Driving without a valid license will get you a penalty of 3-6 points and a maximum fine of £1000. The court can also issue a driving ban which stops you from obtaining a driver’s license for a set period. You may also receive further charges for driving without insurance, as your insurance may be invalid if you do not have a valid driver’s licence.

Driving while disqualified

Driving your car while disqualified or knowingly allowing a disqualified driver to drive can result in 6 penalty points, up to a £5,000 fine, up to 6 months in prison, and a discretionary disqualification if the court feels the offence is severe enough. Obtaining a new license while disqualified can lead to a £1,000 fine. As the permit will not be valid, you can also be charged with driving without a license.

It can sometimes be difficult for the authorities to prove that you were driving a vehicle and disqualified at the time. Using modern technology, however, which includes speed and traffic cameras and easily accessible computer files, it is much easier for the police to recognise cars being driven that are registered to drivers who have been banned from driving than it used to be.

When you hire a UK solicitor specialising in driving bans, they can help you prove that there were exceptional circumstances. If you can show that you or someone else was in danger at the time and that taking control of the vehicle was the best way to escape the threat, you can avoid a penalty. For example, if you show you were driving somebody to the hospital and it was an emergency, then you can claim that extraordinary circumstances required you to drive a car while disqualified. Even if you are guilty of driving while disqualified or without a license, a UK solicitor specialising in traffic offences may help reduce your punishment by knowing what other mitigating circumstances might exist which should be brought to the court’s attention.

Driving without a license is a grave offence because it can have consequences for other drivers if you are responsible for causing an accident. If you have no driver’s license and your insurance is invalid, the victim will be responsible for the costs, and their insurance premiums will increase, potentially causing them financial hardship.

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