Driver Licence Application Form – Fill Out and Use This PDF

Important

You can only get a full GB driving licence if you normally live in Great Britain.

If you have a GB photocard licence

•You do not need to provide proof of your identity when renewing your licence unless you are letting us know about a change of name.

•You do not need to provide a new photo unless the photo on the licence is due to be renewed or you choose to do so. A message on the top right-hand side of the renewal reminder form will tell you if your photo is due to be renewed.

•You can change your photo when applying for a new driving licence and your new photo will then be valid for a new ten-year period. It may be possible to do this at no extra cost, saving you a further renewal fee when your current photo expires.

Please see your application form for fee details.

If you have a GB paper licence

•We now only issue photocard licences.

•If you do not have a photocard licence, you must provide a photo and proof of your identity.

You can use your renewal reminder to apply for your first photocard licence or to renew the photo on your licence if it is due for replacement. The top right-hand side of the renewal reminder form will tell you whether you need to provide a photo.

You can change your photo at any time. However, you may need to pay a fee to do so.

Apply online:

You can now apply for many transactions online. Wherever you see this icon, you can apply at the web address shown.

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You will have received one of the following forms

Renewal of driving licence after disqualification (D27P and D27PH)

You can use this to apply to renew your driving licence after you have been disqualified. You will not be able to drive until your disqualification is over. The date your disqualification ends is shown on the form.

Driving licence renewal application (D46P)

www.direct.gov.uk/renewat70

You can use this to apply to renew your driving licence which will run out shortly. Your renewed licence will normally be valid for three years.

You must send us your current paper driving licence or

if you have a photocard licence, return both the photocard and paper counterpart or any remaining part you have.

Renewal of lorry and bus entitlement on your driving licence (D47P)

You can use this to apply to renew your lorry or bus driving entitlement which will run out shortly. Between the age of 45 and 65 you will have to renew your licence every five years and then every year from 65 onwards.

You must send us your current paper driving licence or

if you have a photocard licence, return both the photocard and paper counterpart or any remaining part you have.

Filling in the form

The following sections apply to all renewal forms unless this booklet says otherwise.

If you need to pay a fee, this will be shown in the driving licence fees section on the form.

Section 1 – Your current details

You only need to fill in this section if your name or address (or both) is now different from the one already printed on the form.

The address on the licence must be a GB home address at which you can be contacted.

We do not accept PO box addresses.

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Please provide a daytime phone number or email address (or both) so we can contact you if there is a problem with your application. We will not use these details for any other purpose.

Section 2 – The licence you want

If you are applying for your first photocard licence and renewing your entitlement to drive, put a ✖ in box A. You will need to provide proof of your identity (see section 5).

If you are applying to renew your photo on your photocard licence and renewing your entitlement to drive, put a ✖ in box B. You do not need provide identity documents unless you are changing your name.

If you are renewing your entitlement to drive, put a ✖ in box C. You do not need to provide identity documents unless you are changing your name.

What entitlement are you applying for?

Lorry or bus entitlement (D27P, D27PH and D47P only)

You will need to tell us if you are applying for a provisional or full licence.

Drivers of minibuses and medium-sized vehicles (D46P only)

If you want to renew these entitlements, you must fill in an ‘Application for a lorry or bus licence’ (D2) and provide a ‘Medical Examination Report’ (D4) filled-in by a doctor. See page 14 for further information.

Test pass

Once you have passed a test you must send the test pass certificate to us in order to claim your full licence, or;

If your name is correct on your photocard driving licence, you may be able to have a new licence issued automatically once you pass your driving test. Your driving examiner will tell you if you qualify for this.

Organ donation

You do not have to fill in this section.

If you fill in this section to state that you would donate your organs, we will tell the NHS Organ Donor Register and this information will be shown on your licence.

For more information about donating organs and organ transplants, visit the website at www.organdonation.nhs.uk or phone 0300 123 2323.

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Section 3 – Your eyesight and hearing

Form D27P and D27PH – You must answer questions 3a and 3b. If you are renewing your lorry or bus entitlement you must also answer questions 3c and 3d.

Form D46P – You must answer questions 3a and 3b.

Form D47P – You must answer all questions in this section.

You must be able to read a car number plate (with glasses or corrective lenses if necessary) from 20.5 metres (67 feet), or 20 metres (65 feet) if narrower characters (50 millimetres wide) are displayed.

(The letters and numbers on all number plates made or renewed after September 2001 are 50 millimetres wide instead of 57 millimetres).

Bioptics (telescope) are not currently acceptable for use while driving in Great Britain and it is not acceptable to use a Bioptic device to meet the prescribed eyesight standard. A Bioptic device cannot be used to pass the number plate test.

Your conduct

This section only applies for renewals on forms D27P, D27PH and D47P.

If you are a lorry or bus driver you must fill this in.

If you answer yes to the second question, please give full details in the space provided or on an extra sheet.

What to tell us about

All applicants for and holders of Large Goods Vehicles lorry and bus driving licence entitlement are subject to more stringent conduct requirements than ordinary licence holders.

When applying for these licences, applicants must declare any findings of guilt, fixed penalties and cautions for offences relating to driver’s hours, vehicle roadworthiness or loading.

In addition, applicants applying for a minibus or bus licence must declare any other findings of guilt, fixed penalties and cautions, even if they are offences not relating to driving e.g. assault.

If you are under 21 years of age, any findings of guilt, fixed penalties and cautions, recorded against you may prevent you from holding lorry entitlement.

The Secretary of State for Transport may refer any case where a question arises relating to the conduct of a lorry or bus driver, to the Traffic Commissioner for the area in which you live.

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In all cases of conduct, the Traffic Commissioner, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State will decide whether or not to grant you entitlement to drive large goods or passenger carrying vehicles. In doing so, all endorsements on your licence will be taken into account, together with all other relevant findings of guilt, fixed penalties and cautions, before making a decision.

Section 4 – Your health

You must tell us if you ever had, or currently suffer from any of the conditions listed on the application form. If you don’t, you could have to pay a fine of up to £1000.

If you think you have a medical condition that could affect your fitness to drive, please get advice from your doctor or optician, or visit the website at www.direct.gov.uk/driverhealth

By telling us of a medical condition we will then send you a questionnaire to fill in when we receive your application. To save time, you can download a questionnaire from www.direct.gov.uk/driverhealth and send it with your application.

Important medical information (forms D27P, D27PH and D47P)

If you have sent us a D4 in the last 12 months, do not send one now.

For lorry and bus drivers only, you need a ‘Medical Examination Report’ (D4) if:

•your previous entitlement has run out or has less than three months to run

•you will be 45 or over when the new entitlement begins, or

•you need provisional lorry or bus entitlement.

Note: If you are renewing your licence after some alcohol-related offences (D27PH), this is in addition to the medical examination that you will be required to undertake.

Important medical information (form D27PH only)

You will have to satisfy our doctors that you are medically fit to drive before you can get your licence back.

You will be required to attend a medical examination, carried out by an independent doctor approved by us which you will have to pay for (see application form for fees).

The medical examination will include:

•details about your relevant medical history

•a physical examination

•a basic urine and blood test.

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As soon as we receive your application, we will send you details of a local independent doctor approved by DVLA for you to arrange an appointment for the medical examination.

A driving licence will not be issued if there is evidence of persistent alcohol misuse or dependency within the past 6 to 12 months or there is current evidence of ongoing alcohol misuse or dependency. This is intended to reduce the risk to road safety from repeat drink-driving.

If you have any doubts about your fitness to drive, particularly with regard to any alcohol-related, mental health, drug or any other medical problems, you should discuss the matter with your own doctor before you submit your application. For some people, it may be sensible to consider postponing their application until they are fully able to meet the medical standards. Any abnormalities identified within the process will require further investigation and this may lead to delays in the return of the licence or licence refusal.

Section 5 – Your proof of identity

You must provide original documents (please see below), or if the original has been lost a duplicate issued by the authority that issued the original.

We will not accept photocopies or laminated certificates.

Part A – Digital UK passport holders only

If you are giving your permission for us to contact the Identity and Passport Service, do not send us your digital UK passport.

However, you will still need to provide a photo if this is your first photocard licence or if you wish to change your current photo.

Note: if both your photo and signature appear on the same page in your passport then it is a digital passport. Your passport number is shown at the top right-hand side of that page.

If you do not have a digital UK passport or you do not give us permission to contact the Identity and Passport Service, see Part B below for advice on what you need to send us.

Part B – Documents provided to prove your identity We will accept the following current documents:

•A passport or travel document

•A Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

•An EC/EEA National Identity Card (with the exception of ID cards issued by the Swedish Post Office).

If you are sending one of these, you must provide a recent photo of yourself but you do not need to have your photo signed and you do not need to fill in section “Signing a photo to verify identity (if necessary)”.

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If the documents you provide are not in English, you will need to provide a translation that has been issued in the UK and signed by an official translator.

Do not send in your passport if you need it within the next 4 weeks.

You could consider delaying your licence application until you can send us your passport.

If you do not have a digital UK passport, or you have one but you do not want us to check your identity with the Identity and Passport Service, you can use the Premium Checking Service (see pages 12 – 13) as long as your UK passport is in your current name. Your passport will be sent securely with your application to DVLA.

•A UK birth or adoption certificate and one other supporting identity document (see the note below).

If you were born in the UK and do not have your UK birth or adoption certificate, or the one you have does not show your full name or country of birth, contact your local register office.

Note – a birth or adoption certificate is not absolute proof of your identity. You must also send one of the following documents:

–Your National Insurance (NI) card or a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions showing your NI number.

–A photocopy of the front page of a benefits book or an original letter about a claim for a state benefit.

–A P45, P60 or payslip.

–A marriage certificate or divorce papers (Decree nisi or decree absolute).

–A student-union card or school record.

Note – The National Insurance Number cannot be a temporary number (usually starting with TN):

•If you have reached State Pension age, you can provide originals of one of the following:

–A bank or building society statement, issued in the last three months, showing your pension payment.

–A letter from the Department for Work and Pensions confirming your eligibility for the State Pension and showing your National Insurance number

•UK Certificate of Naturalisation.

If your name is different from that shown on your digital UK passport, current photocard licence or the document you are enclosing, you must provide proof of your name.

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We will accept:

–a marriage or civil partnership certificate

–a decree nisi or decree absolute, or

–any deed-poll declarations.

The evidence you provide must show a clear link between the name on your identity document or digital UK passport and your current name.

Section 6 – Signing a photo to verify identity (if necessary)

If you have agreed to us verifying your identity with IPS or are providing an up to date Passport, Travel Document, Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or an EC/EEA National Identity Card (with the exception of ID cards issued by the Swedish Post Office) as proof of your identity, then you do not need someone suitable to sign the back of your photo.

All other identification produced will require someone suitable to sign the back of your photo.

The person signing the photo must:

•฀ have known you personally for at least 2 years within the UK

•฀ not be a relative

•฀ not be a person living at the same address, and

•฀ not be a member of the Post Office® staff processing the application (if you choose to use the Premium Checking Service - see pages 12 – 13).

Suitable people who can sign your photo include the following.

•Local business people or shopkeepers

•Librarians

•Professionally qualified people (for example, lawyers, teachers or engineers)

•Police officers

•Bank or building society staff

•Civil servants

•Ministers of religion

•Magistrates

•Local councillors, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members, Members of the Scottish Parliament or Members of the European Parliament.

We will make checks on people who sign photos.

You do not need someone to sign your photo if you are renewing the photo on your licence.

If you have come to live in the UK within the last two years and you cannot have your photo signed by someone in the UK who has known you for at least two years, take all the documents to your nearest DVLA local office. They will sign your photo and fill in section 6 of the application form. The DVLA local office will send your application and original identity documents to us at DVLA, Swansea.

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Your photo

Your photo must meet the following agreed standards.

The photo of you must be the same size as the one we have shown below.

At least

45mm29mm and no more

than

34mm

35mm

Your picture should not fill the area of the photo or be too small to be seen. The photo is 45mm tall, your head should fill an area of between 29mm and 34mm, as shown.

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Section 7 - Your declaration

You must read the declaration and sign the form in black ink, making sure that your signature is completely in the white area.

We will electronically scan, reduce and copy your signature onto your photocard driving licence and the paper counterpart.

General information

Where to send your application

D27P	Send your application form to:
and	DVLA
D46P	Swansea
	SA99 1AA.
D27PH	Send your application form to:
	DVLA
	Swansea
	SA99 1DL.
D47P	Send your application form to:
	DVLA
	Swansea
	SA99 1BR.

However, if you have told us about a medical condition in the ‘Your health’ section, send the form to:

Drivers Medical Group, DVLA Swansea SA99 1DL.

Premium Checking Service at the Post Office®

If you are applying for your first photocard licence, some Post Office® branches offer the following service:

•฀For a fee, they will check your application form to make sure it is correct and then send it to us with your current driving licence (if you have one).

•฀A digital UK passport or evidence that you receive or are eligible for UK State Retirement Pension can be used as proof of identification and will be handed back to you. However, DVLA can still ask to see the original identity document.

Note: If you do not give consent to DVLA verifying your identity with IPS, your digital UK passport will be sent securely to DVLA.

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•฀If you use a non-digital UK passport as proof of identification, it will be sent securely with your application to the DVLA.

Your passport will be returned to you separately from your driving licence.

Note: If you would like us to return your passport by special delivery, please include a stamped self-addressed special delivery envelope. Keep a note of the special delivery serial number.

You must apply in person and all your documents must be in your current name. You cannot use this service if you are changing your name or renewing your photo.

For information on your nearest Post Office® branch that offers this service, phone 08457 22 33 44 (textphone 08457 22 33 55) or from the Post Office ® website at www.postoffice.co.uk

Details of how you can pay for this service are shown on the application form.

Premium Checking Service at DVLA local offices

For a fee, all DVLA local offices provide the same checking service as some Post Office® branches and also offer the service explained below.

Three DVLA local offices – Glasgow, Nottingham and Wimbledon

–together with the main reception at DVLA, Swansea, also offer a Premium Checking Service for people who are exchanging a full licence from the EC or EEA, Gibraltar or the following countries.

Australia	Barbados	British Virgin	Canada
		Islands
Falkland	Faröe	Gibraltar	Hong Kong
Islands	Islands
Japan	Monaco	New Zealand	Republic
			of Korea
Singapore	South Africa	Switzerland	Zimbabwe

To use this service:

•you must be applying for a full GB driving licence, and

•your passport must be in the same name as is shown on your full driving licence.

You can also use this service if you are exchanging a full GB paper licence for a photocard licence.

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You can find the address of your nearest DVLA local office:

•on the website at www.direct.gov.uk/dvlalocal, or

•by phoning 0300 123 1277 (you will be asked to give your postcode). DVLA local offices are open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (except every second Wednesday in the month when the opening times are 9.30am to 5pm).

Details of how you can pay for this service are given on your application form.

Drivers of minibuses and medium-sized vehicles (form D46P only)

If you want to renew your entitlement to drive:

•minibuses with up to 16 passenger seats (where the passengers do not pay a fare)

•minibuses on a voluntary basis (if you passed your category B test after 1 January 1997), or

•medium-sized vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes (including trailers).

You must fill in an ‘Application for a lorry or bus driving licence’ (D2) and provide a ‘Medical Examination Report’ (D4) filled in by a doctor. You can order these online from www.direct.gov.uk/motoringforms or from us by phoning 0300 790 6801 (between 8am and 7pm Monday to Friday, and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays).

They are also available from DVLA local offices, the Vehicle Operator Services Agency, the Driving Standards Agency, Traffic Area Offices and LGV/PCV training schools. You can also download the D4 from www.direct.gov.uk/motoringforms

If you only want to renew your car entitlement, you do not need a D2 or to be examined by your doctor.

You cannot renew this entitlement online.

Plastic wallets

We no longer send out plastic wallets with photocard driving licences. We cannot return old plastic wallets we have received.

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Returning your identity documents

•We will send your licence and identity documents separately.

•We cannot guarantee to return your identity documents by a set date.

•If you would like us to return your identity documents by special delivery, please include a stamped self-addressed special delivery envelope. Keep a note of the special delivery serial number.

•If you sent your application direct to us and you do not get your identity documents back within 2 weeks of receiving your photocard licence, please phone DVLA Customer Enquiries on 0300 790 6801.

Note: unless you contact us within three months of the date you sent your application, it will be difficult for us and Royal Mail to carry out the necessary investigation.

The Data Protection Act and you

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to be told what information we hold about you. If you want to know what information we hold about you, please write to us. Include your full name, address and date of birth. Send your letter, together with a cheque or postal order for £5 (made payable to DVLA, Swansea) to:

Driving Licence Validation Team

Driver Customer Services

DVLA

Swansea

SA6 7JL

Information contained on your application form and the driving licence record to which it relates may be passed to other Government organisations and law enforcement agencies. This would be for the purpose of checking your application and for the prevention and detection of crime where there is a legal power to do so. Individuals may consent to the release of driver data to third parties for driving entitlement purposes.

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