You can apply for a UK provisional driving licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old, but when you can actually use it depends on what you want to drive.

When you can apply

  • You can apply for a provisional licence from age 15 years and 9 months.
  • The licence only becomes valid from certain birthdays, depending on the vehicle.

When you can start driving

For most people in the UK:

  • Car (category B)
    • You can start driving/lessons on the road at 17 with a valid provisional, properly insured, with L-plates and a suitable supervisor.
  • Motorbike / moped
    • You can usually start from 16 for mopeds and some light motorcycles, once your provisional is valid and you’ve met CBT and other rules.
  • If you get the enhanced mobility component of PIP
    • You may be able to drive a car at 16 , as a special case for disabled drivers.

Simple example

  • At 15 years 9 months : you can submit your provisional application.
  • At 16 : you can use it for certain bikes/mopeds, and (with the right PIP mobility entitlement) possibly a car.
  • At 17 : you can start normal car driving lessons on UK roads.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.