Motorists urged to check the back of their driving licenses

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Here’s what the back of the UK driving licence really means

Check the back

Motorists across the UK are being urged to check the back of their driving licence to check they are properly qualified to get behind the wheel of their chosen vehicle.

Passing your driving test only qualifies motorists to drive certain vehicle and additional tests may be required if they want to drive other types.

If a motorist is driving a vehicle that is not covered by their licence, their insurance will be automatically invalid.

Driving test

To make matters more confusing, the types of vehicles that drivers are legally allowed to take out on the road also varies depending on when they passed their driving test.

Laws have changed

Government laws have changed over the years to limit what motorists can drive with a standard UK licence. Motoring laws changed on January 1^st, 1997, to make the roads safer, by requiring additional tests to be carried out to legally drive category A, C and D vehicles (motorcycles, vans and lorries).

before and after 1997

Those who passed their test before 1997 are automatically qualified to drive a much wider range of vehicles than those who sat their driving test after this date.

The changes also impacted the rights of drivers to tow vehicles, with those who passed their test after 1997 requiring further permits to tow.

September 2022

As of September 2022, those who pass their standard test are now only allowed to handle category B, F, K, Q and AM vehicles (a standard car, agricultural tractors, mowing machines and pedestrian controlled vehicles, and two and three wheeled vehicles without pedals, with a maximum engine size of 50cc and speed of 15mph).

Legally allowed

A spokesperson has said: “There are many different types of vehicles, and it is important for drivers to know what they are legally allowed to drive so that they avoid penalties and ensure their motor insurance is valid.”

“The rules of the road are constantly evolving. 2022 has been a significant year for change, most notably the updates to the Highway Code in January that gave more priority to vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, so it’s best practice for all road users to keep themselves up to speed with the latest additions.”

To check which vehicles motorists are qualified to drive, they can turn to the back of the driving licence and see which letters and numbers are present.