Some learners need an adapted car: a modified clutch, hand controls, a different steering set-up or an automatic gearbox. The adaptation is recorded on the driving licence as a numeric code, and the route to getting it right runs through an independent assessment, an instructor with suitable experience and the licensing authority. This article summarises the GOV.UK page “Driving licence codes”, the GOV.UK pages on what DVLA will decide and on assessing fitness to drive, and the nidirect guidance on learning to drive with a disability. The GOV.UK material describes Great Britain, where DVLA issues licences, and the nidirect page describes Northern Ireland, where the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) does. It is general information and does not discuss any medical condition or fitness decision.
What the codes on a licence do
GOV.UK says the codes printed on the back of a driving licence tell the holder what conditions must be met to drive. Several codes describe vehicle adaptations. GOV.UK lists them as follows:
- 10: modified transmission
- 15: modified clutch
- 20: modified braking systems
- 25: modified accelerator systems
- 31: pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards
- 32: combined service brake and accelerator systems
- 33: combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems
- 35: modified control layouts
- 40: modified steering
- 42: modified rear-view mirror(s)
- 43: modified driving seats
- 44: modifications to motorbikes, which has 13 subcodes for specific adaptations
Code 78 means the holder is restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. The administrative codes 70 and 71 relate to exchange and duplicate licences. A learner who takes the test in an adapted car should expect the relevant codes to appear on the licence, which affects which vehicles can lawfully be driven afterwards. The site’s explanation of upgrading an automatic licence to manual covers a related restriction.
The assessment step
GOV.UK says that if a person has been told they must adapt their car, they get an independent assessment of their adaptation needs through Driving Mobility, the national network of assessment centres. The assessment guidance says assessment centres offer people advice about driving with a disability, and that vehicle adaptations range from simple automatic transmission for many disorders to sophisticated modifications such as joysticks and infrared controls for people with severe disabilities. It adds that DVLA must be told about disabilities and modifications, after which the driving licence is coded to reflect any vehicle modifications. Users are directed to find a centre through the Driving Mobility website.
The GOV.UK page on what DVLA will decide notes that DVLA may issue a licence valid for one, two, three or five years where an adaptation is required, rather than the standard period. It addresses Great Britain only and does not discuss Northern Ireland. A licence of shorter duration means the holder will need to renew sooner, so it is worth noting the date.
Finding a suitable instructor
The nidirect guidance for Northern Ireland advises looking for instructors who have completed specialised training, noting that experienced instructors can teach more than driving itself, such as how to get in and out of the car more easily and how to manage wheelchair access. It names Disability Action, which offers specialist instructor referrals and runs a mobility centre in Northern Ireland. The pages for Great Britain do not name equivalent instructor referral services, so learners in England, Scotland and Wales should ask assessment centres or their local authority for advice on suitable instructors. The site’s guide on choosing a good driving instructor sets out general questions, and disabled learners can add questions about the adapted vehicle, the instructor’s experience with similar controls and the lesson length needed to get in and out.
Northern Ireland specifics
According to nidirect, the standard minimum driving age is 17, though people receiving the enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment may drive at 16. For learners aged 16 to 24, Motability may provide financial help toward the cost of driving lessons. On the theory test, the DVA can provide a spoken format, a British Sign Language video for deaf or hard-of-hearing candidates, adjusted conditions for light-sensitive epilepsy, extra time with supporting evidence, and testing at home or at an alternative centre if the local facility is not accessible. Candidates should notify DVA if they need wheelchair access, have hearing loss, are dyslexic or have literacy concerns. On the practical test, nidirect says candidates may be given extra time to explain their adaptations and to manage getting into and out of the vehicle, and that examiners are specially trained to understand needs that arise from disabilities. Whether the same allowances apply in Great Britain is not addressed by the pages read, so the site’s guide to extra support for theory and driving tests should be checked for the GB position.
Practical steps
- Book an assessment through the Driving Mobility network before buying or fitting expensive equipment.
- Tell the licensing authority (DVLA in Great Britain, DVA in Northern Ireland) about the adaptation so the licence carries the right code.
- Ask the instructor which controls their car has and whether their lesson vehicle matches the assessed adaptations.
- Note the licence renewal date if a short-duration licence is issued.
- Check whether the test vehicle will match the adaptations shown on the licence.
Common questions
What does code 78 mean?
GOV.UK says it restricts the holder to vehicles with automatic transmission.
Who does the assessment?
GOV.UK points to Driving Mobility, the national network of assessment centres, for an independent assessment of adaptation needs.
Will the licence run for the usual period?
DVLA may issue one valid for 1, 2, 3 or 5 years where an adaptation requirement exists, according to GOV.UK.
The bottom line
Adapted-vehicle driving is recorded on the licence through numbered codes, backed by an independent assessment through Driving Mobility in Great Britain and by DVA processes and specialist instructor referrals in Northern Ireland. Learners benefit from arranging the assessment first, choosing an instructor experienced with the relevant controls and making sure the licence codes match the car used.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Driving licence codes”
- GOV.UK, “Medical conditions, disabilities and driving: What DVLA will decide”
- GOV.UK, “Appendices: assessing fitness to drive”
- nidirect, “Learning to drive with a disability” (nidirect.gov.uk)