Road Traffic Act 1972

84 Drivers of motor vehicles to have driving licences

(1) It shall be an offence for a person to drive on a road a motor vehicle of any class if he is not the holder of a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class.

(2) It shall be an offence for a person to employ a person to drive on a road a motor vehicle of any class if the person employed is not the holder of a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class.

(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, a person may, without holding a licence, act as steersman of a motor vehicle, being a vehicle on which a speed limit of five miles per hour or less is imposed by or under section 78 of the [1967 c. 76.] Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967, under the orders of another person engaged in the driving of the vehicle who is licensed in that behalf in accordance with the requirements of this Part of this Act and Part IV of this Act, and a person may employ another person who is not the holder of a licence so to act.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, a person may at any time drive or employ another person to drive a vehicle of any class if—

(a) the driver has held and is entitled to obtain a licence to drive vehicles of that class; and

(b) an application by the driver for the grant of such a licence for a period which includes that time has been received by the Secretary of State or such a licence granted to him has been revoked or surrendered in pursuance of section 89 of this Act; and

(c) any conditions which by virtue of section 88(2) or (4) of this Act apply to the driving under the authority of the licence of vehicles of that class are complied with;

but the benefit of the foregoing provisions of this subsection shall not extend beyond the date when a licence is granted in pursuance of the application mentioned in paragraph (b) above or, as the case may be, in pursuance of subsection (4) of the said section 89 in consequence of the revocation or surrender so mentioned nor (in a case where a licence is not in fact so granted) beyond the expiration of the period for which it fell to be granted.

(5) Regulations may provide that a person who becomes resident in Great Britain shall, during the prescribed period after he becomes so resident, be treated for the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) above as the holder of a licence authorising him to drive motor vehicles of the prescribed classes if he satisfies the prescribed conditions and is the holder of a permit of the prescribed description authorising him to drive vehicles under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom; and the regulations may provide for the application of any enactment relating to licences or licence holders, with or without modifications, in relation to any such permit and its holder respectively.