Driving without a license

Driving without a valid driving licence is a significant charge to be facing and can have a serious impact on your life. Consequently  including a criminal record and possible jail time. There are certain circumstances in which you may be driving without a licence which will be treated as a less serious charge. For example  as driving unsupervised on a provisional licence. However, if you are already serving a driving ban for another motoring offence, which is why you do not have a valid licence. Consequently this will be taken much more seriously so speak with our Motoring Defence Legal Team.

Penalty for driving without a license: Under the LC10 conviction code driving without a full driving licence can lead to 3-6 points on your licence and a potential fine of up to £1000. Additionally, if you drive without a licence and insurance, you can be given a further 6-8 penalty points. This  on top of the points you received for the initial offence and a fine of up to £5000. If the Courts feel it necessary, they have the authority to ban you from obtaining a full licence. This is a period of time that they see fit and their choosing.

What are the penalties? Driving Without A Licence

If you are caught  without your licence you will be arrested. Then charged and summoned to court. Once there, a judge will decide how serious your punishment will be. You could face:

• A maximum fine of £5,000
• 3 to 9 Penalty points endorsed on your driving licence once it is returned
• If you are driving on a provisional licence. Then your points will be carried over to your full licence. Furthermore if you receive any further points in 2 years after passing your test you will have your licence revoked
• An additional mandatory ban from driving for a minimum of 12 months
• Community Service
• Electronically Tagged Curfew
• Up to 6 months imprisonment
• A Criminal Record
• Additional costs from potential car insurers
• Difficulty finding employment in certain fields

You can see that the penalties are steep.  Especially if you are driving following a ban already given out by a court. Furthermore they will see this as a complete disregard of the court and its rulings. This could have further consequences.

Can The Sentence Be Reduced

Driving without a licence is deemed as an “absolute Offence” you may be given credit for pleading guilty in the first instance. First offenders that plead guilty usually get a more lenient sentence in contrast to repeat offenders. When entering your guilty plea dependant on the circumstance there is an option to use “special reasons” if applicable.

What Are Special Reasons

Special reasons are used to argue your case as to why you unintentionally committed the offence. A special reason does  amount to an actual defence of driving without a licence, but it is something that is connected to the offence. It is something that can be mitigating circumstance’s and something that the court should take into consideration before passing sentence. The special reasons associated to driving without a licence are complex and therefore need an experienced motoring defence team to help. Give Ashmans Solicitors a call today and we may be able to help you.

Ashmans Solicitors Dedicated Motor Defence Teams Locations

• Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
• Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
• Leeds, Yorkshire
• Sheffield, Yorkshire
• East London
• Central London

If you are being questioned or cautioned of this offence don’t speak to the police first. Use your legal rights to gain free Advice.

Related Article : Driving Whilst Disqualified

Possible Offence Codes

References

• Penalty Points: Gov.UK
• Road Traffic Act 1988: Section 164