Stricter rules for driving test bookings revealed
The DVSA has announced new changes to booking driving tests – here’s everything you need to know
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The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced stricter rules for booking driving tests.
The revised rules aim to reduce waiting times and stop new drivers from losing their £62 fee for leaving it too late to cancel.
What are the new driving test rules?
Driving instructors booking tests for drivers they aren’t teaching
As part of these new rules, driving instructors can no longer book tests for learner drivers they aren’t teaching.
Another change is that businesses that don’t employ instructors can’t book tests either.
The best way to book a driving test is for the individual to do it themselves, with the hope that this will slash wait times and streamline the process.
Admin fees clamp-down
Businesses charging admin fees for driving test bookings now must make it clear at the point of sale, not after.
This avoids any misinformation and hidden fees that could occur.
10 days' notice to cancel driving test
Drivers who have booked their test now have to cancel with at least 10 days’ notice, which is an increase from the three-day notice before the change.
Cancel too late, and you won’t get your £62 booking fee back.
Why has the DVSA revised driving test bookings?
This is just the beginning of a proposed seven-step plan to improve wait times and streamline the booking process.
Pre-pandemic wait times were four to six weeks, but now learner drivers are looking at several months to do their driving test.
The hope is that wait times will reduce to seven weeks by December 2025.