LC20 — Driving Otherwise Than in Accordance with a Licence

A broad offence covering everything from an expired licence to a provisional-licence breach. Get the paperwork checked before you accept it.

LC20 covers driving in a way that breaches the conditions of the licence held — most commonly a provisional licence driven without L plates displayed or without a qualified supervisor present, but it also catches category restrictions and other licence-condition failures. It's a different category of offence to speeding: the question is whether you were entitled to drive that vehicle in that way at all.

Penalties range from 3 to 6 points and a fine, and because provisional-licence breaches often coincide with no insurance, LC20 frequently appears alongside a seizure of the vehicle at the roadside. Whether the alleged breach actually happened — was the supervisor qualified, were L plates genuinely missing — is exactly the kind of detail worth a professional look before you accept the penalty.

Common LC20 situations

  1. Provisional licence driven without L plates displayed.
  2. Provisional licence driven without a qualifying supervisor in the passenger seat.
  3. Driving a vehicle category the licence doesn't cover.
  4. Penalty: typically 3-6 points and a fine, set by the circumstances.
  5. Often paired with an IN10 or vehicle seizure where insurance also lapses as a result.

My supervisor has held a licence for years — why was I still stopped?

The supervisor must meet specific criteria: over 21, holding a full licence for the vehicle category for at least 3 years. If your supervisor met those conditions, that's a genuine ground to challenge the ticket — get the details checked before accepting it.

Will my car be seized for an LC20?

Often, yes, particularly where the licence breach means the insurance is also invalid — most policies require the driver to hold a licence appropriate to the vehicle. If your car was impounded, our 28-day impound insurance covers getting it released while the ticket itself is sorted separately.

How does the review process work?

Send the NIP or Section 172 notice and any paperwork with your details; we check the circumstances and procedure and give you a written assessment of your options within 24-48 hours.

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