Use this guide once you have passed your theory test and your instructor thinks you are nearly ready. Have your provisional driving licence, theory test pass certificate number and a payment card ready.
Step by step
Book only through GOV.UK
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service on GOV.UK, where the fee is shown. Be wary of third-party sites that charge extra to book or find cancellations. Choose a test centre near where you have practised, and agree the date with your instructor.
Use the waiting time well
Waiting times can be long, so keep having regular lessons rather than stopping until the week before. Practise the manoeuvres, driving on different road types and following a sat nav. Take a mock test with your instructor to find weak spots.
Learn the show me, tell me questions
The examiner will ask two vehicle safety questions: one before you drive and one while you are driving, such as how to wash the windscreen. The official list is on GOV.UK. Practise the 'show me' tasks in the car you will use.
Know what happens on the test
The test starts with an eyesight check, reading a number plate from a set distance. You then drive for around 35 minutes, including a long stretch of independent driving following a sat nav or road signs, and possibly one reversing manoeuvre and an emergency stop. You pass with no serious or dangerous faults and no more than 15 minor driving faults.
Make sure the car is suitable
Your instructor's car is usually the easiest option. If you use your own car, it must be taxed, insured for a test, roadworthy with no warning lights, have L plates, and meet the other rules on GOV.UK, such as a passenger seat head restraint and an extra interior mirror for the examiner.
Prepare for the day
Bring your photocard provisional licence and check the rules on GOV.UK in case anything else is needed. Arrive in good time, rested and having eaten. If you make a mistake, carry on calmly: a single minor fault will not fail you.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Theory test passed and in date
- Test booked on GOV.UK only
- Regular lessons continued while waiting
- Mock test taken
- Show me, tell me questions practised
- Car meets GOV.UK test requirements
- Photocard provisional licence ready
- Glasses or contact lenses if you need them
Practical tips
- Theory test passes are valid for two years, so book your practical test in good time before yours runs out.
- Ask your instructor to sit in on the test: they can see where you went wrong if you do not pass.
- Check whether you can change or cancel your test free of charge before a set deadline, which is shown on GOV.UK.
Common problems
The earliest test date is months away.
Book the earliest suitable date anyway, then check the GOV.UK service regularly for cancellations. Avoid paying third parties that promise earlier dates and keep practising in the meantime.
I failed my test.
The examiner will explain your faults and give you a report. Go through it with your instructor, focus lessons on those areas and book another test, as there is a short minimum wait before you can retake.
My test was cancelled at short notice by DVSA.
DVSA will rebook you and you may be able to claim back certain out-of-pocket expenses. Check the GOV.UK guidance and apply using the form it describes.
This guide gives general information, not personal legal, financial or medical advice. Rules and prices change, so check the current position with the official service before acting.
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