Learning to drive is a big step, and it helps to know what is involved before you book your first lesson. This guide explains the route from provisional licence to driving test in Great Britain, what is different about learning in an automatic car, and what to expect from the roads of Brighton and Hove. It uses official GOV.UK and DVSA guidance, and it is written for automatic learners in Brighton and Hove, Burgess Hill, Lancing and nearby areas.
Every learner progresses differently, and nothing here can guarantee a test result. Use it as a starting point to discuss with your instructor.
Quick answer: you need a provisional driving licence before you take lessons or practise. Anyone you pay to teach you must be an approved driving instructor (ADI) or a registered trainee. You must usually pass the theory test before you can book your practical test. GOV.UK says there is no minimum number of lessons, because how many you need depends on how quickly you learn. In an automatic car you have no clutch or gear changes to manage, but the test and the standard of driving expected are the same.
The steps to learning to drive
GOV.UK sets out the route in order. Here is how it works in practice.
1. Check you can drive legally
You must meet the legal requirements for driving, including the eyesight rules and any medical conditions you need to declare. GOV.UK has pages on learning to drive a car and the driving eyesight rules.
2. Get a provisional driving licence
You need one to take lessons or practise, and to book your theory test. Our guide explains how to apply for a provisional driving licence, and you apply through GOV.UK.
3. Choose your driving instructor
GOV.UK says anyone you pay to teach you must be a qualified approved driving instructor or a trainee. A qualified instructor displays a green badge and a trainee displays a pink badge. Instructors set their own prices, with no minimum or maximum. Our guide to choosing the right driving instructor lists what to ask, and AK’s lesson prices are on our pricing page.
4. Take lessons and practise
You must be supervised, the car must display L plates, and you need a provisional licence. If you also practise with family or friends, they must be over 21, qualified to drive the type of car, and have held their full licence for 3 years. They cannot be paid. The car also needs suitable insurance.
5. Pass your theory test
You can book it once you have a provisional licence, and you must usually pass it before you can book your practical test. Our online theory test help covers practice and hazard perception.
6. Book and take your practical test
You must book and manage it yourself. Your instructor cannot do it for you. See the section below for what to expect.
7. After you pass
You can drive on your own once you have passed, but you need an insurance policy that allows unsupervised driving. Pass Plus is an optional training course for newly qualified drivers; see our Pass Plus page.
Learning in an automatic car
An automatic car has no clutch and no gear changes to manage, so more of your attention goes on the road, other road users and planning ahead. That does not make the test easier. GOV.UK says the driving test is the same for manual and automatic cars, and DVSA’s Ready to Pass campaign expects the same observation, anticipation, positioning and control from every learner.
One thing to know: GOV.UK explains that if your licence is only for automatic cars, you can upgrade it later by passing a test in a manual car. You can choose to learn and take your test in an automatic car regardless of any previous manual experience. For more on the benefits, see automatic versus manual driving lessons.
Learning on Brighton and Hove roads
Every area has its own mix of roads. Brighton and Hove is a busy coastal city with many sloping streets, so it is worth practising for the following conditions with your instructor. This is general preparation, not a list of test routes.
| Condition | What to practise |
|---|---|
| Sloping streets | Moving off and stopping on a slope, smooth speed control, and parking safely. A hill start can come up on the driving test. |
| Busy city and seafront traffic | Looking well ahead, anticipating, and keeping a safe following distance in slow-moving or stop-start traffic. |
| Buses, cyclists and pedestrians | Giving vulnerable road users space, checking mirrors and blind spots, and slowing early for pedestrian crossings. |
| Narrow residential streets with parked cars | Meeting and passing, patience, and knowing who has priority. |
| One-way systems and lane choice | Reading signs and road markings early, choosing your lane in good time and avoiding last-second changes. |
| Parking restrictions and bus lanes | Reading signs, lines and times carefully, so you know where you can stop and when. |
| Lower speed limits | Brighton and Hove Council has introduced 20 mph limits in phases in some areas, so always follow the signs rather than assuming a limit. |
Your instructor will choose roads that suit your stage, usually starting somewhere quiet and building up as you gain confidence. Learners who live near Burgess Hill or travel there may also like our guide to preparing for your driving test in Burgess Hill.
What your lessons should cover
DVSA’s Ready to Pass campaign groups learning into 27 driving skills, from legal responsibilities and cockpit checks to junctions, roundabouts, manoeuvres, road types and independent driving. Each skill has five levels of progress. You will be ready for your test when you are consistently reaching level 5 across all 27 skills, and you will usually be ready when you do not need prompts, do not make serious or dangerous mistakes, can pass mock driving tests, have practised managing your nerves and your instructor agrees.
Ask your instructor for honest feedback after each lesson, and keep track of which skills still need help. Our guide to independent driving and sat nav use explains the part of the test that many learners find least familiar.
How long does it take?
There is no fixed answer. GOV.UK says there is no minimum number of lessons or hours you must have, and that the number you need depends on how quickly you learn. Your experience, confidence, budget, availability and practice between lessons all play a part. Consistent, safe driving matters more than a number of lessons. Our guide to how many automatic driving lessons to take a week explains how to think about your own schedule.
Booking your practical test
- Book only when you are ready. Safe Driving for Life advises booking when your instructor says you are ready.
- Book it yourself. It is against the law to book a car driving test for someone else.
- Plan for availability. New appointments are added 24 weeks ahead and released at 6am every Monday. Earlier slots appear when other learners change or cancel, and there is no waiting list.
- Choose your centre. Learners from Brighton and Hove often take the test at Burgess Hill Driving Test Centre. Check the GOV.UK test centre finder for current details.
- Changing it. You can change a car driving test 2 times, and it is free with at least 10 full working days’ notice. See our booking rules guide.
FAQs
Do I need a provisional licence before my first lesson?
Yes. GOV.UK says you need a provisional driving licence to take lessons or practise.
Can my instructor book my driving test for me?
No. You must book and manage it yourself.
Do I have to pass the theory test first?
You must usually pass your theory test before you can book your practical driving test.
How many lessons will I need?
There is no minimum. It depends on how quickly you learn and how consistently you drive safely.
Is the test different in an automatic car?
No. DVSA says the test is the same for manual and automatic cars.
Can I practise with family or friends as well?
Yes, if they meet the supervisor rules above and the car is insured and displays L plates.
Official resources
Learn with AK Automatic Driving School
AK Automatic Driving School is run by a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor offering one-to-one automatic driving lessons in Brighton and Hove, Burgess Hill and Lancing, with Portslade and Shoreham-by-Sea also covered. See the pricing page for lesson costs, or send an enquiry to talk through where you are and what you would like help with. You can also explore our automatic driving lessons on our main website.