Driving in the UK

Before driving in the UK, it is important that you fulfil the legal requirements and are aware of the correct procedures.

Important legal requirements

  • You must have a licence that allows you to drive in Great Britain.  For advice on this see the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  • You must observe and abide by the Highway Code, which is published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (see The Highway Code)
  • You must abide by the laws relating to licensing, insurance, vehicle roadworthiness, vehicle registration, and vehicle excise duty (tax)For information regarding these matters see Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  • Due to the high levels of traffic in London a congestion charge was recently introduced. Anyone wishing to drive in central London on weekdays between 7am and 6.30pm must pay a daily charge. This, together with the problems of parking in the city, makes driving in London an impractical option for many students. See Transport for London's Congestion charging
  • You can find out more information from the UKCISA Guidance Notes for Students web site.  Please click on the Driving in the United Kingdom: a guide for international students link.

And one more very obvious thing - we drive on the left in the United Kingdom!

Please note that rules and regulations are subject to change. LSE cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites.

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