PassYou apply for a code, not just "a learner's"
There are three learner's licence codes, and the one you hold decides which vehicles you may learn to drive. Choose the wrong one and you cannot legally practise in the vehicle you intend to be tested in.
| Code | Vehicles it covers | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|
| Code 1 | Motor cycle with or without a side-car, motor tricycle or quadrucycle | 16 |
| Code 2 | Light motor vehicles up to 3 500 kg, and light vehicle-and-trailer combinations | 17 |
| Code 3 | Any motor vehicle or combination other than a motor cycle, tricycle or quadrucycle | 18 |
Code 1 — motor cycles
- You must be at least 16.
- Under 18, you are limited to a motor cycle with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 125 cm³.
- A code 1 learner's licence does not authorise carrying a passenger. No pillion, at any age.
- Motor quadrucycles may not be ridden on a public road.
Codes 2 and 3 — supervision
Both authorise you to drive only while under the direct supervision of a person holding a driving licence for that class of vehicle. That person sits next to you. The full supervision rule, including where they sit and who qualifies, is set out on our learner drivers and passengers page.
Valid for 24 months
A learner's licence runs for 24 months from the date of the test. If you have not passed your driving test by then it lapses, and you write the learner's test again from scratch.