care about learner success, which is why so many students recommend Thames Driving School to others.

The gift of driving

Are you looking to give the gift of driving this Christmas? Or perhaps you want to give the present of a driving course in Norwich for your nearest and dearest or loved ones. Click below, and we can email driving course vouchers to them.

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