Key points
- Your supervisor must be at least 21, qualified to drive that type of car, have held a full licence for 3 years, and not be banned.
- The car needs L plates on the front and back (D plates are allowed in Wales), and you must be insured to drive it as a learner.
- No motorways with family or friends: learners can only use motorways with an approved driving instructor in a dual-control car.
- Supervisors cannot take any payment, not even fuel money, and must not hold a phone or be over the drink-drive limit.
- Driving without the right supervision can mean a fine of up to £1,000 and up to 6 penalty points.
Yes, you can practise driving with a parent, relative or friend between lessons, as long as they meet the supervisor rules, the car shows L plates and you are insured to drive it.[1] Your supervisor must be at least 21, qualified to drive that type of car, have held a full licence for at least 3 years and not be banned from driving.[2] This guide covers England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland has some different rules.[1]
Who can supervise you
Anyone who supervises your practice for free must meet all of these conditions:[2]
- be at least 21 years old
- be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you are learning in, so a manual licence if you are practising in a manual car
- have held a full driving licence for at least 3 years, from the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- not be currently banned from driving
The Highway Code sets out the same core rule: a learner must be supervised by someone at least 21 who holds a full licence for that type of car and has held one for at least three years.[3]
You, the learner, must have a valid UK provisional licence, meet the minimum eyesight rules and be at least 17, although some learners with a disability or long-term health condition can start at 16.[2] If you have not got your licence yet, see getting your provisional licence.
If you drive without the right supervision, you can be fined up to £1,000 and get up to 6 penalty points on your provisional licence.[1]
The car: L plates, tax, MOT and mirrors
You can practise in any make or model of car, but it must be fitted with L plates (or D plates in Wales) on the front and the back, be taxed, have a valid MOT if it needs one, be safe to drive and be registered with DVLA.[2] Plates must have a red L or D on a white background and be the right size, and you can get up to 6 penalty points if you do not display one or it is the wrong size.[1]
When someone with a full licence drives the car, the plates should be removed or covered.[2] DVSA also advises fitting an extra rear-view mirror so your supervisor can see behind the car.[2]
Insurance
Check the insurance before the first session. The learner must be covered as a learner driver in whichever car they use.[1]
| Whose car? | What the learner needs |
|---|---|
| The learner's own car | The learner must be the registered keeper and have their own insurance policy covering them as a learner driver.[2] The family member or friend supervising will usually be covered on this.[1] |
| The supervisor's (or someone else's) car | Either be added to the owner's policy as a named driver, or take out a learner driver policy that covers them in that car.[2] |
Adding a learner as a named driver could affect the owner's no claims discount if a claim is made, and with a separate learner policy you should check with the provider whether a claim would affect it.[2] Some insurers require the supervisor to be over 25, so read the policy wording before the learner drives.[2] If the learner also plans to have lessons with an instructor in their own car, check with the insurer, because some policies do not cover this.[2]
A learner driving without insurance can get an unlimited fine, a driving ban and up to 8 penalty points.[2]
No motorways with family or friends
It is illegal to drive on a motorway when you are practising with family or friends.[1] Learners can only use motorways in England, Scotland or Wales when they are with an approved driving instructor and the car has dual controls.[1] Dual carriageways are allowed, and DVSA suggests planning practice that includes them once the learner is ready.[2]
Your supervisor cannot be paid
It is illegal for a supervisor to accept any payment, including money for fuel.[2] Only approved driving instructors (ADIs) and trainee driving instructors can accept payment for driving lessons.[2] Qualified instructors display a green badge in the windscreen and trainees a pink one.[1]
Rules your supervisor must follow during practice
The supervisor sits in the front passenger seat and, as the full licence holder, is in charge of the car even while the learner drives.[2] During every session they must not:[2]
- hold and use a mobile phone, sat nav or tablet, for any reason
- be over the legal breath or blood alcohol limit
- be under the influence of drugs or medicine, or have illegal drugs or certain medicines in their blood above specified limits
- take the learner on a motorway
The law on holding and using a phone or other device still applies when you are supervising a learner driver.[4] GOV.UK gives the penalty for holding and using a device while driving as 6 penalty points and a £200 fine.[4] Drink-drive limits are lower in Scotland than in England and Wales, so a supervisor who is fine in one may not be in the other.[5] DVSA's own advice is simply not to drink and supervise.[2]
Other passengers can come along, but they should not distract the learner, and the learner is responsible for making sure passengers under 14 use a seat belt or child restraint.[2]
When and where to practise
You can drive at any time of day or night, and in England, Scotland and Wales the speed limits with L plates are the same as for full licence holders.[1] DVSA recommends practising both in daylight and in the dark and in a range of weather conditions, but not in severe weather unless the journey is essential.[2]
DVSA suggests the learner or supervisor tells the driving instructor that private practice is planned, so the instructor can say when the learner is ready, help plan sessions at the right level and, if the learner agrees, let the supervisor sit in on a lesson first.[2] Ask the learner what they want to work on: reversing manoeuvres, roundabouts and following a sat nav are all examples DVSA gives.[2]
Keep a record of your practice
There is no minimum number of lessons or hours of practice you must do.[1] DVSA publishes a free form to record the practice you do with family or friends, so you can show it to your instructor at the next lesson.[6][2] Recording what you covered helps the instructor spot gaps, such as night driving or busy junctions.
When you are ready to judge whether you could pass, read preparing for your driving test.
Quick checklist before the first session
- Learner has a valid provisional licence and meets the eyesight rules.[2]
- Supervisor is at least 21, has held the right full licence for at least 3 years and is not banned.[2]
- L plates (or D plates in Wales) on the front and back.[2]
- Learner insured as a learner driver in this car, and the policy's supervisor age rule checked.[2]
- No motorway on the route.[1]
- Supervisor's phone away and no alcohol.[2]
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See plansSources
- Driving lessons and learning to drive (printable guide)
- Supervise a learner driver
- The Highway Code – Annex 3: Motor vehicle documentation and learner driver requirements
- Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving
- The Highway Code – Rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102)
- Record your private practice when you're learning to drive
Last checked against the cited sources on 14 October 2026. PassNav is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA, DVLA or TomTom. Our guides are prepared with AI assistance and checked against the official sources cited on each page. Rules and fees change — for current legal requirements and booking rules, always check GOV.UK. This is general guidance and does not replace professional driving instruction. Spotted something out of date? Email passnav@smartaisolution.co.uk — see our editorial policy.