The rules for learner drivers and insurance
In Great Britain a learner must be insured on the car, display L plates, and be supervised by someone at least 21 who has held a full licence for that vehicle type for three years. Motorways are only allowed with an approved instructor in a dual-control car.
The rules, from GOV.UK
These are legal requirements in Great Britain, not provider preferences. Northern Ireland differs in places and is not covered here.
- Insurance on the specific vehicle you are driving. No learner exemption exists
- L plates displayed front and rear, and visible. In Wales you may use D plates instead
- A supervisor who is at least 21, has held a full licence for that category of vehicle
- No motorways unless you are with an approved driving instructor in a car with dual
- The car must be roadworthy, taxed and MOT'd
What providers add on top
Providers set their own rules, and theirs can be stricter than the law:
- Marmalade requires the supervisor to be 25 or over, not 21
- Collingwood requires 21 and qualified for the vehicle type, which matches the law
- Tempcover requires the provisional licence to carry no penalty points
- Cuvva requires the provisional to have been held for less than 15 years, and covers
So "am I allowed to do this?" has two answers, and you need both to be yes. The law permits a 21-year-old supervisor. Marmalade does not.
The penalties
Driving without insurance carries a £300 fixed penalty and six points, or an unlimited fine and disqualification if it goes to court. The police can seize and destroy the car.
Six points matters more for a learner than for anybody else. Under the New Drivers Act a licence is revoked if six points are accumulated within two years of passing, and points from your learner period count towards that. You would be back to a provisional and re-taking both tests.
The supervisor's position
The person in the passenger seat is legally supervising, which means they must be fit to drive that car themselves. Being over the drink-drive limit while supervising a learner is an offence. They must be able to take control if needed, which is the whole point of them being there.
Anything above about what the law requires is Great Britain law and comes from GOV.UK. Anything about a provider comes from that provider's own published material, read on 18 September 2026. How we check.
