Ozzy Osbourne took 19 tries to get his driver’s license
Published on Jul 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Jul 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Ozzy Osbourne has sadly passed away at the age of 76.
The music icon, and former frontman of heavy metal legends Black Sabbath, passed away on Tuesday evening.
Unlike many rock stars, cars were not at the forefront of Ozzy Osbourne’s interests.
As a matter of fact, it took the legendary rock star 19 tries to get his driver’s license.
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‘Mr Osbourne…I suggest you don’t try and drive this vehicle any further’
You might not believe this, but Ozzy Osbourne was 60 years old when got his driver’s license.
For most people, getting their driver’s license is a rite of passage as a teenager.
For Ozzy, that rite of passage came much, much later in a legendary life.
In an interview on the Howard Stern Show in 2010, Osbourne detailed some of his – let’s say – less successful attempts.
On one occasion, the former Black Sabbath frontman passed out at traffic lights during one of his tests.
Another test saw Ozzy wake up in the parked car with the door left open.
The examiner left Ozzy a note saying: “Mr. Osborne, you failed. I suggest you don’t try and drive this vehicle any further.”
During an interview, Ozzy Osbourne admitted that he wasn’t exactly safe to drive at the time – if you catch our drift.
Ozzy finally passed his test on the 19th attempt in 2009.
The caveat was that it was passed in Los Angeles, not his native England.
In his typical Birmingham humour, Osbourne referred to the Los Angeles road test as ‘a f***ing joke!‘.
Ozzy Osbourne retires from driving straight after getting his license
Unfortunately, Ozzy Osbourne didn’t actually use his newly earned driving license for long.
In 2010, Osbourne rear-ended another car on the freeway whilst driving a Ferrari 458 Italia.
That Ferrari 458 Italia just so happened to have less than 20 miles on the odometer.
Jack Osbourne, Ozzy’s son, explained that the incident was just a ‘little bumper kiss.’
He also explained that the accident put Ozzy Osbourne off driving due to the potential for accident lawsuits.
When one considers the crazy, hedonistic lifestyle led by Ozzy Osbourne, it is somewhat funny that the fear of Los Angeles traffic is what finally calmed him down.
The passing of Ozzy Osbourne represents the end of an iconic era for culture and music.
His passing has been mourned and felt strongly across the world.
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
