1. Buy the starter pack
- Motorsport UK sells it as Your First Kart Competition Licence (ARKS), for £78. It includes your first Kart Interclub licence. Motorsport UK shop
- For under-18s it also covers the parent or guardian Entrant PG licence. ABKC
2. Take the ARKS test
- ARKS, the Association of Racing Kart Schools, trains and tests new drivers for Motorsport UK. Take it at an ARKS school or with a club examiner. See where. Motorsport UK
- It costs up to £100 including VAT, plus kart hire, kit and practice-day fees. Retakes are up to £50 for the written part and £60 for the driving part. ARKS
- There are two parts: a 20-question written paper, where flags must be 100% right and the rest at least 80%, and a driving assessment where your best lap must be within 10% of a target time. ARKS
3. Race
- Once you've passed, you can race straight away using the completed ARKS form while your licence is processed, usually within a week. Motorsport UK
- You start as a novice on black number plates, at the back of the grid, until you've collected six race signatures. NCR
- To move up to Kart National you need ten signatures from Interclub races at three or more venues. NCR
Quick answers
- Do you need a licence to go karting?
- Not for arrive-and-drive sessions. To race at Motorsport UK club meetings you need a licence, which starts with the starter pack and ARKS test.
- How much is the ARKS test?
- Up to £100 including VAT, plus kart hire, kit and practice-day fees, according to ARKS.
- How long does a kart licence take?
- You can race straight away with the completed ARKS form; the licence itself usually arrives within a week, according to Motorsport UK.
ARKS schools near youStart karting step by step
Facts are from Motorsport UK, ARKS and the ABKC, linked by each one. Rules and prices change, so check with the source before you rely on them. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.