New DVSA driving test booking rules come into force

Under the new rules, only learners can book and manage practical driving tests.

The change, which came into force today (Tuesday, May 12), is intended to stop commercial operators from using automated bots to snap up appointments and resell them at inflated prices.

New DVSA driving test booking rules come into force

Emma Bush, managing director of AA Driving School, said: “Learner drivers continue to face unacceptable delays in accessing driving tests.

“The data clearly shows more needs to be done to really get a handle on the situation and start to push waiting times back.”

A BBC investigation in December found that driving test touts were offering instructors up to £250 a month for access to their booking accounts.

The National Audit Office later revealed that some learners were paying as much as £500 through the black market for a test slot, with standard fees just £62.

As of April 6, the average wait time to book a driving test had risen to 22.4 weeks, up from 20.8 weeks in January.

In February 2020, before the pandemic, the average wait was just five weeks.

From June 12, learners will only be able to move a booking to one of the three closest test centres to their original choice.

This is to prevent people from blocking slots at distant locations with the intention of swapping to a preferred centre later.

Such practices make it difficult for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to plan capacity at individual test centres.

Other recent changes include reducing the number of booking changes allowed, from six to two.

Ms Bush said the ban on instructor bookings is “unlikely to be the silver bullet which turns the tide on long waiting times,” but welcomed it as a step toward an improved system.

She said: “It is only part of the solution, though.

“To really improve waiting times over a prolonged period, there needs to be unrelenting focus from the DVSA on retaining and recruiting driving test examiners.”

The latest restrictions also make it illegal to book a driving test on behalf of someone else.

New theory test questions for 2026

As well as the changes to practical test bookings, the DVSA has also made changes to the theory test.

From 2026, new questions will come in focusing on CPR techniques, including hand placement, compression rates, and depth.

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There will also be questions covering how to identify and operate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in a roadside emergency.

The questions, designed with the Resuscitation Council UK, aim to prepare drivers for real-life emergencies rather than just testing theoretical knowledge.

How many attempts do you think it should take to pass a theory and practical driving test? Let us know in the comments.