Learner drivers
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You don’t need to have them by law, but P plates can help new drivers feel safer and more confident and they don’t affect your car insurance.
Green P plates show other drivers that you've recently passed your driving test.
The P stands for ‘probationary’ and they aren’t mandatory, so it’s up to you if you want to display one – they won’t affect the cost of your car insurance.
There’s no specific time limit, so you can leave them on for as long as you like, until you feel confident enough to take them off.
P plates let other drivers know you don’t have much experience behind the wheel yet, so they need to be more patient if you make small mistakes.
This could help build your confidence faster, especially for things that you might not have had much opportunity to practice before, like driving on motorways.
Like L plates, your P plates on the front and back of your car. Don’t put them on your front or rear windscreen. You must make sure your P plates:
You can get P plates that are stickers, or magnetic ones.
P Plates are entirely voluntary and aren’t required by law, so they won’t make a difference to your car insurance.
There’s no direct correlation between displaying P plates and road accidents. But because you’ve recently passed your test, you can expect to pay more for your car insurance than experienced drivers.
Here’s what you can do to keep costs down:
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