Getting a Race Licence

To get a race licence in the UK, buy a Motorsport UK Starter Pack, then book and pass a course with an ARDS (Association of Racing Drivers Schools) accredited school. Medical and vision checks come with the application, and because fees and requirements change, the current details must be confirmed on Motorsport UK's own pages.

The Starter Pack and the ARDS course

Motorsport UK says race, rally and kart competitors must first buy a Starter Pack and then pass the relevant test. Its Starter Packs page is the official place to buy the pack, and a road driving licence alone does not give access to circuit racing. According to Motorsport UK's "Welcome to Racing" brochure, the pack includes a competition licence application form.

After buying the pack, the applicant books and passes a course with an ARDS school. ARDS is the racing route only. Motorsport UK names BARS as the route for rallying and ARKS for karting, so a rally or kart qualification is not a substitute for ARDS, and other disciplines such as sprints and hillclimbs have their own licence requirements set out by Motorsport UK. The content of the ARDS course and test, and any kit required on the day, should be confirmed with the chosen school before booking.

Medicals, vision tests and timing

The medical side depends on age and on the licence applied for. Motorsport UK's brochure sets out the basic rules:

• Applicants aged 14 to 59 need a vision test before applying.
• Applicants aged 60 and over need a doctor's medical report that includes a vision test.
• The application must be submitted within three months of the vision test or medical.

Every applicant also completes a medical self-declaration as part of the licence process. Motorsport UK's medical requirements page adds that applicants for a National or International licence may be required to complete a doctor's medical, an ECG and/or a vision test. Medical rules are reviewed, so read the current page before booking a test, and time the test so the three-month window does not run out while the ARDS course is still being arranged.

Moving up the licence ladder

The first licence is only a starting point. Some categories need a higher grade: Motorsport UK's National Competition Rules require an RS National or Race National licence for certain classes, including Racing or Sports Libre cars over 1100cc or the forced-induction equivalent, with an exception for a pre-1994 Formula Ford 1600 run to period Ford regulations. The name of the entry-level race licence and the class limits attached to it can change, so check Motorsport UK's current licence pages rather than relying on older guides.

Upgrades are earned with signatures on an Upgrade Card, recorded for successfully completing races. Motorsport UK's Yearbook has also allowed a signature for completing an ARDS Advanced Course to replace one race signature. The number of signatures needed and the rules on substitutes are set in the current Yearbook and licence regulations, and they should be checked there before planning an upgrade.

The route to a first race licence is official and rule-based, and it is time-sensitive because of the three-month medical window. Before paying for anything, confirm the current Starter Pack contents and price, the licence fee, the medical requirements and the ARDS school's test details directly with Motorsport UK and the school.