Driving Disqualifications
by February 4, 2016 1:51 pm0
If you have a disqualification, you may have some questions, so please call the DVLA now on 0844 453 0118.
There are two ways you can be banned or disqualified from driving:
- You are convicted of committing a driving offense
- You are given 12 or more penalty points (sometimes referred to as endorsements) within a period of 3 years
If either of these things happens to you, you will get summons sent to you in the post to inform you when you must go to court.
Certain disqualification rules are different in Northern Ireland, so some of these situations may not apply.
How Long Will I Be Banned from Driving?
This will vary depending on the offense committed and is a decision made by the court. It will be determined by how serious they find the offense to be.
If you have already got 12 or more penalty points on your licence, there is a chance of you being banned from driving for:
- 6 months, if you gather 12 or more points in 3 years
- 12 months if you are disqualified a second time in 3 years
- 2 years if you get disqualified for a third time
What Should I Do If I Am Disqualified For More Than 56 Days?
If you are given a disqualification for 56 days or more, you have to apply for a new driving licence before driving again.
There is also a chance you will have to retake your driving test or sit an extended test before you can get your new licence. You will be told by the court if this applies to you.
How Can I Find Out When My Disqualification Ends?
There are 4 ways to find out when your disqualification has been spent. These are:
- Using the online service from the DVLA to check your driving licence
- On the reminder form you are sent by the DVLA 56 days before your disqualification ends. The form is called the D27 form.
- On your D811 letter. This will be issued 90 days before some drink-driving related disqualifications come to an end
- Contact the DVLA customer services team or the DVA if you are in Northern Ireland
Can I Have My Disqualification Shortened?
You can make an application to ask the court to reduce your period of disqualification after you have been banned from driving for:
- 2 years if the disqualification was effective for more than 2 years but less than 4 years
- Half of the period of disqualification if it was for between 4 years and 10 years
- 5 years if the period of disqualification was for 10 years or more
You will also need a good reason for asking for the reduction in your disqualification. This could include something like you feeling as though the court made a legal mistake or there were other reasons you committed the offense while driving that wasn’t taken into account by the court.
You will need to write to the court that disqualified you. You will need to include:
- The date of the offence
- The date you were convicted
- Any other supporting information you may have
It is then up to the court to inform the DVLA if they decide to reduce your period of disqualification.
What Do I Need To Do If My Disqualification Is Shortened?
What you need to do next depends on what type of licence you hold.
Car & Motorbike Licences
If you have been disqualified from driving and held a car or motorbike licence, you will need to apply for a new licence. To this, you will need to send the DVLA a completed D1 form or the “Application for a driving licence”. You can get this by using the DVLA form ordering service or from the majority of Post Offices.
Lorry & Bus Licences
If you held a lorry or bus licence and have been disqualified from driving, you will need to complete a D2 form or the “application for a lorry/bus licence”. You can get this through the online DVLA form ordering service.
If You Are In Northern Ireland
You will need to apply to the DVA to renew your licence if you are based in Northern Ireland.