The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999

PART VII E+W+S SUPPLEMENTARY

Transitional provisions E+W+S

Effect of change in classification of vehicles for licensing purposes E+W+S

76.—(1) In a licence (whether full or provisional) granted before 1st January 1997, a reference to motor vehicles in an [F1 older] category shall be construed as a reference to motor vehicles in the new category corresponding thereto and a reference to motor vehicles of a class included in an [F1 older] category shall be construed as a reference to vehicles of the corresponding class included in the new category.

(2) Where a licence granted before 1st January 1997 authorises only the driving of a class of motor vehicles included in an [F1 older] category having automatic transmission, it shall authorise the driving of the corresponding class of vehicles in the new category having automatic transmission.

[F2 (2A) Subject to paragraphs (3C) to (3E), in a licence (whether full or provisional) granted before 19th January 2013, a reference to motor vehicles in an old category shall be construed as a reference to motor vehicles in the new category corresponding thereto and a reference to motor vehicles of a class included in an old category shall be construed as a reference to vehicles of the corresponding class included in the new category.]

(3) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), a reference in a licence to motor vehicles in an [F3 older] category (or a class included in that category) includes a reference in a licence granted before 1st June 1990 to a group or class of motor vehicles which is, by virtue of any enactment, to be construed as a reference to vehicles in the [F3 older] category (or a class included in that category).

[F4 (3C) Where a licence (whether full or provisional) granted before 19th January 2013 authorises the driving of—

(a) standard motor bicycles only, or

(b) standard motor bicycles and side-car combinations only,

any reference in that licence to motor vehicles in category A (save for those in sub-category A1) shall be construed in accordance with paragraph (3D).

(3D) A reference in a licence of the type referred to in paragraph (3C) granted before 19th January 2013 to motor vehicles in category A shall be construed as a reference—

(a) where the standard access period has not expired, to motor vehicles in sub-category A2; and

(b) where that period has expired, to motor vehicles in category A.

(3E) Paragraph (2A) shall not apply to a reference to vehicles in sub-category D1 in a licence granted before 1st January 1997.

(3F) Where a licence granted before 19th January 2013 authorises only the driving of a class of motor vehicles included in an old category having automatic transmission, it shall not under this regulation authorise the driving of any vehicle not having automatic transmission.]

(4) In this regulation—

• “old category" and “class included in an old category" mean respectively a category and a class of vehicles specified in [F5 column (2)] of the table at the end of this regulation,

• [F6 “older category” and “class included in an older category”, mean respectively a category and a class of vehicles specified in column (1) of the table at the end of this regulation,]

• [F7 “new category” and “class included in a new category”—

  (a)

  in relation to an old category, means respectively the category (or, as the case may be, the sub-category) and the class of vehicles specified in column (3) of the table as corresponding to the relevant old category or class included in that old category; and

     

  (b)

  in relation to an older category, means respectively the category (or, as the case may be, the sub-category) and the class of vehicles specified in column (3) of the table as corresponding to the relevant older category or class included in that older category,]

• “section 19 permit" means a permit granted under section 19 of the 1985 Act.

  TABLE

  [F8 (1) Older category or class	(2) Old category or class	(3) Corresponding new category or class
  	A (excluding A1)	A
  	A1	A1
  	B1	Motor tricycles in categories AM and A and light quadricycles in category AM
  B1, limited to invalid carriages		B1 (invalid carriages)
  	B	B
  B plus E		B + E
  	B+E	B + E
  	C1	C1
  C1 plus E		C1 + E (8.25 tonnes)
  	C	C
  C plus E		C+E
  C plus E, limited to drawbar trailer combinations only		Vehicles in category C+E which are drawbar trailer combinations
  D1		D1 (not for hire or reward)
  	D1	D1
  D1 plus E		D1 + E (not for hire or reward)
  	D1 + E	D1 + E
  D, limited to 16 seats		D1
  D, limited to vehicles not more than 5.5 metres in length		D1 and vehicles in category D not more than 5.5 metres in length
  D, limited to vehicles not driven for hire or reward		Vehicles in category D which are either driven while being used in accordance with a section 19 permit or, if not being so used, driven otherwise than for hire or reward
  	D	D
  D plus E		D + E
  	F	F
  	G	G
  	H	H
  	K	K
  	L	L
  	P	Q and AM]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in reg. 76(1)(2) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(a)

F2 Reg. 76(2A) inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(b)

F3 Word in reg. 76(3) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(c)

F4 Reg. 76(3C)-(3F) inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(d)

F5 Words in reg. 76(4) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(e)(i)

F6 Words in reg. 76(4) inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(e)(ii)

F7 Words in reg. 76(4) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(e)(iii)

F8 Reg. 76(4) Table substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 43(f)

Saving in respect of entitlement to Group M E+W+S

77.—(1) Where a person was authorised by virtue of regulations revoked by these Regulations (whether or not he is also the holder of a licence granted before 1st October 1982) to drive, or to apply for the grant of a licence authorising the driving of, vehicles of a class included in the former group M (trolley vehicles used for the carriage of passengers with more than 16 seats in addition to the driver’s seat), he shall continue to be so authorised and any licence granted to such a person shall be construed as authorising the driving of vehicles of that class.

(2) A person who is authorised to drive vehicles of a class included in the former group M shall, to the extent that he is so authorised, be deemed to be the holder of a Group 1 licence.

Saving in respect of entitlement to former category N E+W+S

78.—(1) Where on 31st December 1996 a person was, by virtue of regulations then in force, the holder of, or entitled to apply for the grant of, a licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in—

(a) the former category N (vehicles exempt from vehicle excise duty under section 7(1) of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971) alone, or

(b) category F or A and the former category N,

the Secretary of State may, notwithstanding anything otherwise contained in these Regulations, grant to such a person a licence authorising the driving of vehicles in the former category N (with or without vehicles in either or both of the other categories as the case may be) and a person holding such a licence shall be authorised to drive such vehicles.

(2) Where on 31st December 1996 a person was the holder of, or entitled to apply for the grant of, a licence authorising the driving of vehicles included in category B and the former category N, he shall continue to be authorised to drive vehicles in that former category and any licence granted to such a person authorising the driving of vehicles included in category B shall be construed as authorising also the driving of vehicles in that former category.

Saving in respect of entitlement to drive mobile project vehicles E+W+S

79.  In relation to a person who was at a time before 1st January 1997 the holder of a licence authorising the driving of vehicles of a class included in category B (except a licence authorising only the driving of vehicles included in [F9 former sub-category B1 or sub-category] or B1 (invalid carriages)), regulation 7(5) shall apply as if paragraphs (b) and (c) and the words “on behalf of a non-commercial body" were omitted.

Textual Amendments

F9 Words in reg. 79 substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 44

[F10 Saving in respect of former category and sub-category E+W+S

79A.   Where a person holds a full licence granted before 19th January 2013 authorising the driving of, or is entitled to apply for the grant of a full licence authorising the driving of, vehicles of a class within the category or sub-category referred to in column (1) of Part 4 of Schedule 2—

(a) that person is authorised to drive, or entitled to apply for the grant of a licence authorising the driving of (as the case may be), vehicles of the relevant class referred to in column (2) of Part 4 of Schedule 2 which corresponds to that category or sub-category, as appropriate, in column (1); and

(b) the licence granted to that person shall be construed as authorising the driving of vehicles of that class.]

Textual Amendments

F10 Reg. 79A inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 45

Miscellaneous E+W+S

Persons who become resident in Great Britain E+W+S

80.—(1) A person who becomes resident in Great Britain who is—

(a) the holder of a relevant permit, and

(b) not disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence in Great Britain

shall, during the period of one year after he becomes so resident, be treated for the purposes of section 87 of the Traffic Act as the holder of a licence authorising him to drive all classes of small vehicle, motor bicycle or moped which he is authorised to drive by that permit.

(2) A person who becomes resident in Great Britain who is—

(a) the holder of a British external licence granted in the [F11 Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey] authorising the driving of [F12 large and medium-sized goods vehicles] of any class, and

(b) not disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence in Great Britain

shall, during the period of one year after he becomes so resident, be treated for the purposes of section 87 of the Traffic Act as the holder of a licence authorising him to drive [F12 large and medium-sized goods vehicles] of all classes which he is authorised to drive by that licence.

(3) A person who becomes resident in Great Britain who is—

(a) the holder of a British external licence granted in the [F13 Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey] authorising the driving of passenger-carrying vehicles of any class, and

(b) not disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence in Great Britain

shall, during the period of one year after he becomes so resident, be treated for the purposes of section 87 of the Traffic Act as the holder of a licence authorising him to drive passenger-carrying vehicles of all classes which he is authorised to drive by that licence.

(4) The enactments mentioned in paragraph (5) shall apply in relation to—

(a) holders of relevant permits and holders of British external licences of the classes mentioned in paragraphs (2) and (3), or

(b) (as the case may be) those licences and permits,

with the modifications contained in paragraph (5).

(5) The modifications referred to in paragraph (4) are that—

(a) section 7 of the Offenders Act F14 shall apply as if—

(i) the references to a licence were references to a relevant permit or a British external licence, and

(ii) the words after paragraph (c) thereof were omitted;

(b) section 27(1) and (3) of the Offenders Act F15 shall apply as if—

(i) the references to a licence were references to a relevant permit or a British external licence,

F16 (ii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(iii) in subsection (3) the words “, unless he satisfies the Court that he has applied for a new licence and has not received it" were omitted;

F17 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) section 47 of the Offenders Act shall apply as if for subsection (2) F18 there were substituted—

“(2) Where a court orders the holder of a relevant permit or a British external licence to be disqualified it must send the permit or the licence, on its being produced to the court, to the Secretary of State who shall keep it until the disqualification has expired or been removed or the person entitled to it leaves Great Britain and in any case has made a demand in writing for its return to him.

“Relevant permit" has the meaning given by regulation 80 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999.”;

(e) section 164(1), (6) and (8) of the Traffic Act F19 shall apply as if the references therein to a licence were references to a relevant permit or a British external licence F20 ...; and

(f) section 173 of the Traffic Act F21 shall apply as if after paragraph (aa) there were added—

“(ab) a relevant permit (within the meaning of regulation 80 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999,

(ac) a British external licence,”.

(6) In this regulation “relevant permit" means—

(i) a “domestic driving permit",

(ii) a “Convention driving permit", or

(iii) a “British Forces (BFG) driving licence",

within the meaning of article 2(7)—of the Motor Vehicles (International Circulation) Order 1975 F22 which is—

(a) for the time being valid for the purposes for which it was issued, and

(b) is not a domestic driving permit or a British Forces (BFG) driving licence in respect of which any order made, or having effect as if made, by the Secretary of State is for the time being in force under article 2(6) of that Order.

Textual Amendments

F11 Words in reg. 80(2) substituted (21.2.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/166), regs. 1(1), 7(a)(i)

F12 Words in reg. 80(2) substituted (21.2.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/166), regs. 1(1), 7(a)(ii)

F13 Words in reg. 80(3)(a) substituted (21.2.2003) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/166), regs. 1(1), 7(b)

F14 The relevant amendment is by the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 83.

F15 The relevant amendments are by the 1990 Regulations and the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 91.

F16 Reg. 80(5)(b)(ii) omitted (8.6.2015) by virtue of The Road Safety Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/583), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 11(f)(i)

F17 Reg. 80(5)(c) omitted (8.6.2015) by virtue of The Road Safety Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/583), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 11(f)(ii)

F18 Section 47(2) was amended by the 1990 Regulations and the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 100.

F19 The relevant amendments are by the 1990 Regulations and the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 68, and Schedule 8.

F20 Words in reg. 80(5)(e) omitted (8.6.2015) by virtue of The Road Safety Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/583), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 11(f)(iii)

F21 The relevant amendment is by the 1996 Regulations.

F22 S.I. 1975/1208.

[F23 Modification of regulation 80: Appendix Ukraine Scheme E+W+S

80A.— (1) This regulation applies in respect of a person who—

(a) has entry clearance or permission to stay under the Appendix Ukraine Scheme to the Immigration Rules, and

(b) is the holder of a relevant permit within the meaning given by regulation 80(6) which was issued under the law of Ukraine.

(2) Where this regulation applies, regulation 80(1) has effect as if the reference to the period of one year after a person becomes resident in Great Britain were to the period of three years after that person becomes resident.]

Textual Amendments

F23 Reg. 80A inserted (7.7.2023) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/666), regs. 1(2), 3

Service personnel E+W+S

81.   [F24 A traffic commissioner] is hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 183(6) of the Traffic Act (discharge of Part IV functions in relation to HM Forces).

Textual Amendments

F24 Words in reg. 81 substituted (3.7.2013) by The Local Transport Act 2008 (Traffic Commissioners) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1644), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 (with arts. 1(3), 2, 7)

Northern Ireland licences E+W+S

82.—F25 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2) For the purposes of section 122(4) of the Traffic Act, the magistrates’ court or sheriff to whom an appeal shall lie by the holder of a Northern Ireland licence, being a person who is not resident in Great Britain and who is aggrieved by the suspension or revocation of the licence or by the ordering of disqualification for holding or obtaining a licence, shall be—

(a) such a magistrates’ court or sheriff as he may nominate at the time he makes the appeal; or

[F26 (b) if a particular court is not nominated under sub-paragraph (a), the Carlisle Combined Court Centre.]

Textual Amendments

F25 Reg. 82(1) omitted (3.7.2013) by virtue of The Local Transport Act 2008 (Traffic Commissioners) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1644), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 (with arts. 1(3), 2, 7)

F26 Reg. 82(2)(b) substituted (3.7.2013) by The Local Transport Act 2008 (Traffic Commissioners) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1644), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 (with arts. 1(3), 2, 7)

Statement of date of birth E+W+S

83.—(1) The circumstances in which a person specified in section 164(2) of the Traffic Act shall, on being required by a police constable, state his date of birth are—

(a) where that person fails to produce forthwith for examination his licence on being required to do so by a police constable under that section; or

(b) where, on being so required, that person produces a licence—

(i) which the police constable in question has reason to suspect was not granted to that person, was granted to that person in error or contains an alteration in the particulars entered on the licence (other than as described in paragraph (ii)) made with intent to deceive; or

(ii) in which the driver number has been altered, removed or defaced;

(c) where that person is a person specified in subsection (1)(d) of that section and the police constable has reason to suspect that he is under 21 years of age.

(2) In paragraph (1), “driver number" means the number described as the driver number in the licence.

[F27 Review E+W+S

Textual Amendments

F27 Reg. 84 and cross-heading added (4.1.2016) by The Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 and Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/2004), regs. 1, 3(3)

Review E+W+S

84.— (1) The Secretary of State must from time to time—

(a) carry out a review of regulations 37 to 39 (requirements at tests),

(b) set out the conclusions of the review in a report, and

(c) publish the report.

(2) In carrying out the review the Secretary of State must, so far as is reasonable, have regard to how Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences (which is implemented in part by means of these Regulations) is implemented in other member States.

(3) The report must in particular—

(a) set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the regulatory system established by these Regulations,

(b) assess the extent to which those objectives are achieved, and

(c) assess whether those objectives remain appropriate and, if so, the extent to which they could be achieved with a system that impose less regulation.

(4) The first report under this regulation must be published before the 4th January 2021.

(5) Reports under this regulation are afterward to be published at intervals not exceeding five years.]