Regulation 42 Exemption from theory testF1

England, Wales and Scotland

(F21)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising that person to drive a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A1 if that person—

(a)

holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A; or

(b)

has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(F31A)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A2 if that person—

(a)

holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A;

(b)

has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A1 motorcycles; or

(c)

has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(1B)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category A3 if that person—

(a)

holds a valid standard theory test pass certificate in respect of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A;

(b)

has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A2 motorcycles; or

(c)

has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to the certificate mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(1C)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A if that person has held, for a period of not more than two years, a standard theory test pass certificate issued before 19th January 2013 in respect of a motor vehicle which—

(a)

is of a class included in former category P; or

(b)

is a motor bicycle.

(1D)

A person who has held, for a period of not more than two years, a Northern Ireland theory test pass certificate corresponding to a certificate mentioned in paragraph (1C) is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category AM or A.

(1E)

A person who is a full time member of the armed forces is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising the driving of a motor vehicle of a class included in category A if that person has passed a test for a licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles of another class included in category A.

(2)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of a class included in category B if—

F4(a)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)

he holds a full licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles F5...of another class included in category B ...; or

(c)

he has passed a Northern Ireland test of competence corresponding to the test mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or is the holder of a Northern Ireland licence corresponding to the licence mentioned in sub-paragraph (b); or

(d)

he has passed a test for a licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles F6... of another class included in category B ... and is ... a full-time member of the armed forces of the Crown.

(3)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of a class included in category C if—

(a)

he holds a full licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles of another class included in category C, other than a licence authorising the driving only of vehicles of a class included in sub-category C1 which was in force at a time before 1st January 1997, or a Northern Ireland licence corresponding to such a licence; or

(b)

on or after 1st January 1997, he has passed a test for a licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles of another class included in category C and is a full-time member of the armed forces of the Crown.

(4)

A person is exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test for the purpose of obtaining a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of a class included in category D if—

(a)

he holds a full licence authorising the driving of motor vehicles of another class included in category D other than—

(i)

vehicles of a class included in sub-category D1 (not for hire or reward), and

(ii)

vehicles in category D which are driven otherwise than for hire or reward;

or a Northern Ireland licence corresponding to such a licence; or

(b)

on or after 1st January 1997, he has passed a test prescribed in respect of motor vehicles of another class included in category D and is a full-time member of the armed forces of the Crown.

(5)

Where a person is disqualified by order of a court under section 36 of the Offenders Act until he passes the appropriate driving test, he shall not be exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test in respect of any class of motor vehicle by virtue of the foregoing provisions of this regulation until the disqualification is deemed to have expired in relation to that class.

(6)

Where the Secretary of State has revoked a person’s licence or test pass certificate under section 3(2) of, or Schedule 1 to, the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 he shall not be exempt from the requirement to pass a theory test in respect of any class of motor vehicle by virtue of the foregoing provisions of this regulation until the day following the date on which he passes a relevant driving test within the meaning of section 4(2) of, or paragraph 6 or 9 of Schedule 1 to, that Act.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Regs. 40A-40C inserted (7.7.2008) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1435), regs. 1(1), 14 (with reg. 22)
F2: Reg. 42(1) substituted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 26(a)
F3: Reg. 42(1A)-(1E) inserted (19.1.2013) by The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/977), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 26(b)
F4: Reg. 42(2)(a) omitted (1.2.2001) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/53), regs. 1, 7(3)(a)
F5: Words in reg. 42(2)(b) omitted (1.2.2001) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/53), regs. 1, 7(3)(b)
F6: Words in reg. 42(2)(d) omitted (21.2.2003) by virtue of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/166), regs. 1(1), 3(b)

Notes on the whole SI

Textual amendments

F1: 1988 c. 52. Relevant amendments are referred to where appropriate below. Amending statutes and instruments are referred to in the footnotes to these Regulations in the following manner: “the 1989 Act" means the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989 (c. 22); “the 1990 Regulations" means the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/144), “the 1991 Act" means the Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40), “the 1996 Regulations" means the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/1974) and “the 1998 Regulations" means the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/1420).
F2: Subsection (6) was amended by the 1990 Regulations.
F3: Subsection (1A) was inserted by the 1996 Regulations, subsections (2A) and (5A) were inserted by the 1989 Act, section 6; subsection (3) was amended by the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 63; subsection (4) was amended by the 1989 Act, Schedule 3, paragraph 8 and by the 1996 Regulations; subsection (7) was amended and subsections (9) and (10) were substituted by the 1989 Act, Schedule 3, paragraph 8 and subsections (7), (9) and (10) were amended by the 1996 Regulations. Subsection (4)(b) is to be read with the Department of Transport (Fees) Order 1988 (S.I. 1988/643), as amended by S.I. 1991/811, 1993/1601, 1995/1684 and 1996/1929, the relevant entries being items 5, 5A and 6 in Schedule 1, Table III.
F4: Section 89A was inserted by the 1989 Act, section 4(4).
F5: Subsection (2) was amended by the 1996 Regulations.
F6: Subsections (4) and (5) were amended by the 1989 Act, section 5(7) and (8).
F7: Subsections (1) and (3) were amended by the 1989 Act, section 6(2) and Schedule 6 and by the 1996 and 1998 Regulations, subsection (1A) was inserted by the 1998 Regulations; subsections (3A) and (3B) were inserted by the 1989 Act, section 6(2) and subsection (3A) was amended by the 1996 and 1998 Regulations; subsection (4) was amended by the 1996 and 1998 Regulations; subsection (4) was amended by the 1998 Regulations.
F8: Subsections (2) and (4) were amended by the 1989 Act, Schedule 3, paragraph 11. Subsection (2) was amended by the 1990 Regulations.
F9: Subsection (1) was amended by Schedule 3, paragraph 12, of the 1989 Act; subsection (1A) was inserted by section 2(2) of that Act.
F10: Section 99A was inserted by the 1996 Regulations; subsection (4) was amended by the 1998 Regulations.
F11: Subsection (2) was amended by the 1989 Act, Schedule 3, paragraph 14 and by the 1990, 1996 and 1998 Regulations; subsection (4) was amended by the 1996 Regulations.
F12: See the definitions of “prescribed" and “regulations".
F13: Sections 114, 115, 116 and 117 to 122 (Part IV of the Act) were substituted by the 1989 Act, section 2(1) and Schedule 2, Section 114(1) was amended by the 1996 Regulations.
F14: Subsection (3) was amended by the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 64 and the 1996 Regulations.
F15: Section 115A was inserted by the 1996 Regulations.
F16: Subsection (2A) was inserted by the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 65.
F17: See the definition of “prescribed".
F18: Amended by the 1990 Regulations.
F19: Amended by the 1991 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 68.
F20: Inserted by the 1989 Act, Schedule 3, paragraph 23.
F21: See the definition of “prescribed".
F22: See section 105(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.