Theory test / Documents
Documents theory test questions
Up to date with the current Highway CodeLast reviewed October 2026
Documents questions are about the paperwork and legal checks that sit behind every car on the road: your driving licence, insurance, the MOT, vehicle tax and the V5C registration certificate. They also cover the rules for learners and supervisors, the New Drivers Act and what you must report after a collision. Most of it is set out in Annexes 3 and 5 of the Highway Code, with collision reporting in Rules 286 and 287.
The numbers are where marks are lost. In Great Britain a car needs its first MOT three years after it was first registered, then every year. Someone supervising a learner must be at least 21 and have held a full licence for that type of car (manual or automatic) for at least three years. A theory test pass lasts two years. A photocard licence normally needs renewing every 10 years, and from age 70 every three years. If the police ask for your documents and you do not have them, you can be asked to take them to a police station within seven days.
The New Drivers Act is a favourite. For two years after passing your first test, reaching 6 penalty points means your licence is revoked and you go back to being a learner, passing both the theory and practical tests again. Points picked up before you passed count towards the 6. Using a hand-held phone while driving carries 6 points on its own, so one offence is enough to lose a new licence.
Insurance is a legal must, and the minimum cover is third party, which pays for injury or damage you cause to other people and their property, passengers included. It does not pay for your own car. Third party, fire and theft adds those two risks, and comprehensive also covers damage to your own car. The excess is the part of any claim you pay yourself. Driving uninsured carries 6 to 8 points and an unlimited fine, and the police can seize and crush the car. Cameras can check number plates against the insurance database, so it is easily spotted.
Vehicle tax no longer transfers when a car is sold, so a buyer must tax it before driving it away. A car kept off the road and untaxed must have a SORN, and a car that is not SORN must be taxed and insured. Without a current MOT you may only drive to a pre-booked test or to a garage for repairs needed to pass. The V5C shows the registered keeper, who is not always the legal owner, and the seller must tell the DVLA when a car changes hands. You must also tell the DVLA if you change your name or address.
Try 5 free questions
No account needed. Pick an answer to see whether it is right and why.
In Great Britain, when does a new car first need an MOT test?
The free questions with answers
1. In Great Britain, when does a new car first need an MOT test?
Answer: Three years after it was first registered
Annex 3 of the Highway Code says cars must normally pass an MOT three years from the date of first registration and every year after that.
2. You passed your driving test 18 months ago. What happens if you reach 6 penalty points?
Answer: Your licence is revoked and you must pass both tests again
Under the New Drivers Act, 6 or more points within two years of passing your first test means your licence is revoked. You go back to a provisional licence and must pass the theory and practical tests again.
3. What is the minimum type of car insurance the law requires?
Answer: Third party
Third party is the legal minimum. It covers injury or damage you cause to other people and their property, but not damage to your own car.
4. Who is allowed to supervise a learner driving a car?
Answer: Someone aged 21 or over who has held a full licence for that type of car for three years
Annex 3 says a learner must be supervised by someone at least 21 years old who holds a full licence for that type of car, manual or automatic, and has held it for at least three years.
5. You have just bought a used car from a private seller. What is true about vehicle tax?
Answer: You must tax it before you drive it on the road
Vehicle tax does not pass to the new keeper when a car is sold. You must tax it in your name before using it on a public road, and the seller gets a refund for any full months left.
Questions people ask
- When does a new car need its first MOT?
- In Great Britain, three years after the date it was first registered, and then every year after that. Cars first registered more than 40 years ago are usually exempt unless they have been substantially changed.
- What happens if I get 6 points in my first two years of driving?
- Your licence is revoked under the New Drivers Act. You have to apply for a new provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests again, and paying a fixed penalty does not change that.
- Who can supervise a learner driver?
- Someone aged at least 21 who has held a full licence for that type of car for at least three years. The learner must also be insured to drive the car and show L plates (or D plates in Wales).
- Does vehicle tax come with a used car?
- No. Tax does not transfer to a new keeper, so you must tax the car before you drive it. The seller gets a refund for any full months left.
Other theory test topics
Rule references: The Highway Code (GOV.UK), Open Government Licence v3.0. Questions and explanations are written by PassRank and are not the official DVSA revision questions.