WAV stands for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle. This means you can travel in the vehicle while seat in your wheelchair

Provisional licenses and learner drivers

You can drive your Motability Scheme car or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle with a provisional licence, as long as you're a driver on your Certificate of Motor Insurance and you meet a few other conditions.

Illustration of a happy group taking a selfie, with a car with a swivel seat nearby

If you have a provisional licence

You can only have one provisional licence holder on the policy and as a driver and they cannot be the only driver on the policy.

If they're the customer, they do not need to be a certain age.

If they're not the customer and they’re a driver, they need to be over 21.

If you're under 25:

  • For petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles, you can only get a vehicle with an ABI Insurance Group rating of 16 or lower and a power output of 120 brake horsepower (bph) or less
  • For electric cars, you can only get a vehicle with an ABI Insurance Group rating of 21 or lower and a power output of 140 bph or less

Find out more about your drivers


Learning to drive

If you receive a higher rate mobility allowance, you can learn to drive from the age of 16.

You can apply for your provisional licence three months before your sixteenth birthday. Just apply online at gov.uk(opens in a new window) or get a D1 application form from your local Post Office.

You can learn to drive in your Scheme car or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle as long as:

  • You have a provisional licence
  • You're listed as a driver on your Certificate of Motor Insurance
  • You're accompanied by a driver who is over 21 and has had their licence for at least three years. They should be named on your Certificate of Motor Insurance too

You need to be the customer or appointee to take the practical driving test in your Scheme car.


Applying for help with the cost of driving lessons

If you already have a lease on the Scheme and you've passed your theory test, you might be able to get financial help for up to 40 hours of driving lessons.

If Motability Foundation agree to help, you need to complete your driving lessons within 12 months. Please call our customer services team on 0300 456 4566 for more information.

Motability Foundation cannot give you financial help for practical or theory tests.

Related FAQs

Can I apply for a grant or financial help?

If you’re not able to afford the right mobility solution to meet your needs, the Motability Foundation might be able to offer financial help.

Read more

Can I learn to drive in my vehicle and get financial help for this?

You can learn to drive in your vehicle and can apply for 40 hours of free driving lessons.

Read more