As part of the government’s Road Safety Strategy, the Department for Transport (DfT) is consulting on introducing a 3 or 6 month Minimum Learning Period (MLP) for learner drivers. This will include introducing:

• a minimum amount of time to be spent learning and a minimum number of learning hours
• a mandated learning syllabus and how this learning can be conducted

These changes would only apply to the practical test for cars.

How would a minimum learning period help?

DVSA priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys.

Statistically younger drivers are more likely to be involved in collisions compared to older drivers. In 2024, drivers aged 17 to 24 years old were involved in 24% of fatal and serious collisions in Great Britain despite them only representing 6% of licence holders.

Introducing an MLP will provide learners more time to develop their skills before they take their practical driving test. It also provides learners with the opportunity to gain more supervised driving experience in varied conditions, such as at night, in heavy traffic and different weather conditions.

How to share your views

You can read the minimum learning period consultation and respond on GOV.UK.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 31 March 2026.

Updating our campaign messaging

To help educate learners and their parents on the importance of gaining as much road experience as possible to help them be test ready and become a safe driver, DVSA shared the average of number of hours of practice it takes to pass the test.

Because DVSA are consulting on introducing a Minimum Learning Period, they have removed this average from the campaign website and resources, including the ‘supervise a learner’ guidance.

DVSA are now advising learners that there’s no minimum number of lessons they must have or hours you must practise driving to pass through the 5 levels of progress.

How many lessons a learner needs will depend on how quickly they learn.

They are more likely to pass their driving test first time with a combination of:

• professional driving lessons with an approved instructor
• private practice with family or friends

DVSA also emphasise the importance of learners giving themselves enough time to learn. The more driving experience they build up before the test – through both lessons and practice – the safer driver they’ll be on the road after they pass.