Road Traffic Act 1988

98 Form of licence

(1) A licence shall be in such form as the Secretary of State may determine and shall—

(a) state whether, apart from subsection (2) below, it authorises its holder to drive motor vehicles of all classes or of certain classes only and, in the latter case, specify those classes,

(b) specify the restrictions on the driving of vehicles of any class in pursuance of the licence to which its holder is subject by virtue of the provisions of section 101 of this Act,

(c) in the case of a provisional licence, specify the conditions subject to which it is granted, and

(d) where, by virtue of subsection (2) below, the licence authorises its holder to drive vehicles of classes other than those specified in the licence in pursuance of paragraph (a) above, contain such statements as the Secretary of State considers appropriate for indicating the effect of that subsection.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) below, a licence which, apart from this subsection, authorises its holder to drive motor vehicles of certain classes only (not being—

(a) a licence granted before 1st June 1970,

(b) a provisional licence granted after that date, or

(c) any other licence of a description prescribed for the purposes of this subsection)

shall also authorise him to drive motor vehicles of all other classes subject to the same conditions as if he were authorised by a provisional licence to drive motor vehicles of those other classes.

(3) A licence shall not by virtue of subsection (2) above authorise a person to drive—

(a) a vehicle of a class for the driving of which he could not, by reason of the provisions of section 101 of this Act, lawfully hold a licence, or

(b) unless he has passed a test of competence to drive, a motor cycle which, by virtue of section 97(3)(d) of this Act, a provisional licence would not authorise him to drive before he had passed that test.

(4) In such cases as the Secretary of State may prescribe, the provisions of subsections (2) and (3) above shall not apply or shall apply subject to such limitations as he may prescribe.

(5) A person who fails to comply with any condition applicable to him by virtue of subsection (2) above is guilty of an offence.