Department For Transport
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You can be banned (disqualified) from driving if you are either:
- convicted of a driving offence
- get 12 or more penalty points (endorsements) within 3 years
Youll get a summons in the post that tells you when you must go to court.
Some disqualification rules are different in Northern Ireland.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
How long a driving ban will last
The court will decide how long the disqualification will last, based on how serious they think the offence is.
You can be banned from driving if you already have 12 or more penalty points on your licence. Your ban can last:
- 6 months, if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years
- 12 months, if you get a second disqualification within 3 years
- 2 years, if you get a third disqualification within 3 years
Disqualified for 56 days or more
If youre disqualified for 56 days or more you must apply for a new licence before driving again.
You might also have to retake your driving test or take an extended driving test before getting your full licence. The court will tell you if you have to do this.
Disqualified for less than 56 days
View your driving licence record online to check the disqualification. You cannot drive until it has ended.
You do not need to apply for a new licence before you can drive again.
Disqualification outside Great Britain
You cannot drive in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man if youve been banned from driving on your Great Britain driving licence.
This is called mutual recognition of disqualification. Disqualified drivers from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are also banned from driving in Great Britain.