The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1996

Conditions attached to provisional licences

15.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, the holder of a provisional licence shall comply with the following conditions in relation to motor vehicles of a class which he is authorised to drive by virtue of the provisional licence, that is to say he shall not drive or ride such a motor vehicle—

(a) otherwise than under the supervision of a qualified driver who is present with him in or on the vehicle,

(b) unless a distinguishing mark in the form set out in Part 1 of Schedule 4 is displayed on the vehicle in such manner as to be clearly visible to other persons using the road from within a reasonable distance from the front and from the back of the vehicle, or

(c) while it is being used to draw a trailer.

(2) The condition specified in paragraph (1)(a) shall not apply when the holder of the provisional licence—

(a) is driving a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category B1 or B1 (invalid carriages) or in category F, G or H which is constructed to carry only one person and not adapted to carry more than one person;

(b) is riding a moped or a motor bicycle with or without a side-car; or

(c) is driving a motor vehicle on a road in an exempted island.

(3) The condition specified in paragraph (1)(b) shall not apply—

(a) when the holder of the provisional licence is driving a motor vehicle on a road in Wales, and

(b) a distinguishing mark in the form set out in Part 2 of Schedule 4 is displayed on the motor vehicle in the manner described in paragraph (1)(b).

(4) The condition specified in paragraph (1)(c) shall not apply to the holder of a provisional licence authorising the driving of a vehicle of a class included in category B + E, C + E, D + E or F, in relation to motor vehicles of that class.

(5) The holder of a provisional licence authorising the driving of—

(a) a moped, or

(b) a motor bicycle with or without a side-car,

shall not drive such a vehicle while carrying on it another person.

(6) The holder of a provisional licence authorising the driving of a moped must, when he is riding the vehicle (unless he is exempt from the requirements imposed by section 97(3)(e) or, as the case may be, section 98(3)(c) of the Traffic Act), be the holder of a valid certificate furnished under regulation 63(1).

(7) The holder of a provisional licence authorising the driving of a large motor bicycle shall not drive such a vehicle otherwise than under the supervision of a certified direct access instructor (within the meaning of regulation 59(2)) who is—

(a) present with him on the road while riding another motor bicycle,

(b) able to communicate with him by means of a radio which is not hand-held while in operation, and

(c) supervising only that person or only that person and another person who holds such a provisional licence,

while he and the instructor are wearing reflective or luminous apparel.

(8) The holder of a passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s provisional licence shall not drive a vehicle which he is authorised to drive by that licence while carrying any passenger in the vehicle other than—

(a) the person specified in paragraph (1)(a), or

(b) a person who holds a passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence and either is giving or receiving instruction in the driving of passenger-carrying vehicles, or has given or received, or is to give or receive, such instruction.

(9) The conditions specified in paragraphs (1)(a), (7) and (8) shall not apply when the holder of the provisional licence is undergoing a test.

(10) The conditions specified in paragraphs (1), (5), (6), (7) and (8) shall not apply in relation to the driving of motor vehicles of a class in respect of which the provisional licence holder has been furnished with a valid certificate under regulation 45(1)(a) or, as the case may be, certificates under regulations 44(2)(a) and 45(2) stating that he has passed a test for the grant of a licence authorising him to drive vehicles of that class.

(11) In the case of an LGV trainee driver’s licence, this regulation shall apply as modified by regulation 51.