You can be banned and receive a driving disqualification if you are either:
You will get a summons in the post that tells you when you must go to court.
Some disqualification rules are different in Northern Ireland.
How long a driving ban will last?
The court will decide how long the disqualification will last, based on how serious they think the offence is.
You can be banned from driving if you already have 12 or more penalty points on your licence. Your ban can last:
Disqualified for 56 days or more
If you are disqualified for, 56 days or more you must apply for a new licence before driving again.
You might also have to retake your driving test or take an extended driving test before getting your full licence. The court will tell you if you have to do this.
Disqualified for less than 56 days
View your driving licence record online to check the disqualification. You cannot drive until it has ended.
You do not need to apply for a new licence before you can drive again.
Disqualification outside Great Britain
You cannot drive in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man if you’ve been banned from driving on your Great Britain driving licence.
This is called ‘mutual recognition of disqualification’. Disqualified drivers from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are also banned from driving in Great Britain.
Check when your disqualification ends
You can find the date your driving ban ends:
Apply to reduce your disqualification period
You can ask the court to reduce your disqualification period after you have been banned from driving for:
You must have a good reason for asking for the disqualification to be reduced. For example, if you think the court made a legal mistake or there were reasons you committed the driving offence that the court did not take into account.
Write to the court that disqualified you with the date of offence, date of conviction and any other supporting information.
The court will tell DVLA if it decides to reduce your disqualification period. If it does, you will need to apply for a new licence.
If the court refuses your request, you have to wait 3 months before you can ask again.
If your disqualification is reduced
Car or motorbike licences
Apply for a new licence by sending DVLA a completed form D1 ‘Application for a driving licence’; available from the DVLA form ordering service or most Post Offices. You must pay a fee.
Lorry or bus licences
Apply for a new licence by sending DVLA a completed form D2 ‘Application for a lorry/bus licence’, available from the DVLA form ordering service. You must pay a fee.
Northern Ireland
Apply to the DVA to renew your licence.
If you need to retake your test
If the court told you that you must take another driving test before driving again, you will have to apply for a new provisional licence.
You can drive as soon as your ban is over and you have passed the tests you need to take.
How to get a new licence
DVLA will send you a reminder 56 days before your disqualification ends – use this to apply for a new provisional driving licence. If you did not get a reminder, order an application form instead. Order form D1 for a car and motorbike licence or form D2 for a lorry and bus licence.
Book and take a theory and practical test (or compulsory basic training and motorcycle practical test if you ride a motorcycle). Book and take an extended practical test if the court told you to take one. The extended practical test lasts at least 60 minutes and has higher fees.
When you have passed the practical test, ask the examiner to arrange for your new licence to be sent to you – you can legally drive as soon as you have passed the practical test.
If you want to drive a large vehicle (category C) or a bus (category D), the local traffic commissioner must agree – DVLA will ask them when you apply for your new full licence.
There is a different process in Northern Ireland.
If you’ve got a licence from an EU country
Do not apply for a provisional licence – you can use your EU driving licence to take the test instead.
Follow the usual rules for learning to drive until you retake your test and pass.
Changes to your name and address while disqualified
Tell DVLA if you change your name or address while disqualified.
Write with details of your old and new address, name if changed, your driving licence number (if known) and date of birth.
DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1AB
There is a different process in Northern Ireland.
Disqualification for drink driving
You can be disqualified if you are found guilty of drink driving. Depending on your offence, you can also be fined or sent to prison.
You will need to apply for a new licence after your disqualification ends.
If you are disqualified from driving for 12 months or more, you might be able to reduce your ban by taking a drink-drive rehabilitation course.
High-risk offenders
If you are a ‘high risk offender’, you will not get your new licence until you can prove you are fit to drive again. You will need to pass a medical examination with one of DVLA’s appointed doctors.
You are a high-risk offender if you:
You will get a D27PH renewal form 90 days before your disqualification ends. You must fill in the form and send it to DVLA to reapply for your licence.
Medical examination with a DVLA doctor
Once DVLA receive your application for a new licence, they will send you the doctor’s details so you can make an appointment.
You have to pay for your examination.
During the examination, you will:
The process is different in Northern Ireland.
Disqualification for drug driving
You can be disqualified from driving for at least 1 year if you are found guilty of drug driving.
Depending on your offence, you can also be fined or sent to prison.
You must apply for a new licence before you can drive again.
Source – .Gov
