The Practical Driving Test
You can book your practical driving test HERE
You can check, change or cancel your practical test HERE
Had your test cancelled through no fault of your own? Claim HERE
(The practical driving test costs from £62)
At the test centre, the driving examiner will come into the waiting room and call your name, you will then be asked to sign a declaration to say that the car you are using is insured for the test and that you have lived in the UK for 185 days in the last 12 months. If you are using a driving school car, this won't be a problem, but if you are using your own car check with your insurance company first and click HERE to make sure your car is eligible.
You will have to show BOTH parts of your provisional licence, the green paper part and the plastic ID card (remember to take your passport if you only have the paper part).
Please note: That if your address is now different to that shown on your licence you will need to fill out the relevent section on the back of your driving licence ideally before arriving at the test centre.
Vehicle safety questions (show me tell me) can be found HERE
Then the Examiner will ask you to lead the way out to your car, and at some point before you start driving, you will be asked to read a number plate. If you cannot read it correctly from the required distance (20.5m for an old style licence plates, and 20m for the new ones), the test will be cancelled. Also two vehicle safety questions will be asked. One will be 'show me', the other 'tell me'. If one or both of the questions are answered incorrectly, a single driving fault (a minor) will be noted on the test sheet.
What happens during the Driving Test?
You are allowed to take someone with you on the test, this person must be over 16 years old and cannot take any part in the test, but can be your driving instructor. Make sure you let the examiner know if you would like to do this. During the driving test the examiner will give you directions which you should follow. Test routes are designed to be as uniform as possible and will include a range of typical road and traffic conditions and will include 10 minutes of independent driving. During the driving test, the examiner will ask you to carry out one reversing exercises and possibly an emergency stop.
Throughout the test you should drive in the way your driving instructor has taught you. If you make a mistake, don't worry about it, it might be a less serious driving fault and may not affect your result. The examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving.
Driving test faults are defined as follows
Minor faults: These are driving faults that do not affect anyone else. A minor fault may be a missed mirror check, or a missed gear change. However, if the same fault is committed more than about 3 to 4 times it is seen to be repetitive and will fail you. You can make up to 15 minor mistakes, the 16th becomes a serious.
Serious faults: These are things you have done that could affect another road user if they had been there. Serious faults could be cutting a right hand corner or not looking behind when reversing. One of these on your test will fail you.
Dangerous faults: These are faults that actually cause another road user to brake or swerve. One of these on your test will fail you.
When you get back to the test centre, the examiner will tell you if you've passed or failed. You will be given the option for feedback on your performance from the Examiner, which would be useful for your driving instructor to hear.
(Your examiner may be being checked tested and therefore have a supervising examiner with them during your test, this is perfectly normal and does not effect you in any way, remember though that the car will handle slightly differently with extra weight. If You need to cancel your test for any reason you are required to give a minimum of THREE clear working days notice of your decision to cancel or postpone your test; otherwise you will lose your test fee. If you are unwell on the day of the test and can get a doctor to verify this, the DSA will refund the test fee)
FAQ about the driving test
What exactly is the examiner looking for on a practical driving test?
The examiner will be checking to see if you are a safe driver, and that you are fully aware of what's happening around you. They will also want to make sure that you can respond sensibly to situations with consideration and courtesy.
How should I drive during the test?
You should drive calmly, carefully, but confidently, in the way that your instructor has taught you. Keep yourself focused on the road in front and around you; try not to let your get distracted by the examiner and what they might be noting down.
How many mistakes are you allowed on a practical driving test?
Although you should obviously aim to make no mistakes at all, you will be permitted to make up to 15 minor driving faults - errors considered not to have involved potential danger - before you will be recorded as having a fail. However, if you commit one serious fault you will fail immediately and in the case of a dangerous fault the test will be stopped.
How can I stay calm after I've made a mistake on my practical driving test?
Remember that you don't have to be completely perfect to pass; if you make a mistake, don't worry, it could well be minor and may not affect your result. Put it behind you and concentrate on the rest of your test.
Do examiners have pass / fail quotas?
No. If you demonstrate the standard required, you will pass your test.
If you pass...
If you pass and have a photo card driving licence issued after licence March 2004 the examiner will ask you if you want your full driving licence issued to you automatically.
If you want to use this service, the examiner will take your old licence off you, scan the details and send them electronically to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will then be given a pass certificate to prove you passed your test. The DVLA will then send you your new full driving licence by post within three weeks of you passing your practical test.
If you pass your driving test but do not want to use this automatic service, or have a licence issued before March 2004, you will be given a pass certificate by the examiner. On the back of the pass certificate it tells you what you need to do next. This involves sending your licence and appropriate fee to DVLA who will then check your application and issue you with a new full licence.
If you fail....
If things don't go to plan, and you don't pass, don't worry. Listen to the feedback the examiner gives you, and ask for your driving instructor to listen in too.
This will give them useful information on what you need to work on. You will be given a copy of the driving test report which will show you which faults you made. You must wait at least 10 working days before taking your next test, but you can book it straight away. Once you have a new date you can try to bring it forward by looking for test cancillations HERE, you can change the date up to 3 times.
