New driver with 6 points: why your licence is revoked, not just banned
If you passed your driving test within the last two years and reach 6 or more penalty points, your licence is revoked by the DVLA under the New Drivers Act 1995, not disqualified by a court. Revocation is automatic and administrative: you go back to a provisional licence and must pass both the theory and practical tests again to get your full licence back. Exceptional hardship does not apply to revocation, because it is not a court disqualification.
Written by the team behind Agent Stuart, our driving ban specialist. This guide is general information about UK law, reviewed for accuracy.Why the first two years are different
The New Drivers Act sets a lower threshold for anyone in their first two years of driving after passing their first test. Instead of the 12-point totting-up limit that applies to everyone else, new drivers face revocation at just 6 points. Two speeding offences, or a single offence that carries 6 points, can be enough.
The important distinction is that this is revocation by the DVLA, not a ban imposed by a court. That difference changes what you can and cannot do about it.
What revocation actually means
- Your full licence is revoked and you revert to provisional entitlement
- You must reapply for a provisional licence and can drive only under provisional conditions (L plates, a supervising driver, no motorways)
- You must pass both the theory test and the practical test again to regain a full licence
- The points stay on your record and still count towards the ordinary 12-point limit for the usual period
- There is no fixed 'ban length': you drive again as a full licence holder only once you have re-passed
Why exceptional hardship does not help here
Exceptional hardship is an argument you make to magistrates to avoid a court disqualification under totting up. New-driver revocation is not a court disqualification, so there is no hearing at which to make that argument. The DVLA applies the revocation automatically once the points reach 6.
Where the offences themselves are being decided in court, the real opportunity is earlier: how the underlying offences are handled, and whether the points that push you to 6 are correct in the first place.
Dealing with the offence behind the pointsStuart drafts mitigation and representations around the underlying offence and your circumstances, so the way the offence is handled is the strongest it can be.£5 launch price (normally £99.99)Start my statementCommon questions
Does the two-year period run from my first ever pass?
It runs from the date you passed your first practical driving test, for any vehicle. Passing an additional test later does not restart or extend the probationary period.
Can I argue exceptional hardship to keep my licence?
No. Exceptional hardship applies to totting-up disqualifications decided by magistrates. New-driver revocation is an automatic DVLA process once you reach 6 points, so there is no disqualification hearing at which the argument could be made.
Do I have to retake both tests, or just reapply?
Both. Once your licence is revoked you hold provisional entitlement again and must pass the theory and practical tests to get your full licence back. It is not simply a waiting period.
What if I dispute the points that took me to 6?
The place to challenge points is usually the underlying offence, before it is decided, not the revocation itself. If you believe an offence was wrongly recorded or the points are incorrect, that is where to focus. Once the points stand at 6, revocation follows.