Driving Has Changed in 2026 – The New Rules You Need To Know About!

The New UK Rules That Quietly Caught Drivers Out and changes and revisions are rolled out

For years, the way driving laws changed in the UK followed a familiar pattern. Big announcements. Lots of noise. Plenty of time to prepare. 2026 feels different. This time, driving hasn’t changed with a bang. It’s changed with admin. With enforcement tweaks. With quiet rule changes that most drivers only notice once something goes wrong. And that’s the uncomfortable truth.

You can be driving exactly the same way you did last year and still find yourself paying more, stressing more, and wondering when motoring became such a bureaucratic minefield. Let’s break down what has already changed in 2026, what’s now officially on the table, and why normal, law-abiding drivers are the ones most likely to get caught out.

The Rules That Have Already Started in January 2026

Let’s begin with the bits that are already live. Not proposals. Not consultations. These are January 2026 realities.

London Congestion Charge – £18 and Fewer Exemptions

From 2 January 2026, the London Congestion Charge increased to £18 per day. That made the headlines. What didn’t get the same attention is the end of full exemptions for electric vehicles. The old 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount is gone. EV drivers now only receive a 25% discount, and only if the vehicle is correctly registered on Auto Pay with Transport for London. No Auto Pay. No discount. Full £18.

This is where perfectly normal drivers get caught out. The occasional London trip. A borrowed car. A courtesy vehicle. A new number plate. An expired payment card. You haven’t committed a driving offence. You’ve just missed an admin step. And in 2026, admin is enforcement.

Airport Drop-Off Charges – Goodbye Free Goodbyes

While we’re talking charges, airport drop-off fees have quietly crept up again.

• London City Airport now charges £8 for five minutes, rising to £13 if you stay up to ten minutes.
• Heathrow Airport has increased drop-off fees to £7.
• Gatwick Airport now charges a staggering £10, the highest in the UK.

We now live in a world where giving someone a lift to the airport costs money before they’ve even cleared security.

The Enforcement Changes You Don’t See Coming

Not all changes arrive with a warning sign. From 9 January 2026, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency tightened rules around MOT testers and MOT centres. Testers who receive serious suspensions can no longer hold any MOT role for the duration of that ban.

In principle, this is a good thing. MOT integrity matters. The unintended consequence is pressure. Fewer testers. Longer wait times. Last-minute bookings. That’s how people end up saying:
“I’ll just drive it for a couple of days.”
“I’ll sort it next week.”

And that’s how ANPR cameras, roadside checks, and insurance databases turn a paperwork delay into points, fines, or worse. In 2026, leaving things to the last minute is becoming expensive.

The Big News – The UK’s New Road Safety Strategy

Now to the bigger picture. This year, the government published its first national road safety strategy in over a decade. These measures are not law yet, but they are no longer hypothetical. Once something enters consultation at this level, it rarely disappears quietly. It usually turns into policy. Here’s what drivers need to understand.

Eye Tests for Drivers Over 70

At present, once you pass your driving test, there are no mandatory eyesight or cognitive checks, no matter how old you are. That may soon change. The strategy proposes mandatory eyesight tests for drivers over 70, likely every three years. There is also discussion around assessments for conditions such as dementia.

This follows coroners’ findings that relying on self-reporting to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is unsafe. It’s a sensitive topic. It affects families, not just individuals. But it’s one of the most likely proposals to become reality.

And for the record, good eyesight is crucial for driving. I get my eyes tested every year myself. That part isn’t controversial.

Lowering the Drink-Drive Limit

England and Wales currently have one of the highest drink-drive limits in Europe. The proposal is to reduce it from 35 micrograms to 22 micrograms, aligning with Scotland. This isn’t aimed at hardcore offenders. They already ignore the law.

This is about casual, social drinking. A pint with lunch. A glass of wine you used to think was fine. Under a lower limit, that margin disappears. Old habits. New rules.

And just to be clear, I don’t drink, and I’d strongly advise never drinking or taking drugs and driving. Ever.

Alcolocks for Convicted Drink-Drivers

The strategy also proposes giving courts the power to mandate alcolocks for some convicted drink-drivers. These are breathalyser devices fitted to vehicles that prevent the engine from starting if alcohol is detected.

They’re already used internationally and are likely to apply to repeat or serious offenders. This marks a shift from punishment after the fact to prevention before the key even turns.

Tougher Penalties for Uninsured Drivers

An estimated 300,000 uninsured drivers are on UK roads every day. Ministers believe current penalties aren’t enough of a deterrent. One proposal is doubling the fixed penalty fine to £600, more than the quoted average insurance premium. Although judging by my inbox, many of you will be thinking that “average” feels optimistic these days.

There is also discussion around tougher penalties for driving without an MOT or a licence. The message is clear. The system is becoming far less forgiving of paperwork failure. So yes, check your insurance. Check your MOT. And if you don’t have a licence, do not drive. That really shouldn’t need saying.

Minimum Learning Periods for New Drivers

Learner drivers may soon face a minimum learning period of up to six months before they can sit their test. This isn’t a full graduated licence system. That idea has been rejected for now.

But it does mean delays by default rather than ability. Possibly safer. Definitely more expensive. And mildly ironic given how long test waiting times already are. Part of me wonders whether the backlog problem has simply been turned into policy.

Crackdown on Illegal and “Ghost” Number Plates

Finally, illegal number plates. The strategy includes proposals to crack down on so-called “ghost plates”, tighten controls on sellers, standardise designs, and potentially ban 3D and 4D plates altogether.

This is aimed at criminals, but as always, enforcement tends to cast a wide net. If you’ve just bought a used car, double-check your plates. It’s an easy thing to overlook and a painful thing to get wrong.

The Bigger Picture – Why Driving Feels Different Now

So what’s really going on? Driving isn’t being banned. Not yet. But it is becoming less forgiving. More automation. More cameras. More admin. Less tolerance for innocent lapses.

If you’re organised, digitally switched on, and constantly on top of paperwork, you’ll probably be fine. If you’re busy, occasional, or human, that’s where the risk creeps in.

Frankly, it does mean driving is becoming more stressful, more expensive, and ultimately, more joyless, even when your behaviour hasn’t changed. So here’s the boring but necessary advice. Check your accounts. Check your paperwork. Keep an eye on what’s coming next.

Because the most expensive driving mistakes in 2026 might not involve speed. They could involve being too slow with your paperwork.

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