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 of 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 and 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 up to a £1,000 fine. As the license 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 not only driving a vehicle but that you were 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 which are 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 can show you were driving somebody to hospital and it was an emergency, then you can claim that exceptional circumstances required you to drive a car while disqualified. Even if you are guilty of driving while disqualified or driving without a license, a UK solicitor who specialises in traffic offences may be able to help reduce your punishment by knowing what other mitigating circumstances might exist which should be brought to the attention of the court.

Driving without a license is a grave offense 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 as a result then the victim will be responsible for the costs and their insurance premiums will increase, potentially causing them financial hardship. While it is possible to avoid conviction if you can prove that “special reasons” exist, you should seek specialist legal advice as soon as possible.