Documents

Documents covers the paperwork that legally lets you and your vehicle be on the road — provisional vs full licence, third-party vs comprehensive insurance, MOT validity, the V5C log book and SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification).

What’s tested

• When you need a provisional vs full licence and what each lets you do
• Insurance levels: third party, third party fire and theft, comprehensive
• MOT — valid for one year, renewable up to one month early
• V5C log book and the legal duty to update DVLA
• SORN — what it is and when you need one

Key Highway Code rules

• Rule 89
• Rule 95

Try a real DVSA question

Practice question

From the DVSA question bank

For how long is an MOT certificate normally valid?

• A Three years after the date it was issued
• B 10,000 miles
• C One year after the date it was issued
• D 30,000 miles

Show explanation

The correct answer is C.

Some garages will remind you that your vehicle is due for its annual MOT test, but not all do. To ensure continuous cover, you may take your vehicle for its MOT up to one month before its existing MOT certificate expires. The expiry date on the new certificate will be 12 months after the expiry date on the old certificate.

Want more practice? Get 750+ free DVSA questions, hazard perception clips and the latest Highway Code in our app.

Common mistakes

• Driving without insurance (£300 minimum fine + 6 points)
• Forgetting the one-month-early MOT renewal window — the new certificate keeps the old expiry
• Not telling DVLA after a name or address change
• Driving a SORNed vehicle on the road (illegal — needs re-registration)

Keep going

• Search the full Highway Code →
• Browse all UK road signs →
• Read the full FAQ (51 questions) →

All 14 topics

• Alertness Staying focused: mirrors, observation, scanning the road, avoiding fatigue and distraction.
• Attitude Considerate driving: patience, following distance, behaviour at crossings and roundabouts.
• Safety and your vehicle Roadworthiness: brakes, tyres, lights, fluids, warning lights and securing the car.
• Safety margins Stopping distances, weather, road surface, and the space you need to react safely.
• Hazard awareness Anticipating risk: spotting clues, planning ahead, reading other road users’ behaviour.
• Vulnerable road users Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders, children, older and disabled people.
• Other types of vehicle Sharing the road with lorries, buses, motorcycles, trams and emergency vehicles.
• Vehicle handling Driving in rain, fog, snow, dark and strong wind — how conditions change the car.
• Motorway rules Joining, lane discipline, speed, breakdowns and smart-motorway running lanes.
• Rules of the road Speed limits, junctions, roundabouts, parking, level crossings and one-way streets.
• Road and traffic signs The visual language of UK roads — shape, colour and meaning of every sign and signal.
• Incidents, accidents and emergencies First aid, CPR, AED, RTC procedure, breakdowns and tunnel safety.
• Vehicle loading Carrying passengers, luggage, roof loads and towing — and how each changes the car.