DD40 Dangerous Driving Car Insurance
Compare DD40 Car Insurance Quotes
Specialist cover for drivers with a dangerous driving conviction.
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What Is A DD40 Conviction?
DD40 is the DVLA endorsement code for dangerous driving. The offence is defined by section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and carries 3 to 11 penalty points, an obligatory driving ban of at least 12 months, and a compulsory extended retest.
Dangerous driving means the standard of driving fell far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, and that it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in that way would be dangerous. No injury needs to occur for the charge to apply.
DD40 is an either-way offence. It can be tried in the magistrates' court or the Crown Court. In the Crown Court, the maximum sentence is 2 years' custody and an unlimited fine. Anyone convicted of dangerous driving receives a criminal record that appears on DBS checks.
How To Compare DD40 Car Insurance With SimplyQuote
Three steps, around 10 minutes. You will need your licence number, vehicle registration, and the details of your DD40 conviction including the ban length and retest status.
Enter your details
Fill in one form with your driver and vehicle details, including the DD40 code, date of conviction, number of points, and whether you have completed your extended retest. The form is designed for convicted driver applications, so the questions cover exactly what specialist insurers need.
Compare specialist quotes
Your details go to our panel of specialist car insurance companies. Each insurer assesses dangerous driving convictions using their own underwriting criteria. You will typically see quotes from multiple providers within minutes.
Choose the right cover
Compare prices, excess levels, payment options, and policy extras side by side. Buy online or speak to the broker for help. No obligation to take any quote.
How Much Does DD40 Car Insurance Cost?
DD40 is one of the most expensive motoring convictions to insure. In the first year after your ban ends, expect a premium loading of 100 to 250% above the standard rate. On an average UK premium of around £900, that means paying between £1,800 and £3,150 per year.
The high cost reflects three factors: the obligatory ban means you have been off the road, the extended retest requirement signals higher risk, and the criminal conviction itself flags the application to underwriters. Some mainstream insurers will not quote at all, which is why specialist comparison through a convicted driver panel matters.
How does the premium change as the conviction ages?
| Years since ban ended | Typical premium loading | Declaration required? |
| Year 1 | 100 to 250% above standard rate | Yes |
| Year 2 | 60 to 150% above standard | Yes |
| Year 3 | 30 to 80% above standard | Yes |
| Year 4 | 15 to 40% above standard | Yes |
| Year 5+ (conviction spent) | Near-standard rate | No |
The endorsement stays on your licence for 4 years from the date of conviction. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, a dangerous driving conviction with a ban of up to 30 months becomes spent after 5 years. Longer bans extend the rehabilitation period.
How To Reduce DD40 Car Insurance Costs
Six practical steps can bring the cost down after a dangerous driving ban. The loading reduces each year, so taking action early makes the biggest difference.
Compare at every renewal
Your DD40 loading should fall each year, but your insurer may not pass that reduction on at renewal. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive quote for a DD40 driver can be over a thousand pounds. Always compare before renewing.
Fit a telematics device
A black box insurance policy gives your insurer live evidence that you are driving safely after your ban. Telematics can cut 15 to 30% off the premium for drivers who prove consistent safe driving habits.
Choose a lower insurance group car
A lower group car costs less to insure, and the saving is amplified when a serious conviction is loading your premium. Check which insurance groups are cheapest before choosing your next vehicle.
Increase your voluntary excess
Raising your voluntary excess from £100 to £500 can reduce the premium by 10 to 20%. Make sure you can afford the total excess (compulsory plus voluntary) if you need to claim.
Protect your no-claims discount
A DD40 does not reset your no-claims discount. Only a fault claim does. If you built up a long claims-free record before the ban, protecting it helps offset the dangerous driving loading.
Pay annually if you can
Monthly payments include interest charges that can add 15 to 30% to the total cost. On a conviction-loaded premium that may already exceed £2,000, paying upfront saves significantly more than on a standard policy.
What Are The Penalties For Dangerous Driving?
Dangerous driving carries some of the heaviest penalties of any motoring offence. The Sentencing Council guidelines categorise offences by culpability and harm.
| Category | Custody range | Points | Ban |
| Higher culpability, greater harm | 18 months to 2 years | 3 to 11 | Obligatory: 24 to 36 months |
| Higher culpability, lesser harm | 12 to 18 months | 3 to 11 | Obligatory: 18 to 24 months |
| Lower culpability, greater harm | Community order to 12 months | 3 to 11 | Obligatory: 12 to 18 months |
| Lower culpability, lesser harm | Community order | 3 to 11 | Obligatory: 12 to 15 months |
Every dangerous driving conviction carries an obligatory minimum 12-month disqualification and a compulsory extended driving test. If the driver has been disqualified twice in the previous 3 years, the minimum ban rises to 2 years. The extended retest covers both the theory and a practical test that is roughly twice the length of a standard test.
What Is The Difference Between Dangerous And Careless Driving?
The legal test is the standard of driving. Careless driving (CD10) means the standard fell below what is expected of a competent driver. Dangerous driving (DD40) means the standard fell far below what is expected, and the danger would be obvious to a competent and careful driver.
The word "far" is what separates the two charges. A momentary lapse of concentration at a junction would typically be careless driving. Overtaking on a blind bend at high speed, racing another vehicle on a public road, or driving at grossly excessive speed through a residential area would typically cross the line into dangerous.
The insurance consequences are also very different. A CD10 is a summary offence dealt with in the magistrates' court with no obligatory ban. A DD40 is an either-way offence that can go to the Crown Court, always carries an obligatory ban and extended retest, and attracts premium loadings roughly two to four times higher than a CD10.
Do You Have To Declare A DD40 To Your Insurer?
Yes, while the conviction is unspent. The endorsement stays on your licence for 4 years from the date of conviction. Most insurers ask about convictions for the last 5 years. After the rehabilitation period ends, the conviction is spent and no longer needs to be disclosed.
Failing to declare an unspent DD40 is treated as non-disclosure. Your insurer can void your policy, refuse all claims, and record a cancellation against your name. A voided policy makes future insurance far harder to obtain and more expensive than the original conviction loading.
How do you check your driving record?
You can view your driving record online at gov.uk. You will need your driving licence number, National Insurance number, and postcode. Your record shows the conviction date, points, and when the DD40 will be removed from your licence.
What Happens After Your Dangerous Driving Ban Ends?
You cannot drive again until you pass a compulsory extended retest. This is not optional. The extended test includes a fresh theory exam and a practical test lasting around 70 minutes, roughly twice the length of a standard test.
Once you pass the extended retest and your ban period has ended, you can apply for insurance. Your licence will show the DD40 endorsement for 4 years. During this time, specialist insurers who deal with convicted drivers are your best route to finding cover at a competitive price.
If you also accumulated 12 or more points before the ban, those points may have been wiped as part of a totting-up disqualification. After a disqualification of 56 days or more, your slate is wiped clean and any previous points are removed. However, the DD40 endorsement itself remains on your licence.
What Are The Other Dangerous Driving Codes?
DD40 is the standard code for dangerous driving without injury. Other DD codes cover more serious situations involving death or bodily harm. The full list of all driving offence codes is available in our guide.
| Code | Offence | Points |
| DD10 | Causing serious injury by dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD40 | Dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD60 | Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD80 | Causing death by dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD90 | Furious driving | 3 to 9 |
Codes DD10, DD60, and DD80 carry obligatory disqualification and significantly longer custodial sentences. DD80 (causing death by dangerous driving) carries a maximum life sentence. If you hold any DD code endorsement, see our main convicted driver insurance page for guidance on finding specialist cover.
What Does DD40 Car Insurance Cover?
DD40 policies offer the same three levels of cover as standard car insurance: third-party only, third-party fire and theft, and fully comprehensive. A DD40 changes how much you pay and which insurers will quote, but not what cover is available.
Comprehensive cover can sometimes cost less than third-party only for convicted drivers. This happens because third-party-only policies attract higher-risk applicants, and insurers price that risk in. Always compare all three levels before choosing.
How Does A DD40 Compare To Other Convictions?
DD40 is among the most serious motoring convictions for insurance purposes. It carries higher premium loadings than drink driving and is significantly more expensive than careless driving or speeding.
| Factor | DD40 (dangerous driving) | CD10 (careless driving) | DR10 (drink driving) |
| Penalty points | 3 to 11 | 3 to 9 | 3 to 11 |
| Driving ban | Obligatory: min 12 months | Discretionary | Obligatory: min 12 months |
| Extended retest | Compulsory | No | No |
| Criminal record | Yes (DBS) | Yes (motoring) | Yes |
| Maximum custody | 2 years | None | 6 months |
| Time on licence | 4 years | 4 years | 11 years |
| Typical year 1 loading | 100 to 250% | 10 to 70% | 100 to 200% |
If you have a DR10 drink driving conviction or an IN10 no-insurance conviction alongside a DD40, the combined effect on your premium will be severe. A speeding conviction is comparatively minor, but any additional points increase the risk profile further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Dangerous driving is a criminal offence under section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A conviction creates a criminal record that appears on standard and enhanced DBS checks. This can affect employment, particularly in roles that involve driving, working with vulnerable people, or positions of trust.
Four years from the date of conviction. Most insurers ask about convictions for the last 5 years, so you will need to declare it for up to a year after the endorsement is removed. The criminal record itself lasts longer and follows the rehabilitation periods set by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Yes. A compulsory extended retest is part of every dangerous driving sentence. You cannot drive again until you pass both a fresh theory test and an extended practical test lasting around 70 minutes. You must book and pay for the tests yourself.
No. You cannot insure a vehicle to drive while disqualified. You can insure a vehicle you own for fire and theft cover while it is off the road (SORN), but you cannot add driving cover until your ban ends and you pass the extended retest.
Examples include racing on public roads, aggressive overtaking on a blind bend, driving at grossly excessive speed, deliberately ignoring traffic signals, or driving a vehicle with a known dangerous defect. The test is whether the driving fell far below the expected standard and the danger would be obvious to a competent and careful driver.
Yes. Dangerous driving is a criminal offence and will appear on both standard and enhanced DBS checks while the conviction is unspent. After the rehabilitation period, it may be filtered from basic checks, but can still appear on enhanced checks depending on the role.
In some cases, a charge of dangerous driving may be reduced to careless driving (CD10) through plea negotiations or if the evidence does not fully support the higher charge. A reduction to CD10 avoids the obligatory ban and extended retest, and results in significantly lower insurance costs.
DD40 is dangerous driving where no death occurred. DD80 is causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum life sentence and a minimum 2-year disqualification. Both are serious criminal offences, but DD80 has far greater legal and insurance consequences. See our full guide to driving offence codes for all conviction code definitions.
