Driving
Legal Requirements
If you have your own car or motorbike you must have a driving licence, road tax and vehicle insurance.
You must also have your car or motorbike checked every year by a mechanic to make sure it is safe to drive – this is called an M.O.T.
Find out about the legal requirements for using a car or motorbike on the road on the GOV.UK website.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
Check if your driving licence is valid for the UK
If you moved to the UK from an EU country
You can drive in Great Britain on a full, valid driving licence from any EU country. If you were younger than 67 when you became a resident in the UK, you can drive on your EU licence until you’re 70. If you were 67 or older when you became a resident, you can drive on your EU licence for 3 years after that point.
You can exchange your EU licence for a British licence when you can’t drive on it anymore. Find out more:
Exchange Foreign Driving Licence
If you moved to the UK from outside the EU
You can drive in Great Britain on a full, valid driving licence for 12 months from when you became resident. After 12 months you’ll need to apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical driving tests to drive in Great Britain. Find out more
Learn to Drive a Car
Traffic police
The police can stop a vehicle for any reason. If they ask you to stop, you should always pull over when it is safe to do so. You are breaking the law if you don’t.
If the police stop you, they can ask to see your:
- driving licence
- insurance certificate
- MOT certificate
If you don’t have these documents with you, you must take the requested documents to a police station within 7 days.
Route Planning
Some roads in Leeds can become very busy, especially during ‘rush hour’ when people are travelling to and from school or work. You could use an online route planner such as Google Maps or AA Route Planner to find the best routes.
Google Maps
The AA Route Planner
AA Route Planner also has a calculator to help you work out your approximate petrol costs.
AA Mileage Calculator
Using bus lanes
There are many bus lanes in Leeds, particularly near the city centre. Be careful not to use these during certain hours as they are for buses and emergency vehicles only and you could be fined. Look out for road signs which show if there is a bus lane and the hours you must not drive in them.