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Driving Licence Codes Explained: A UK Guide
Driving Licence Codes Explained
Flip your UK driving licence over. See that small grid of numbers next to your vehicle categories? Those aren’t decoration.
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Those hidden numbers dictate exactly how, when, and what you’re legally allowed to drive. Ignore one, and you could be breaking the law without even realising it — and facing a fine of up to £1,000.
This guide decodes every major UK driving licence code, in plain English, so your photocard finally makes sense. Buy UK driving licence
A quick scope note before we start: this guide covers the system used in Great Britain — England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland uses a related but separate presentation of some codes, so if your licence was issued there, always check the specific NI guidance too.
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Section 1: Where to Find Your Licence Codes
Turn your photocard over. Look at the table on the back. Buy UK driving licence
Each row lists a vehicle category you’re entitled to drive. Next to it, in Column 12, you’ll find a short code — sometimes a single number, sometimes a number with digits in brackets. UK driving licence without test
That code tells you the exact conditions attached to that specific entitlement. No code next to a category generally means no special restriction applies to it. Buy UK driving licence
Section 2: The Master Licence Code Dictionary
Here’s every major code, what it officially means, and what it actually looks like in real life. UK driving licence without test
| Code | Official Meaning | Practical Example / Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Eyesight correction | You must wear glasses or contact lenses to drive legally |
| 02 | Hearing/communication aid | Your entitlement includes a condition relating to a hearing or communication aid |
| 03 | Prosthesis/orthosis for limbs | A physical adaptation or medical requirement applies to how you operate the vehicle |
| 10 | Modified transmission | Your vehicle must have adapted transmission controls |
| 15 | Modified clutch | Your vehicle must have an adapted clutch system |
| 20 | Modified braking systems | Your vehicle’s brakes must be specifically adapted |
| 25 | Modified accelerator systems | Your vehicle’s accelerator must be specifically adapted |
| 30 | Combined braking and accelerator systems | Applies to licences issued before 28 November 2016 |
| 31 | Pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards | Your vehicle’s pedals must include specific adaptations |
| 32 | Combined service brake and accelerator systems | A specific combined-control adaptation applies |
| 33 | Combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems | A more extensive combined-control adaptation applies |
| 35 | Modified control layouts | Your vehicle’s controls must be laid out to your specific adaptation |
| 40 | Modified steering | Your vehicle’s steering must be specifically adapted |
| 42 | Modified rear-view mirrors | Your vehicle must have adapted mirrors |
| 43 | Modified driving seats | Your vehicle must have an adapted seat |
| 44 | Motorcycle modifications | Covers a range of specific motorcycle adaptations (see subcodes below) |
| 45 | Motorcycle with sidecar | You’re restricted to motorcycles fitted with a sidecar |
| 46 | Tricycles only | Applies to licences issued before 29 June 2014 |
| 70 | Exchange of licence | Administrative record that your licence was exchanged from another one |
| 71 | Duplicate of licence | Administrative record that this photocard is a duplicate |
| 78 | Automatic transmission only | You cannot legally drive a manual vehicle on this entitlement |
| 79 | Vehicle-specific specifications | You’re restricted to vehicles matching the bracketed detail (e.g. 79(2), 79(3)) |
| 96 | Category B trailer combination | Covers certain trailer-and-vehicle combinations where the trailer is at least 750kg and the combined weight is between 3,500kg and 4,250kg |
| 97 | No tachograph-fitted C1 vehicles | You cannot drive Category C1 vehicles that legally require a tachograph |
| 101 | Not for hire or reward | A restriction on using this entitlement to make a profit from driving |
| 102 | Drawbar trailers only | Your trailer entitlement is limited to drawbar trailers specifically |
| 103 | Subject to certificate of competence | A specific competence certificate is required alongside this entitlement |
| 105 | Vehicle length limit | Vehicle must not be more than 5.5 metres long |
| 106 | Automatic transmission only | A category-specific version of the automatic-only restriction |
| 107 | Weight limit | Vehicle must not exceed 8,250kg |
| 108 | Minimum age requirement | A specific minimum age applies to this entitlement |
| 110 | Restricted mobility passengers only | Limited to transporting people with restricted mobility |
| 111 | Passenger seat limit | Limited to 16 passenger seats |
| 113 | Passenger seat limit (manual exception) | Limited to 16 passenger seats, except for automatics |
| 114 | Special controls required | Vehicle must have any special controls needed for you to drive safely |
| 115 | Organ donor | An administrative information code — not a driving restriction of any kind |
| 118 | Earliest entitlement date | The date shown is your earliest recorded entitlement date, not necessarily your current card’s print date |
| 119 | Weight limit waived | The standard weight limit for this vehicle category doesn’t apply to you |
| 120 | Category D1 health standard | Confirms you meet the specific health standard required for Category D1 |
| 121 | Secretary of State’s notice conditions | Restricted to conditions set out in a specific official notice |
| 122 | Basic Moped Training Course completed | Confirms completion of the required moped training (doesn’t cover trial e-scooters) |
| 124 | Drawbar trailers only (manual exception) UK driving licence without test | Limited to drawbar trailers, except for automatics |
Code 44 — motorcycle modification subcodes, in more detail:
| Subcode | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 44(1) | Single operated brake |
| 44(2) | Adapted front wheel brake |
| 44(3) | Adapted rear wheel brake |
| 44(4) | Adapted accelerator |
| 44(5) | Adjusted manual transmission and clutch |
| 44(6) | Adjusted rear-view mirror(s) |
| 44(7) | Adjusted controls, such as indicators and brake lights |
| 44(8) | Seat height allowing both feet on the ground while seated and balanced |
| 44(11) | Adapted foot rest |
| 44(12) | Adapted hand grip |
A genuinely important correction worth flagging here: you may see “code 61” and “code 62” mentioned online as daytime-only or radius-restricted driving codes. These are not current standalone GB Column 12 codes. In the harmonised European system, equivalent medical restrictions sit under code 05 (driving subject to medical restrictions), with subcodes 05.01 (daytime journeys only) and 05.02 (restricted to a set radius or area). If you’re writing or reading about a current GB photocard specifically, these belong under code 05, not as “61” or “62. UK driving licence without test
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Section 3: The Most Critical Codes You Need to Know
Two codes affect more everyday drivers than all the others combined. Here’s what you genuinely need to understand about each. buy HGV licence without test
Code 01 Eyesight Correction
Code 01 means exactly what it says: you must wear glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive.
This isn’t optional, and it isn’t really a “condition” in the loose sense it’s a legal requirement tied directly to your entitlement. Forget your glasses, and you’re not just being careless, you’re potentially driving illegally. buy HGV licence without test
Why this matters for insurance: if you’re involved in an incident and it emerges you weren’t wearing your required correction, insurers may investigate this as part of any claim. It’s also worth knowing that driving with genuinely defective eyesight below the legal standard is a separate offence entirely code MS70, carrying 3 penalty points. buy HGV licence without test
The practical takeaway: keep a spare pair of glasses in the car. It sounds obvious, but it’s one of the simplest ways to avoid an entirely preventable problem. buy HGV licence without test
Code 78 Automatic Transmission Only
Code 78 is arguably the single most common restriction on ordinary car licences today, given how many learners now pass their test in an automatic. buy LGV licence without test
If code 78 appears against your Category B entitlement, you are legally restricted to automatic-transmission vehicles. You cannot use that entitlement to drive a manual car not for a short distance, not “just this once. buy LGV licence without test
Why this matters more than people expect: many car rental companies default to manual vehicles in parts of the UK and abroad. If your licence carries code 78, you must specifically request an automatic turning up and driving whatever’s handed to you isn’t a safe assumption to make. buy LGV licence without test
Why this matters for insurance: driving a manual vehicle on a code 78 licence means you’re driving otherwise than in accordance with your licence. That’s a genuine legal problem in its own right, and it can create real complications with your insurance cover too, since most policies require you to hold a valid, appropriate licence for the vehicle you’re driving. buy LGV licence without test
Section 4: What Happens If You Violate Your Licence Codes?
This is the part worth taking seriously, not glossing over.
The core offence: driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. This is a genuine, prosecutable offence under Section 87 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 officially recorded as endorsement code LC20.
The penalties:
- 3 to 6 penalty points, remaining on your driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence
- A fine of up to £1,000 (a “Level 3” fine, the maximum for this specific offence)
- In some circumstances, a court can impose disqualification instead of, or alongside, points this depends entirely on the specifics of the offence and is decided case by case, not automatically
An important distinction worth understanding clearly: driving otherwise than in accordance with your licence (LC20) is a different offence from driving without insurance (IN10, carrying 6 to 8 points). They can occur together, but they are not the same thing, and shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable.
On insurance specifically the honest picture, not the scary headline: breaking a licence restriction does not automatically void every insurance policy outright. What it genuinely does is this: your use of the vehicle may fall outside what you declared to your insurer, or outside your policy’s terms. This can affect whether your policy responds to a claim, and it can lead to disputes with your insurer — but the exact consequence depends on your specific policy wording and the circumstances of the breach, not a single universal rule. buy LGV licence without test
In practice, here’s what this looks like: if you’re driving a manual car on a code 78 (automatic-only) licence and you’re involved in an incident, your insurer may investigate closely, may dispute the claim, or may decline to cover it because you weren’t legally entitled to drive that vehicle in the first place. That’s a genuinely serious practical consequence, even without a blanket “voided” label attached to it. buy LGV licence without test
Conclusion
Your driving licence codes aren’t bureaucratic clutter they’re the specific legal terms of what you’re allowed to drive, and how. Understanding Column 12 properly means understanding your actual entitlement, not just assuming the plastic card in your wallet covers everything.
One more thing worth doing today, beyond just checking your codes: if you have a medical condition that could affect your driving new or existing keep DVLA genuinely up to date. Driving with an undeclared relevant condition carries its own serious risks, entirely separate from the codes covered here.
Your call to action is simple: go check your photocard right now. Look at Column 12. Confirm you understand every code sitting against every category you hold because “I didn’t know” has never been a legal defence.
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