What happens after I pass my driving test

Applying for your full driving licence

When you pass your driving test, you can choose to have your new driving licence sent to you, or you can apply for your full licence yourself. If you choose to have your licence mailed to you, the DVSA will send it to the address on your provisional driving licence.

To apply for your full driving licence after passing your test, you need to fill in the deceleration on your driving test pass certificate and send that off with a completed D1 form to apply for your full driving licence. The D1 form is available from the post office.

Applying for your licence is handy if you won’t be able to pick your licence up at the address listed on your provisional licence. Consider doing so if you’re;

• Moving house
• Changing your name
• Staying at a different address

How long will it take to receive my driving licence?

Waiting for your new driving licence to arrive after passing your test can be annoying. But fear not, you won’t have long to wait. If you have a photocard driving licence, and you’re happy for the driving examiner to send your driving test pass certificate to the DVLA after passing, it should take around three weeks for your new licence to arrive.

Can I drive before my new licence arrives?

The short answer is yes; you are legally allowed to drive after passing your test, even if you haven’t received your full driving licence. In the three weeks between passing your test and your full licence arriving, you can drive independently, which means no more lessons and no more supervision. 

What should you do straight after passing your driving test?

The first few moments after passing your driving test are fantastic. It’s a great feeling to know that all that hard work, perseverance and money spent was worth it. When the examiner congratulates you on passing, we’re sure you’ll have a hundred and one things going through your mind and don’t worry, this feeling is completely normal.  Here’s what we recommend you do right after passing your driving test;

Look at your driving test report

One of the first things to do when you pass your driving test is sit down with your driving instructor and go over your driving test report. The driving examiner will record any errors you make on this form. It’s important to chat through any driver faults, as it will help you avoid making the same mistakes when driving on your own. 

Don’t drive home

You’ve just passed your driving test, and no doubt you’re over the moon, but believe it or not, it’s really easy to end up in an accident on the way home when you’re on such a high! The combination of the rush of adrenaline, the feeling of relief and the sheer joy of it all can cloud your judgement on the drive back. 

If you took the driving test in your car, let whoever accompanied you drive back, and if you came with your driving instructor, they’d probably insist they drive back for this very reason. 

Take a  picture

One of the best things about passing your driving test is taking that all-important picture with your driving test pass certificate. It’s a right of passage and a picture you will look back on fondly for years to come. Don’t forget to cover your details if you plan on posting the picture on social media too!

Leave your instructor a nice review

It’s really common to want to thank your driving instructor after you’ve just passed your driving test and one of the best ways to do so is by leaving a nice review. If your driving instructor has a profile on Google or any third-party review site like TrustPilot or Reviews.io, leaving a positive review is a great thing to do. It’ll help them grow their business as potential customers will trust your honest review.

Seek additional training

Learning to drive and passing your driving test should be the start of the lifetime of safe driving. What you shouldn’t see it as is a means to an end. Although you are allowed to drive unsupervised once you’ve passed your test, there’s no harm in getting some additional training if you’re nervous about being behind the wheel on your own.  

Pass Plus

Driving without supervision exposes you to a wide range of different scenarios, some of which may not have covered during your lessons. For example, you may not have done much rural driving when learning to drive, especially if you live near a town centre. In addition, if you learnt to drive during the summer months, you may have no experience of driving at night by the time you pass your driving test.

If you’re concerned about your lack of driving experience, the Pass Plus driving course can help fill in the gaps in your knowledge. The course costs around £100-£150, and it’s the perfect course to take after you passed your test.

The Pass Plus course has the following six modules;

• Driving in a town centre
• Driving on country roads
• Driving at night
• Driving in adverse weather
• Driving on dual carriageways
• Driving on motorways

Some insurance companies will offer you a lower monthly premium if you complete the Pass Plus course. In some cases passing the course can reduce your insurance premiums by up to 25%. This is helpful as new driver insurance can be costly. 

If cheaper driving insurance is the main reason you’re interested in the course, check with any prospective companies first to see if they will offer your a discount upon completion, as not all insurance providers do.

New driver Insurance

If you’ve just passed your driving test and you now need insurance, you’re not alone. If you took the driving test in your own car or plan to buy a car, you’ll need to sort out your insurance before legally driving your car unsupervised. 

Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29 years old, and 1 in 5 drivers will be involved in an accident during their first year of driving. Insurance providers are aware of this risk, and this is why new driver insurance is so expensive. So if you’ve just passed and you’re looking for insurance, here are some tips to reduce the cost of your premiums.

Install a black box

Insurance premiums for new drivers under the age of 25 can be very steep. In lots of cases, the cost of insurance can outstrip the cost of the car! If you’re lucky enough to be under 25 years old, we strongly recommend installing a black box.

A black box is a device that’s fitted to your car and, through GPS, monitors how you drive. For example, the device monitors what time of day your drive, your average speed,  the type of roads you use and lots of other metrics.

Insurance companies run data from the fitted device through an algorithm to determine how safe a driver you are. The safer you are, the lower your insurance premiums will be at the time of renewal.

Take out a policy with a voluntary excess

Taking out an insurance policy with a  voluntary excess can significantly reduce your premiums—the higher the excess, the lower the monthly premium. The voluntary excess is the amount you pay in the event of needing to make a claim.

Become a named driver on another policy

Some insurance providers allow you to build up a no-claims bonus as a named driver on another policy. If you can add yourself as a named driver on this type of policy, any no claims discount you’ve managed to accrue will reduce your insurance premiums when you take out a policy under your name. Keep in mind that only a select few companies provide this option, so make sure you double-check with the provider before proceeding.