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The cost of getting on the road

Learning to drive, buying a car, tax and insurance are part of prepping a young driver for life as a motorist. But how much does it really cost?

Amy Smith
Amy Smith
Updated 22 September 2023  | 4 min read

Being a young driver is no cheap ride

Car insurance for young drivers is expensive. Especially when you compare it to those with long safe driving records.

Insurance is a big price to pay to get on the road. And that's without factoring in the cost of a car, driving lessons and paying for the theory and practical test on top.

How much does it cost to learn to drive?

How much you pay depends on:

  • The price of a provisional licence
  • The cost of each driving lesson, multiplied by how many you need
  • How much the theory and practical tests cost

It's £34[1] to apply for a provisional licence online.

A driving lesson costs around £32.6 per hour, and on average you'll need 36 of them.[2] That's £1173.60 in total.

A theory test will set you back £23, and taking a practical driving test on a weekday costs £62[3].

In this case, learning to drive costs £1292.60.

Requirement Cost
Average spent buying first car[4] £2,750
First year insurance premium[5] £1,208
First year Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax)[6] £148
Provisional driving licence (apply online)[1] £34
Driving lessons to successful test (36 hours x £32.60)[2] £1,173.60
Driving tests (theory and practical - taken on weekdays)[3] £85
Total cost of getting on the road £5,398.6

At what age can you learn to drive?

You can apply for your provisional licence when you're 15 years and 9 months old, but you can't start driving a car or take lessons on UK roads until you're 17.

If you're 16 and determined to get going, nothing's stopping you saving up and shopping around for the right first car.

How many hours does it take to pass a driving test?

There isn’t a minimum requirement of hours you need to practise to take and pass your test. It just depends on how fast you pick it up.

According to a survey by Maru/Blue on behalf a Go.Compare, on average it takes around 36 hours to be ready for your practical test.[2]

How much is a first car?

On average, new UK drivers spend £2,750[4] on their first car, though some new drivers will spend more or less, depending on their budget or how keen a motorist they are.

If you're going to lease your first car, look over what's included in the price, for example who pays for the maintenance, and be mindful of how much of your annual salary it'll take up - you don't want to end up struggling to pay off a car you can't really afford.

Is it cheaper to put a child on their parents car insurance policy?

What are the cheapest cars to insure for young drivers?

Below are the top 10 cheapest cars to insure fully comp[7]:

  1. Peugeot 107

    £528

  2. Citroen C1

    £543

  3. Volkswagen Up!

    £546

  4. Ford KA

    £581

  5. Hyundai i10

    £594

  6. Mini One

    £603

  7. Fiat 500

    £606

  8. Suzuki Swift

    £644

  9. Toyota Aygo

    £653

  10. Vauxhall Adam

    £669

How much is insurance for your first car?

In 2022, the average cost of annual comprehensive car insurance for a 17 year old driver was £1,248.[8]

When buying car insurance, price isn’t the only thing young or new drivers should take into account. It’s also important to check the cover levels to make sure you understand exactly what you’re buying.

Not having insurance that covers your needs could leave you liable for the bill if something went wrong, so weigh up the cost and what’s included in the policy before you buy.

Why is insurance more expensive for new drivers?

Young and inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents - if you're a risky prospect to insurers, your car insurance will be more expensive.

Your insurance premium is also affected by the type of car you have and its insurance group.

It’s always worth finding out what insurance group the car belongs to before buying it.

Cars with more power and higher top speeds are considered more dangerous, so they’ll be put in a higher insurance group meaning your car insurance will cost more.

Your insurance may be more expensive or cheaper depending on where you live too. Research by Go.Compare suggests comprehensive car insurance costs 33% more in London than it does in the South West for 17-21 year olds.[9]

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[1] Source Gov.UK https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-fees

[2]Figures based on a survey of 1,006 Great British parents of children aged 17 to 25 either learning or able to drive when asked "Roughly how many driving lessons did your child have before they passed their test?" and "Roughly, per hour, how much does each driving lesson cost?" "

[3] Source Gov.UK https://www.gov.uk/driving-test-cost

[4] Based on fully comprehensive policies bought from GoCompare between August 2022 and July 2023, the average value of a car for customers between 17-21 years old with a UK full licence less than 1 year old is £2,750.

[5] Based on fully comprehensive policies bought from GoCompare between August 2022 and July 2023, the average car insurance premium for customers between 17-21 years old with a UK full licence less than 1 year old is £1,280.

[6] The average road tax for the top 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers is £148. The 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers were taken from our report here and based on average car insurance prices for policies paid annually bought through Go.Compare between 1 Jan 2023 and 31 Mar 2023.

[7] Based on average car insurance prices for policies paid annually bought through Go.Compare between 1 Jan 2023 and 31 Mar 2023.

[8] Based on average car insurance prices for fully comp policies bought by 17 to 21 year olds with a UK full licence less than 1 year old between 2015 and 2022.

[9]Based on average car insurance prices for fully comp policies bought by 17 to 21 year olds with a UK full licence less than 1 year old between Aug 2022 and Jul 2023.