I’ve recently been thinking about learning to drive, as travelling to work by bus each morning is becoming a bit of a pain.  Buses are never reliable and standing outside for so long during winter wasn’t very pleasurable.  So, I was all set for booking my first lesson, but my mum kindly pointed out that learning to drive is very expensive and I would need to save before doing so.  It can’t be that expensive… can it?

Before you can even take a lesson, you will need a Provisional License.  This is basically just to say that you are able to start lessons.  A Provisional License costs £45, not including the price of a passport photo and postage and packaging.   Then there are the driving lessons.  The average cost of a driving licence is £24 and the average number of lessons people need is 45.  That means that it will cost me £1080, that’s if I only need 45 hours of lessons. 

After a few lessons I’ll need to take my theory test, which comprises of a multiple choice test and a hazard perception test.  This will set me back £28.50, plus a day off work.  Considering I pass, and considering I only need the 45 hours of lessons, I’ll then need to book the practical test.  To my horror, each time you take a practical test, it will cost you £48.50.  I know people who don’t pass at least 3 times, which means a whopping £145.50 will be spent on failing the test.

Considering I pass, I have been told that it’s in my best interest to take a Pass Plus course.  This will consist of an extra few hours of driving with an instructor in different situations, like at night or on a motorway.  People who do this course are likely to get a healthy chunk taken off the car insurance premiums, as they are seen to be safer drivers.  This course will set you back a whopping £150, on top of everything you’ve spent already. 

For that little pink card, it will cost you a grand total of £1352.

Oh, this price EXCLUDES the price of your own car, your car insurance premium and your road tax.  Better start saving!