UT50 Aggravated Vehicle Taking: Points, Ban And Years On Your Licence
Yes, you can look for car insurance with a UT50 for when your ban ends, through specialist brokers who search for insurers that consider serious convictions. MoneyHelper says an unspent conviction will probably mean a specialist or non-standard policy.
- Points3–11Only if the court exceptionally doesn't ban you; normally it records a ban instead.
- On your licence4 yearsFrom the offence date, or from conviction if you're banned, the usual outcome.
- Ban12 months+Obligatory: at least 12 months unless the court finds special reasons.
- Insurers may see it4 yearsAt any time during the 4-year endorsement.
The maximum sentence is 2 years in prison (6 months in some damage-only cases), or 14 years if an accident caused someone's death.
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What Is A UT50 Motoring Conviction?
UT50 is the endorsement code for aggravated taking of a vehicle. Under the Theft Act's aggravated vehicle-taking offence, it starts with taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. It becomes aggravated if, after the vehicle was taken and before it was recovered, it was driven dangerously on a road or other public place, an accident caused injury to someone, an accident caused damage to other property, or the vehicle itself was damaged.
That applies whether the vehicle was taken by you or someone else, and whoever was driving. There's a defence if you prove the driving, injury or damage happened before you took the vehicle, or that you were neither in nor on nor in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle when it happened.
UT50 Conviction Penalties: Prison And An Obligatory Ban
The maximum is 2 years in prison, or 14 years if an accident caused the death of a person. Where the only harm was damage below a set value, the case can only be dealt with in a magistrates' court, with a maximum of 6 months. The Sentencing Council's guideline for aggravated vehicle taking where injury was caused gives a range from a community order to 2 years in custody.
The ban is obligatory: at least 12 months unless the court finds special reasons, or at least 2 years if you've had two or more bans of 56 days or more in the 3 years before the offence. The Road Traffic Offenders Act's rules on obligatory bans say not having driven the vehicle at any particular time, or at all, isn't a special reason. The court can also order you to pass an extended driving test before you get your licence back.
UT50When Does A UT50 Become Spent?
In England and Wales, the endorsement on its own is spent 5 years from conviction (2 years 6 months if you were under 18). But a UT50 also brings a ban, and the court can impose a prison sentence too. When there's more than one penalty, the longest rehabilitation period decides when the conviction is spent.
The Ban And Any Retest
A ban is spent when it ends. A ban that lasts until you pass a test isn't spent until you've passed it.
Prison Sentences And The Spent Date
A prison sentence of 1 year or less is spent 12 months after the sentence, including any licence period, ends. A sentence of more than 1 year and up to 4 years is spent 4 years after it ends. A suspended sentence counts by the length of the sentence the court imposed, and a further conviction before then can push the date back. The court must consider a compensation order where someone was hurt or property was damaged, and that is spent on the date it's paid in full.
If An Accident Caused A Death
Aggravated vehicle taking where an accident caused a death is on the Sentencing Code's list of serious offences. Government guidance says a prison sentence of more than 4 years for one of these offences means the conviction is not treated as spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Sources: GOV.UK rehabilitation periods, Rehabilitation of Offenders Act guidance and the Sentencing Code's serious offences list, checked 15 October 2026.
This information is based on our understanding of current law and insurance practice at the time of writing. Rules, penalties and rehabilitation periods can change and may apply differently depending on individual circumstances.
Can You Get Car Insurance After A UT50 Conviction?
Yes, once you can legally drive again. Specialist brokers can look for insurers that consider a UT50, though not every insurer will quote. Remember that an unspent conviction must be declared whenever an insurer asks, and our guide covers which convictions insurers ask about.
Getting Back On The Road After A UT50 Ban
You can't drive at all during the ban. A UT50 ban is at least 12 months, and GOV.UK says if you're disqualified for 56 days or more you must apply for a new licence before driving again. The court will tell you if you also have to retake your test. Have cover in place before your first drive.
Do You Have To Tell Your Insurer About A UT50?
Yes, whenever the insurer's questions cover it, until it's spent. Give the code, offence date, conviction date, ban dates and any sentence exactly as your paperwork shows. If you get it during a policy, MoneyHelper says you don't have to declare it until you renew, unless your policy says you must.
What Cover Can You Get With A UT50 Conviction?
Car insurance after a UT50 comes in the same three levels as any policy: comprehensive, third party, fire and theft, and third party only. Comprehensive may still be available through specialist brokers, though some insurers may only offer the lower levels or ask for a higher excess.
Going back to a van or a motorbike? Those insurers may ask about a UT50 too, so see van cover after a UT50 or motorbike insurance after a UT50.
Please note that policy features, benefits, terms and conditions vary among insurance providers, so always check the policy wording.
Cover Tip: Make sure the cover matches how you'll use the car once you're driving again. MIB says business trips beyond your commute need business use, and making deliveries needs hire and reward cover.
Telling Your Insurer About A UT50 Conviction
Insurers may be able to find out about a UT50 at any time during the 4 years it stays on your record, and you'll need to answer their questions accurately for as long as it's unspent. It helps to know how long convictions need declaring for car insurance.
- Answer The Conviction Questions Accurately - Under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, what an insurer can do about a wrong answer depends on whether it was careless, or deliberate or reckless. MoneyHelper says an insurer can reject a claim if it has reason to believe you didn't take reasonable care to answer its questions truthfully and accurately.
- Insurers May Be Able To See It For 4 Years - GOV.UK says insurers may be able to find out about an endorsement at any time during a 4-year endorsement. That's separate from when the conviction is spent.
- What Can Happen If Details Are Wrong - The Financial Ombudsman says an insurer might charge more, restrict the policy, settle a claim only in part, or cancel the policy as if it never existed, which means any ongoing claim will be declined.
- When A UT50 Is Spent - The endorsement is spent 5 years from conviction for an adult (2 years 6 months if you were under 18), but the longest period decides: the ban, a retest or a prison sentence can push the date back. If an accident caused a death, a prison sentence of more than 4 years means it's not treated as spent. Once it's spent, MoneyHelper says you don't need to declare it, even if you're asked.
How Does A UT50 Conviction Affect Your Insurance Price?
There's no single price for car insurance after a UT50. Each insurer sets its own rules, and these are the things that can shape a quote.
| Key Factor | Impact on your price |
|---|---|
| How recent the UT50 is | A recent conviction may be priced higher. Don't assume the price falls at every renewal, as each insurer sets its own rules. |
| Whether it's spent | Until it's spent, insurers that ask about it may take it into account. A prison sentence can push the spent date back. |
| Other codes on your record | A UT50 alongside other codes may narrow the choice of insurers and raise the price further. |
| The car you choose | Its value, power and any modifications all count. MIB says unmodified cars are generally cheaper to insure. |
| Mileage, use and parking | Give a realistic mileage, the right type of use and where the car is kept. MIB says wrong or out-of-date details can leave you uninsured without realising. |
The quotes you get will depend on your own details.
Price Insight: Work out your spent date from every sentence on your paperwork: usually the latest of 5 years after conviction, the end of your ban or retest, the end of any prison rehabilitation period and the date any compensation order is paid in full. A further conviction can push it back. Until it's spent, answer honestly if an insurer asks about it.
How Can You Help Reduce Insurance Costs After A UT50 Conviction?
While it's unspent, a UT50 stays in a quote when insurers ask about it, but the details around it are yours to change.
Ask About A Black Box Policy
Ask whether a black box policy is offered with a UT50. MIB says telematics policies can reward safe driving with lower premiums over time.
Check The Insurance Group First
Check the group before you buy a car. MIB says lower-group cars are typically smaller, cheaper to repair and more affordable to insure.
Keep The Excess Affordable
Raise the voluntary excess only to a level you could pay if you claimed. MIB says a higher excess can reduce the premium.
Quote Before You Need Cover
MIB says quotes are likely to be lowest 20 to 26 days before your renewal is due, and starting early leaves time to compare.
Our Expert On A UT50 Conviction
A UT50 is a serious conviction: a vehicle was taken and then driven dangerously, or someone was hurt or something was damaged. That can be hard to come to terms with, but once your ban is over, it's still possible to find cover.
A common mix-up is thinking a UT50 can't apply if you weren't the one driving. The law covers what happened while the vehicle was taken, whoever was at the wheel, and not having driven isn't a special reason for the court not to ban you.
My rule of thumb: give the full picture once, in the same words every time: the code, the conviction date, the ban length, any retest and any sentence. Consistent details help you compare quotes on the same basis.
Insurance Expert & Co-founder of Clean Green Cars
UT50 Aggravated Vehicle Taking Insurance Questions
Will I Be Banned For A UT50?
Yes, normally. The ban is obligatory: at least 12 months unless the court finds special reasons. If it doesn't ban you, it will usually give 3 to 11 points instead.
Can I Get A UT50 If I Wasn't Driving?
Yes. It covers dangerous driving, an accident or damage after the vehicle was taken, whether by you or someone else, and it doesn't depend on who was driving. There's a defence if you prove it happened before you took the vehicle, or that you were neither in nor on nor in the immediate vicinity of it at the time.
Can You Go To Prison For A UT50?
Yes, though not in every case. The maximum is 2 years, or 14 years if an accident caused someone's death. The Sentencing Council range for lower-level damage cases starts at a fine.
Is UT50 The Same As Taking Without Consent?
No. Taking a vehicle without consent is the basic offence, where a ban is up to the court. UT50 is the aggravated offence, where something more happened, such as dangerous driving, an injury or damage, and the ban is obligatory.
Is A UT50 A Criminal Record?
Yes. A UT50 is a conviction for an offence under the Theft Act 1968, and it stays relevant to insurers until it's spent.
What Happens After I Submit My Details?
Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who consider UT50 convictions. They contact you with quotes based on your details, and you're under no obligation to accept any quote.
What To Have Ready Before Comparing Quotes With A UT50 Conviction
Have these to hand before you get quotes.
- Your UT50 offence date and conviction date
- Your ban start and end dates
- Whether the court ordered a retest, and the date you passed
- Any prison sentence and its end date
- The car's registration, mileage and where it's kept overnight
Compare UT50 Aggravated Vehicle Taking Car Insurance Quotes
Sources For UT50 Aggravated Vehicle Taking Facts
- GOV.UK: endorsement codes and penalty points - UT50 points and years on your record (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Theft Act 1968, section 12A - the offence, the defences and the maximum sentences (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2 - the obligatory ban and 3 to 11 points (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Sentencing Council: aggravated vehicle taking (damage caused) - the magistrates' court limit and the sentence range (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Sentencing Council: aggravated vehicle taking (death caused) - the 14-year maximum and minimum ban (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK: rehabilitation periods - when endorsements, bans and prison sentences are spent (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- Financial Ombudsman: misrepresentation - what an insurer can do if an answer is wrong (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- MoneyHelper: insurance if you have a criminal conviction - specialist policies, spent convictions and convictions you get during a policy (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- MoneyHelper: if your insurance claim is rejected - when an insurer can reject a claim over an answer given without reasonable care (checked 15 Oct 2026).
