Your driving licence is automatically revoked if you build up six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test. This includes any penalty points you had before passing the test, which are still valid. You’ll have to reapply for your driving licence as a learner driver and resit your driving test.
This applies to drivers and motorcyclists from Great Britain (GB), Northern Ireland, European Community and European Economic Area (EC/EEA) countries, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Gibraltar for a period of two years from passing their first driving test in these countries.
The act also applies to you if you have exchanged a driving licence issued in a designated country for a GB driving licence.
The first driving test you pass in this country for another type of vehicle eg a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) is treated as a first driving test. If you reach six or more penalty points within two years of passing this test, your driving licence will be revoked.
The designated countries are: Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.
To regain your full driving licence you must reapply for a provisional driving licence, pass the theory and practical driving tests again and claim your test pass.
Reapply for a provisional driving licence
You’ll need to:
Pass the theory and practical driving tests
You’ll need to pay for and resit the theory and practical driving tests
Claim your test pass
After passing your driving test, you’ll need to exchange your provisional driving licence for a full one.
Full entitlement to drive all categories of vehicle you previously held on your driving licence will only be reinstated when you pass a test in any one of your previously held entitlements.
If you successfully pass a test for entitlement to a category you have not previously held, you’ll get a full driving licence for that category only.
Also, previously held HGV or PCV (passenger carrying vehicle) entitlement will only be reinstated after the approval of the Traffic Commissioner.
It’s important to remember that passing the retest:
Your driving licence can only be revoked once under the provisions of the act.
You can only appeal against the conviction that led to you getting the six penalty points. Contact the convicting court for advice on how to appeal.