UK driving laws 2024 brought several important changes and developments for motorists, from the introduction of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate to new heavy goods vehicle safety requirements in London.
Some of the UK driving laws 2024 were confirmed rules that came into force during the year, while others were planned changes, consultations or proposals that could affect motorists in the future.
Here’s our guide to the key UK driving laws 2024, including electric vehicles, driving tests, HGV safety, fuel duty, vehicle tax and registration plates.
The UK driving laws 2024 landscape was shaped by several major developments affecting motorists, vehicle manufacturers and businesses.
While not every measure represented a new law for ordinary drivers, the changes and proposals were important to understand if you were buying a car, driving for work or simply keeping up with developments in UK motoring.
The UK driving laws 2024 covered a mixture of changes that affected manufacturers, company-car users, commercial vehicle operators and ordinary motorists.
One of the biggest changes in the UK driving laws 2024 was the introduction of the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
The scheme came into effect on 1 January 2024 and requires manufacturers to increase the proportion of new zero-emission vehicles they sell each year.
For 2024, the target was set at 22% for new cars and 10% for new vans. The targets then increase progressively over subsequent years, reaching 80% for cars and 70% for vans by 2030. GOV.UK’s ZEV mandate information
Manufacturers that fail to meet the required targets can use various compliance mechanisms, including trading allowances, while financial penalties can apply to manufacturers that do not meet their obligations.
For motorists, the ZEV mandate does not mean that you have to buy an electric car. Instead, it is designed to increase the number and variety of zero-emission vehicles available from manufacturers.
The measure formed part of the UK’s wider plan to transition towards zero-emission new cars and vans.
Another area covered by the UK driving laws 2024 discussion was the driving test eyesight check.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) was looking at ways to improve the eyesight test carried out during practical driving tests.
The existing eyesight check requires candidates to read a number plate from a specified distance. However, the DVSA was exploring the way the test is administered with its medical advisers.
The aim was to consider whether the eyesight test could be delivered more flexibly, including taking account of different levels of light and when a driving test takes place.
Importantly, this was an area being explored rather than a completely new eyesight requirement introduced for all drivers during 2024.
The existing eyesight standards remained important for anyone taking a driving test or holding a driving licence.
The UK driving laws 2024 developments also included important changes for HGV operators working in London.
London introduced further changes to its Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and HGV Safety Permit Scheme during 2024.
From 28 October 2024, HGVs over 12 tonnes operating in Greater London were required to meet a minimum three-star DVS rating or have the required Progressive Safe System fitted if their vehicle had a lower rating. Transport for London’s Direct Vision Standard
The changes were designed to reduce the risk posed by HGV blind spots to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Operators of vehicles that did not meet the required standard needed to take action to obtain the appropriate safety permit.
This was particularly important for haulage companies and businesses operating HGVs within Greater London, even if the vehicle was registered elsewhere in the UK.
Fuel duty was another important issue within the UK driving laws 2024 landscape.
At the start of the year, there was uncertainty over whether the temporary 5p-per-litre reduction in fuel duty would continue beyond March.
The Spring Budget 2024 subsequently confirmed that the 5p cut would be extended for another 12 months and that the planned inflation-linked increase would not take place for the 2024-25 tax year. GOV.UK’s Spring Budget 2024
The decision meant fuel duty rates remained at their existing levels for the year rather than increasing as previously planned.
For motorists, this helped limit the impact of fuel costs at the pumps, although the price drivers actually paid for petrol and diesel continued to depend on wholesale fuel prices, retailer pricing and other factors.
Drivers buying a new car in 2024 saw the usual introduction of two new registration identifiers.
Cars registered between March and August 2024 received the new 24 registration.
From September 2024, new vehicles received the 74 registration.
The registration changes happen twice a year in the UK and can be an important consideration for buyers who want the latest number plate on a new vehicle.
The registration identifier does not itself determine the vehicle’s value, but a newer registration can influence how a car is perceived on the used-car market.
Company-car drivers were also affected by changes to Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation during the 2024-25 tax year.
For fully electric cars, the appropriate percentage remained at 2% for 2024-25. This continued to make electric company cars particularly attractive from a tax perspective compared with many petrol and diesel alternatives. GOV.UK’s company car benefit rates
The government had also already announced future increases in company-car tax percentages, meaning drivers and businesses considering electric vehicles needed to look beyond the immediate tax year when comparing costs.
For company-car users, the exact amount of tax payable depends on factors including the vehicle’s list price, its CO2 emissions, the employee’s tax position and the applicable BiK percentage.
Electric vehicle taxation was another important part of the UK driving laws 2024 picture.
Electric vehicles continued to benefit from favourable tax treatment during much of 2024, but an important change was already scheduled for the following year.
From 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans and motorcycles would begin to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). The change was intended to bring zero-emission vehicles into the vehicle tax system alongside petrol and diesel vehicles. GOV.UK’s vehicle tax guidance
At the time, the government had announced that new zero-emission cars registered from 1 April 2025 would pay the lowest first-year rate, with the standard rate applying from the second year.
This meant that the tax advantages of owning an electric vehicle were changing, even though EVs continued to benefit from other incentives.
For drivers considering an electric car in 2024, the future changes to VED were therefore worth taking into account when calculating long-term ownership costs.
London’s rental e-scooter trial was another area of interest when considering UK driving laws 2024.
The trial, which began in June 2021, was part of a wider programme looking at how rental e-scooters could operate safely within UK cities.
At the start of 2024, the trial was continuing rather than simply ending in May as originally expected. London continued to operate its rental e-scooter trial while TfL and participating councils considered the future of the scheme.
It is important to distinguish these rental trials from privately owned e-scooters. Privately owned e-scooters remained subject to different rules and could not simply be used on public roads and pavements as though they were legal equivalents of bicycles.
The future legal framework for e-scooters therefore remained an important issue for motorists and other road users.
Cardiff was also considering ways of tackling congestion and improving air quality during this period.
These proposals formed part of the wider UK driving laws 2024 discussion, although they were not necessarily changes to national driving law.
Proposals and consultations around transport and traffic management attracted attention, but motorists needed to distinguish between proposals being considered and laws or charges that had actually been introduced.
A proposed congestion measure does not automatically mean drivers will be charged. Any new scheme would require decisions by the relevant authorities before becoming an enforceable requirement.
For drivers, this was another example of why checking official information was important when travelling into major UK cities.
The UK driving laws 2024 developments reflected several broader trends in British motoring.
The ZEV mandate was accelerating the transition towards electric vehicles, while changes to HGV safety standards were designed to improve road safety in London.
At the same time, fuel-duty decisions were aimed at limiting increases in motoring costs, while future changes to vehicle taxation meant electric-car drivers needed to consider how ownership costs could change.
Some of the measures discussed as part of the UK driving laws 2024 landscape were confirmed laws, while others were consultations or proposed changes that could develop over time.
The UK driving laws 2024 also demonstrated how quickly motoring regulations can develop. A proposal reported at the beginning of the year could be confirmed, changed or abandoned by the end of the year.
For motorists, the key lesson from the UK driving laws 2024 was simple: driving rules can change throughout the year, so it is important to check official information before relying on older advice.
If you’re considering changing cars, you can also read our guide to buying a used car safely or compare different powertrains in our Petrol vs Diesel vs Electric guide.
You can also browse used cars on MotorHype if you’re looking for your next vehicle.
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