Changes to Driving Test Booking from 12 May
Starting 12 May, new regulations will alter the process for booking driving tests. These measures aim to reduce extensive waiting lists, which can extend up to six months, and to prevent the bulk purchasing of test slots by automated bots and companies that resell them to learner drivers at inflated prices.
Who Can Book Your Driving Test?
From 12 May onward, only the learner driver will be permitted to book, change, or swap their own driving test appointments. This restriction includes driving instructors, who under previous rules were allowed to book tests on behalf of their students. Existing bookings made by instructors prior to this change will remain valid and unaffected.
A BBC investigation conducted in December revealed that some driving instructors were offered kickbacks of up to £250 per month in exchange for selling their official test-booking login credentials to touts. These touts then used the credentials to book driving tests in bulk and resell them to learners via platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, charging prices as high as £500 per test.
The standard fee for a driving test is £62 on weekdays and £75 during evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
It is recommended that learners consult their instructors to confirm readiness before booking a test. When booking, learners must enter their instructor's reference number to ensure the instructor’s availability.
While you may assist someone you know with booking and managing their driving test, they must be physically present during the process. Additionally, all confirmations must be sent to the learner’s own email or phone number. If the learner does not have an email account, you can help them set one up.
Limits on Changes to Driving Test Slots
Since 31 March, learners are allowed to make only two changes to their booked driving test slot. Previously, up to six changes were permitted. If a learner had already used all six changes before this date, they are now allowed two additional changes.
Changing the date or time of the test counts as one change, changing the test centre counts as one change, and swapping your slot with another learner driver also counts as one change. Multiple changes made simultaneously, such as altering both the date and test centre, count as a single change.
If the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) changes the test appointment, this does not count towards the change limit.
Should a learner require more than two changes, they must cancel their existing test and book a new one. Refunds are available if cancellation occurs at least 10 working days before the scheduled test date.
Changing the Location of Your Driving Test
Effective 9 June, learners wishing to change their test location will be restricted to selecting from only the three test centres nearest to their originally booked centre.
Learners are advised to book only at a test centre they intend to attend and to select a realistic date that reflects when they will be prepared to take the test.
Further guidance on permissible booking locations and detailed information about the new driving test booking procedures can be found on the official website.
