You can apply for your provisional driving licence 2 months before your 17th Birthday.

You must not drive on the road until you have the licence in your possesion and you must wait until your 17th birthday. To apply for your licence you need:

• To be 16 yrs 10 months of age
• A valid UK Passport or a passport size photograph signed by an approved person and an acceptable form of identification.
• The fee. First provisional driving Licence costs should be confirmed direct with the DVLA. Their website is at the bottom of this page

Send your completed D1 application form together with the fee, your passport or signed photograph and identification to:

DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1AD.

Your licence will usually take up to 15 working days to arrive, if it doesn't you can telephone the DVLA on 0870 240 0009.

When you receive your licence make sure you check all your details to make sure they are correct. Your provisional licence entitles you to drive a car but you must have L-Plates displayed, appropriate insurance cover and be supervised at all times by a full UK licence holder that has held a full UK licence for 3 years and is a minimum age of 21.

Who can certify my photograph?

• A local business person or shopkeeper
• A librarian
• A professionally qualified person,eg a lawyer, teacher or A.D.I.
• A police officer
• A bank or building society officer
• A civil servant
• A minister of religion
• A magistrate
• A local councillor or an MP (AM, MEP and MSP).

The person who certifies your photograph must have known you personally for at least two years and must not be a relative.

DVLA website can be found here:-http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers.aspx