If you are learning to drive in Scotland, you take the same DVSA car theory test as learners in England and Wales. What is different is some of the law you drive under, and the theory test expects you to know it.
The test is the same
- Multiple choice: 50 questions in 57 minutes; you need 43.
- Hazard perception: 14 clips; you need 44 out of 75.
- Book on GOV.UK for £23, with a provisional licence. Bring your photocard licence.
- The pass certificate lasts 2 years.
The full details are in the England guides: how to pass the theory test, booking and hazard perception.
What is different in Scotland
- Drink-drive limit: since 5 December 2014, 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (22 micrograms per 100 ml of breath). In the rest of the UK it is 80 mg (35 micrograms). Even one drink can put you over, so the safest choice is none at all.
- 20 mph zones: many Scottish towns have 20 mph zones and limits; the default on roads with street lights is still 30 mph unless signs say otherwise.
- Single-track roads: in rural and Highland areas, use passing places to let oncoming traffic pass, or to let traffic behind you overtake, and never park in them.
Learning to drive in Scotland
- Apply for a provisional licence from 15 years 9 months and drive from 17.
- Display L plates and drive with a supervisor aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for 3 years.
- Learners may use motorways only with an approved driving instructor in a dual-control car.
- For 2 years after passing, 6 penalty points cancel your licence.
Take a free Scotland theory mock test to see where you stand.
Checked against official sources on 17 October 2026.