Does an experienced adult beside you cancel new-driver power limits?

No, not just because an experienced adult is in the passenger seat. The Highway Code provides a limited exception where the accompanying person meets specific age and licence conditions. For post-14 December 2024 category B licences, ordinary new-driver limits last three years: 75 kW per tonne of tare and, for M1 vehicles, no more than 105 kW.

An accompanying person must meet the legal conditions

The presence of any adult or experienced driver is not enough to set aside the vehicle power restriction. The exception in Article 117 is conditional: the accompanying person must be no older than 65, hold a valid licence of the required category for at least ten years or hold a higher category, and the applicable vehicle and driver conditions must also be met. Check the current statutory wording and licence details before relying on it.

The exception concerns who accompanies the new driver; it does not turn every passenger into an instructor or erase other restrictions. It also does not change the issue date that determines which version of the new-driver rules applies. A parent or employer is not exempt merely because they own the car or have many years of driving experience.

Check both the car and the licences

For a category B licence issued after 14 December 2024, the ordinary limits apply for three years: 75 kW per tonne of tare, plus a 105 kW ceiling for an M1 vehicle. Check the vehicle’s class, power and tare in its registration document. If relying on the accompanying-person exception, verify that person’s age, category, licence duration and validity, along with any other statutory conditions.

For example, a 67-year-old relative with a long-held B licence does not satisfy the age condition, while a 50-year-old with the required valid licence duration may satisfy that element. That alone does not establish that every other requirement is met. If any condition is uncertain, use a compliant vehicle instead of assuming the passenger makes it legal.

Use the exception carefully

Do not confuse the statutory exception with supervised practice under a learner permit or with an informal driving lesson. A person’s permission to sit beside you cannot override the conditions in the Code. Confirm the applicable procedure with the competent office when the licence or vehicle has unusual restrictions.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers theory quizzes and mistake review to help study road rules. It cannot verify the passenger’s licence or decide whether an individual trip meets the statutory exception.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps study theory questions and review mistakes; confirm the accompanying person’s exact qualifications before relying on an exception.