The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1987

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke, and re-enact with amendments, the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1981, as amended. The regulations being revoked are listed in Schedule 1.

The main amendments are as follows. In regulation 4 (minimum ages for holding or obtaining licences)—

(a)paragraph (1)(e) now enables persons aged 18 and upwards (and not 21 and upwards, as was previously the case) to drive vehicles for the purpose of an ambulance service of, in England and Wales, a Health Authority or, in Scotland, the Common Services Agency; and

(b)paragraph (1)(g), in sub-paragraph (ii)(b), is amended to refer to vehicles constructed and equipped to carry not more than 17 (rather than 15) passengers.

In regulation 9 (conditions attached to provisional licences), a new paragraph (5) is added so that a visitor to or new resident in Great Britain who holds a valid foreign driving licence may for 12 months drive under that licence and if, during that period, he acquires a provisional licence he is exempt from compliance with regulation 9.

Regulation 13 (loss or defaced licences) is amended so that a duplicate licence may only be issued if the holder of the lost or defaced licence satisfies the licensing authority that he is entitled to continue to hold the licence.

Regulation 21 (production of vehicle for test etc) is amended so that a person submitting himself for a test may be required to allow a person authorised by the licensing authority (the Secretary of State) to travel in the vehicle during the test. This is in addition to the driver and the person conducting the test.

In regulation 24 (disabilities)—

(a)the former references to severe subnormality and mental deficiency are, in accordance with recent legislation, replaced by a reference to severe mental handicap; and

(b)in paragraph (1)(e), all dimensions are expressed in metric terms, and only one height is given for the letters and figures in a vehicle registration mark (which is the height which has been used for all new marks for the past 20 years). Parallel adjustments are made in Schedule 4 (additional requirements for driving tests).

Copies of the EEC Regulation mentioned in regulation 4(6) may be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.