When you apply for a first provisional licence or renew a photocard online, DVLA can reuse the photo HM Passport Office holds for you if you provide your passport number, or take a new digital photo you upload. Either way the photo follows the passport standard: 35×45 mm proportions, head 29–34 mm, plain light-grey or cream background, plain expression, unaltered. Paper D1 applications need one printed photo countersigned if required.
Make and check a UK driving licence photo Free checker; files from A$6.99.
Specification
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in) |
|---|---|
| Pixels at 300 / 600 dpi | 413 × 531 px / 827 × 1063 px |
| Head height (chin to crown) | 29–34 mm |
| Eye line from bottom | not specified |
| Head width | not specified |
| Space above the crown | not specified |
| Background | white or light grey |
| Background editing | not allowed (retake instead) |
| Glasses | allowed only with no glare and frames clear of the eyes |
| Expression | neutral, mouth closed |
| Recency | taken in the last month |
| Print requirements | photo paper, no creases — Paper applications (D1 form) need one printed 35×45 mm photo. |
| Digital upload | 1050×1350 px JPEG, 50–10 MB (DVLA online driving licence application); 827×1063 px JPEG (Printing a 35×45 mm photo for a D1 paper form) |
| Self-taken photos | accepted |
| Prints needed | 1 |
| Infant rules | eyes open, mouth closed (under 1) |
| Official source | GOV.UK – Apply for your first provisional driving licence |
Check the official source. Some values on this page could not be confirmed from the official page when it was last checked (2026-10-28).
- The GOV.UK provisional licence page fetched does not describe the photo step. DVLA's online service reuses your passport photo from HM Passport Office where you give your passport number, and otherwise takes an uploaded digital photo to the HMPO standard; the upload limits are assumed to match HMPO (at least 600×750 px, 50 KB–10 MB). Re-check in the DVLA service.
- Reusing your passport photo via your passport number is the quickest route.
Can I take it myself? Yes
Yes. GOV.UK lets you take a digital passport-standard photo with your own device, and the DVLA online service accepts the same standard where it asks you to upload. If you have a valid UK passport the simplest route is to give DVLA your passport number and let it reuse that photo; use this tool when you do not, when your passport photo is old, or when you want the licence photo to be current. Background editing is not permitted.
How to take the photo
- If you have a current UK passport, enter the passport number in the DVLA service and skip the photo; otherwise continue.
- Use a plain light-grey or cream wall, stand half a metre in front of it and face a window. No flash and no shadows.
- Someone else takes the photo from 1.5 metres at eye level with shoulders in frame and space above the head.
- Plain expression, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera. Glasses off if possible; no tint or glare.
- Export with the DVLA preset and upload it when the service asks, or print one copy for a D1 paper form.
Why UK driving licence photos get rejected
- Shadow on face or background. Face the light and step away from the wall.
- Head outside 29–34 mm. Adjust the head-size control.
- Background too dark or busy. Plain light grey or cream.
- Glasses glare or tint. Remove them.
- Photo altered. No filters; retake.
- Low resolution. Use the original file; at least 600×750 px.
Infants and children
Not applicable. Driving licence applicants must be at least 15 years and 9 months old; infant mode is disabled for this document.
Step by step: DVLA online driving licence service
- Start the application on GOV.UK and prove your identity, usually with your UK passport number so DVLA can reuse your passport photo.
- If asked for a photo, upload the DVLA JPEG from this tool; the service shows a preview and checks the basics.
- Pay the fee. The photocard arrives by post within about a week.
File limits: Passport-standard digital photo: at least 600×750 px, 50 KB–10 MB, plain light background, unaltered. Flagged for re-checking in the DVLA service.
Open DVLA online driving licence service
What it costs
Booths charge £8–10 and Boots or Tesco £10–16; reusing your passport photo is free. Our Single licence is £3.99 for the upload file and print sheets for 30 days and counts as the same document size as a UK passport photo.
UK driving licence photo FAQ
Can DVLA use my passport photo?
Yes, if you give your UK passport number in the online application and the photo is suitable.
What are the photo rules?
The passport standard: 35×45 mm proportions, head 29–34 mm, plain light-grey or cream background, plain expression, unaltered.
Can I take it myself?
Yes, with someone else holding the phone and a plain background.
Do I need a printed photo?
Only for a paper D1 form; online applications use the digital photo.
Are glasses allowed?
Only if you must wear them, with no tint or glare.
Is the UK passport preset the same?
Yes, same standard; a Single licence covers both.
Related documents
Last verified 2026-10-28 against GOV.UK – Apply for your first provisional driving licence. Spotted a mistake? Report an error.