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Not impressed with DLM in the slightest.
After an accident in 2024 where an at-fault accident wrote off our motability car, DLM fell short on customer care & failed to look after us as a customer, both after the accident & the run up to the court appearance that led to the ban, but that’s another story.
In 2025, our disabled daughter ended up with a 12mth driving ban due to the previous accident.
Roll on to 2026 & the daughter is counting down the days (2 weeks) until her ban is over & she can get behind the wheel again
Now having only found out by chance today, DLM state
Yes, any driver who’s been disqualified from driving for more than 30 days within the last five years cannot drive on a Direct Line Motability (DLM) policy.
They’ll become eligible when five years have passed from the conviction date shown on their driving licence.
Is this a somewhat new addition to dlm’s t&c’s?
The kicker is this was not mentioned at anytime previously by DLM.
we now have an adapted motability vehicle that the customer won’t be able to drive.
As we currently have 15 mth left on our car, the thoughts are we will likely have to terminate the lease early,
but where to next?
We’re not in a position to purchase a brand new vehicle privately, so with adaptions needed,
possibly looking at a used vehicle! if adaptions are still available?
or
a private lease! If adaptions are allowed to be fitted?Adaptations at cost price,
a 6k insurance quote for a used car.
Or is there anything else you guys n gals can suggest.?.?.?
TIA
Tom…
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Sorry @TomThumb but information seems to all point to, new drivers getting a driving ban within the first 2 years. Having to reapply for a provisional licence and retaking both the theory and practical test. All remaining points and endorsements will stay on the new licence.
I wish you both the best of luck, whatever the outcome may be.
Reapply for your driving licence if you’ve been disqualified – GOV.UK
I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.Sorry @TomThumb but information seems to all point to, new drivers getting a driving ban within the first 2 years. Having to reapply for a provisional licence and retaking both the theory and practical test. All remaining points and endorsements will stay on the new licence. I wish you both the best of luck, whatever the outcome may be. Reapply for your driving licence if you’ve been disqualified – GOV.UK
Its such a hard law for any young person to deal with and we as parents can only support (rather than judge) them to move forwards. The only thing I cannot see is whether she had held her licence for more than two years at the time of the incident (It may be somewhere in the thread)
Thanks to all & I will of course update as & when things are confirmed over the next few weeks.
Edit: to include the daughter was a newly qualified driver at 3mth at the time of the accident.
It also reads to me that the courts can impose extra restrictions on anything over & above what the dvla requires on a licence re-issue following a ban.
Hence the court not imposing any re-test criteria but a required re-test via the 6 penalty points within 2 years as a newly qualified driver.
Thats how I interpret it all.Then again no mention of penalty points at the time of the ban.
Tom…
The license check currently shows nothing but a disqualification, that ends in a couple of weeks.
I’m with you @swwchris, I think she will have to re-sit the theory & driving test again, but the daughter amongst others is adamant the court said she would not have to re-take a test.
(possibly meaning the court won’t be imposing any re-test)
Tom…
WOW, just wow.
Did you just catch a glimpse of me in mirror DD😂
I do not think the court has to bother mentioning any retest as it seems to be an automatic outcome, given the license was suspended.
Its not a good position for your lass if this is the case.
Its just a matter of supporting her and getting her through the hoops again. Am pretty sure she will be strong and ace whatever is in front of her.
Best of luck to you all…hope it goes better than expected.
The license check currently shows nothing but a disqualification, that ends in a couple of weeks. I’m with you @swwchris, I think she will have to re-sit the theory & driving test again, but the daughter amongst others is adamant the court said she would not have to re-take a test. (possibly meaning the court won’t be imposing any re-test) Tom…
Automatic revocation by the DVLA without warning, is based on points system (accumulating 6 or more points within the 2 year probation period)
I don’t think this has been asked or stated – Did your daughter receive 6 or more points for her CD offence. If yes, under the probation period your licence is revoked by the DVLA. Revocation is automatic and does not require a court appearance or warning and will have to retake her tests.
Where its less clear cut, is if your daughters driving licence was revoked for a period of time within the probation period by the court, as alternatve punishment instead of points (or less than 6) on her licence, she may well not need to retake the tests. There are exceptional circumstances where this may apply.
After a period of disqualification, one has to apply to the DVLA for your “new” licence to be renewed.
I am confident due to the reasons posted, that when she receives her licence back it will be a Provisional one, as per law.
Where its less clear cut, is if your daughters driving licence was revoked for a period of time within the probation period by the court, as alternatve punishment instead of points (or less than 6) on her licence, she may well not need to retake the tests. There are exceptional circumstances where this may apply.
It seems to be quite clear Bans/Disqualifications over 56 days requires you to reapply for your licence.
So you can only get a driving ban from either a driving conviction, or an accumulation of 12 points. I think both lead to a court appearance. I‘m excluding anything to do with surrendering your licence for other reasons.Applying for a new licence after disqualification for a new driver within the first 2 years results in a provisional licence and requiring to pass both the theory and practical tests again.
That’s the way the government have wrote it. A court cannot override this process, due to not specifically mentioning it. I don’t mind being corrected if I’m wrong. But that’s the only way I can read it.
I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.Deleted
I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.Where its less clear cut, is if your daughters driving licence was revoked for a period of time within the probation period by the court, as alternatve punishment instead of points (or less than 6) on her licence, she may well not need to retake the tests. There are exceptional circumstances where this may apply.
It seems to be quite clear Bans/Disqualifications over 56 days requires you to reapply for your licence. So you can only get a driving ban from either a driving conviction, or an accumulation of 12 points. I think both lead to a court appearance. I‘m excluding anything to do with surrendering your licence for other reasons. Applying for a new licence after disqualification for a new driver within the first 2 years results in a provisional licence and requiring to pass both the theory and practical tests again. That’s the way the government have wrote it. A court cannot override this process, due to not specifically mentioning it. I don’t mind being corrected if I’m wrong. But that’s the only way I can read it.
Looking on motoring solictors websites early today (luckily I still had what I copied to clipboard), this seems to be the case on exceptional grounds
In general:
If you are banned within the 2 year probation period by the court, you may face automatic revocation of your driving license if you accumulate 6 or more penalty points during this time.
However, the court can impose disqualification instead of points, which may allow you to avoid the revocation process. If you are charged with a motoring offence during your probation period, the court has the discretion to disqualify you rather than impose points, which could prevent the revocation of your license.
drrivingban.co.uk:
“How do I avoid revocation of my driving licence?
Whilst revocation is automatic if you reach 6 points, if you can prevent points being endorsed, you can avoid revocation. Consequently, for offences where there is a range of penalty points, it may be possible to ensure that the punishment does not take you to 6 or more. In other cases, it may be more practical to obtain a short period of disqualification instead of penalty points. Although to achieve this, you will have to attend Court, if you can convince the Court to impose a punishment that avoids penalty points, you will avoid revocation.It is important to understand that whilst the Court has no discretion on whether revocation is imposed should you reach 6 points, it does have discretion on the whether you should receive points, and in some circumstances the number of points, all of which effect the possibility of avoiding revocation. The issues require technical knowledge of the law, so you should seek legal advice if you chose to go to Court.”
Hadi law:
“Does the court have any discretion to save my licence?
No, the court cannot prevent DVLA revocation once six points are endorsed. However, a solicitor may argue for a short disqualification instead of poinst*, which avoids triggering revocation.”Similar wording to this effect appears on motoring solicitors pages, but for this case, I would just be repeating, I think.
As for the 56 dayer ban:
Under the New Drivers Act, a driving ban of 56 days or more does not automatically apply during the probation period. However, if a driver has been disqualified for 56 days or more, they must apply for a new licence before driving again. This applies to all drivers, not just those under the New Drivers Act. The court will inform the driver if they need to do this. Applying for a new licence doesn’t automatically require you to retests however, you might also have to retake your driving test or take an extended driving test before getting your full licence depending on the offence. The court will tell you if you have to do this.
The court has discretion over this, than it does with drivers in their probationary period.
This is why those in the legal profession earn the big bucks.
Previously I had been expecting the daughter to be issued a provisional license & then having to re-take her theory & test again.
But after catching up on this thread this evening, then revisiting .gov / dvla
Now I’m sure she will receive her full license back.
From gov.uk
Driving disqualifications
Contents
Overview
Check when your disqualification ends
Apply to reduce your disqualification period
If you need to retake your test
Changes to your name and address while disqualified
Disqualification for drink-driving
Disqualification for drug driving
If you need to retake your test
If the court told you that you must take another driving test before driving again, you’ll have to apply for a new provisional licence.
You can drive as soon as your ban is over and you’ve passed the tests you need to take.according to a snippet referencing the new driver act,
I am a new driver. If I receive an instant driving ban do I have to re–sit the driving test?
No. You would not normally have to re–sit your test unless this was a specific term of the penalty imposed by the Court. In the normal course of events, you would simply serve the disqualification period and your licence would then be reinstated. For a ban of 56 days or more, you would have to formally apply for your licence to be reinstated but this does not require you to take any further test.The court didn’t impose any requirement for a re-test, so the daughter should be issued with a full license according to that.
Many thanks to all who have taken the time to post, very much appreciated.
Regaining a driving license is only the first hurdle, as no matter what license the daughter is issued, her adapted motability vehicle is still going to be out of reach for her.
From Motability
Does it matter if a driver has points or has been disqualified?
Yes, any driver who’s been disqualified from driving for more than 30 days within the last five years cannot drive on a Direct Line Motability (DLM) policy.They’ll become eligible when five years have passed from the conviction date shown on their driving licence.
Tom…
@TomThumb, glad we could be of help in some way or another. I really do wish you and your daughter the best outcome. We all don’t want to see her have to go back to the beginning. It’s going to be hard enough waiting to get back on Motability, if she should choose that route again.
Good luck to you both.
I have ASD and thus have difficulty with social and understanding information, written and verbal. I process information in logical blocks, before I reply. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm wrong.
I also have a corneal visual condition, which makes me visually impaired without daytime, or daytime bulbs, among other disabilities/conditions.
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