Last Updated on January 10, 2023
Congratulations, you’ve successfully made it through your driving test! But what do you do now? Let’s look at the things you should do after you have passed your driving test.
Listen to your Examiner and Instructor One Last Time
The first thing that will happen once you have passed your test is you will receive your driving certificate. The most likely scenario is that you will be so excited; you won’t be paying attention to what your examiner is saying but it always best to listen to their feedback. After all, you are going to be driving on your own from now on. If they have picked up on frequent minor faults, keep them in mind so that when you drive solo, you’ll make less mistakes. Keep your standard of driving high.
Receiving Driving Licence
When you pass, your examiner will take your provisional licence. This doesn’t mean you aren’t able to drive before your full driving licence arrives, the paper certificate is proof of your successful attainment of a full drivers licence. Your provisional licence will be sent back to the DVLA and your brand new full licence will reach you in around 3 weeks.
Thank Your Driving Instructor
Thank your driving instructor. They took the time to teach you and without them, you wouldn’t have the freedom you have now. Be sure to say thanks, it will make your instructor happy.
Cancel Your Learner Insurance
When learning to drive it’s always important to practice alongside your lessons, but if you have passed your test, you no longer qualify as a learner driver. Therefore, your learner insurance policy is invalid. You should check to make sure your insurance covers your driving instructor/ additional driver to take you home if you are taking your test in your own car.
Get Full Car Insurance
You cannot legally drive until you are insured on the vehicle you will be driving. You don’t need your driving licence card in hand in order to drive, as outlined previously, your certificate proves you are allowed to drive. However, it is a criminal offence to drive without insurance. Ensure that you buy insurance for the car you intend to drive before taking to the road.
Your Vehicle Tax
If you have just bought a car, you need to ensure that you pay your car tax. If you have been taking lessons and your test in your own car, you should have had it taxed already. Head over to the gov.uk website to set up payment for your car tax.
If you fail to pay car tax, your car could be clamped or even crushed, so it’s important to ensure your car is taxed at all times, or declared off road.
P-Plates
We recommend P-plates after you have passed your driving test. This alerts other drivers that you are new to the roads and that you are still in the early stages of driving. There is no law stating you have to have a P-plate, it just means that people are aware that you’re a new driver and it is a lot less likely that they will treat you unkindly if you stall or make mistakes.
The First Drive
Some people say you never truly start learning to drive until you take to the road on your own. It’s going to be scary but with a little preparation you’ll be able to head out on your own with confidence. Be sure to make your first trip alone is on route you already know well, don’t have your music too loud to the point it becomes distracting and it’s best to leave your friends at home the first time you drive solo. Essentially, you should limit distractions because you are still learning.
Still learning? Get a Learner Insurance Quote with Collingwood
