The short answer is that it depends. If you are banned from driving for less than 56 days, this is known as a Short Period Disqualification (SPD), and you will usually not have to retake your test. If you receive a short-term ban, your licence will be stamped by the court and then returned to you. The stamp will indicate the period you will be banned, and your licence will become valid again once the ban ends. You do, therefore, not need to renew your licence or redo your test.

If your driving ban exceeds 56 days, you’ll typically need to apply for a licence renewal before you can resume driving. In most cases, you won’t have to retake your test once your ban is over. However, the court has the final say, and in extreme situations, they may revoke your licence, necessitating a retest.

Obtaining car insurance once you have been banned is generally more expensive, as insurers and underwriters tend to view people who have been banned in the past as a greater risk – but Insurance Revolution is different. We understand that mistakes happen, and we don’t judge you. Instead, we work towards finding you the most affordable cover we can. We can find insurance for banned drivers that suit the driver’s needs because we specialise in this market sector and have access to policies that other brokers don’t.

View our Banned Driver Insurance page for more information.