Road Traffic Act 1988

Disqualification (otherwise than on conviction)

101 Disqualification of persons under age

(1) A person is disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence to drive a motor vehicle of a class specified in the following Table if he is under the age specified in relation to it in the second column of the Table.

TABLE

Class of motor vehicle	Age (in years)
1. Invalid carriage	16
2. Motor cycle	16
3. Small passenger vehicle or small goods vehicle	17
4. Agricultural tractor	17
5. Medium-sized goods vehicle	18
6. Other motor vehicles	21

(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for the classes of vehicles and the ages specified in the Table in that subsection there were substituted different classes of vehicles and ages or different classes of vehicles or different ages.

(3) Subject to subsection (4) below, the regulations may—

(a) apply to persons of a class specified in or under the regulations,

(b) apply in circumstances so specified,

(c) impose conditions or create exemptions or provide for the imposition of conditions or the creation of exemptions,

(d) contain such transitional and supplemental provisions (including provisions amending section 108, 120 or 183(5) of this Act) as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient.

(4) For the purpose of defining the class of persons to whom, the class of vehicles to which, the circumstances in which or the conditions subject to which regulations made by virtue of subsection (2) above are to apply where an approved training scheme for drivers is in force, it is sufficient for the regulations to refer to a document which embodies the terms (or any of the terms) of the scheme or to a document which is in force in pursuance of the scheme.

(5) In subsection (4) above—

• “approved” means approved for the time being by the Secretary of State for the purpose of the regulations,

• “training scheme for drivers” means a scheme for training persons to drive vehicles of a class in relation to which the age which is in force under this section (but apart from any such scheme) is 21 years,

but no approved training scheme for drivers shall be amended without the approval of the Secretary of State.

102 Disqualification to prevent duplication of licences

A person is disqualified for obtaining a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of any class so long as he is the holder of another licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class, whether the licence is suspended or not.

103 Obtaining licence, or driving, while disqualified

(1) If a person disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence—

(a) obtains a licence while he is so disqualified, or

(b) while he is so disqualified drives on a road a motor vehicle or, if the disqualification is limited to the driving of a motor vehicle of a particular class, a motor vehicle of that class,

he is guilty of an offence.

(2) A licence obtained by any person who is disqualified is of no effect.

(3) A constable in uniform may arrest without warrant any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road whom he has reasonable cause to suspect of being disqualified.