How to book your practical driving test in 2025

Booking your practical driving test in 2025 can feel like a race against the clock. With long waiting times, new rules, and a surge in demand, many learner drivers are finding it harder than ever to secure a slot.

But that's no reason to give up hope - this guide will cover everything you need to know about booking your driving test, including our top tips to help you beat the backlog.

What's covered

• Check you're ready to book
• How much does it cost?
• Is it getting harder to find a driving test slot?
• The official way to book
• Other ways to book
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Key takeaways

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Check you're ready to book

You can’t book your practical test until you’ve passed your theory test. That’s rule number one. You’ll also need:

• A valid UK provisional driving licence

• Your theory test pass certificate number

• A debit or credit card to pay the fee

You must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the last 12 months before your test date. If you’re in Northern Ireland, there’s a separate booking system.

Tip: If you haven’t passed your theory test yet, book it as early as possible. You can’t book your practical test without it, and theory test slots are also in high demand.

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How much does it cost?

As of 2025, the DVSA charges:

• £62 for weekday tests

• £75 for evening, weekend or bank holiday tests

These are the official prices. If you’re being asked to pay more, it’s likely through a third-party reseller, which you should avoid.

Also read: How much do driving lessons cost in the UK?

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Is it getting harder to find a driving test slot?

Booking a driving test has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Demand for driving tests remains high, with many frustrated learners competing for limited numbers of slots and facing increased waiting times.

This is largely due to a huge backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as limited examiner availability and increased early bookings by candidates worried about delays.

 

To tackle this, the DVSA have made a few key changes in 2025:

• Launched a nationwide recruitment campaign to hire 450 new examiners, aiming to reduce waiting times.

• Learners must now give 10 full working days’ notice to cancel or reschedule a car driving test without losing their fee. This change was introduced to reduce wasted slots and improve availability.

• Learners who fail their test must now wait at least 14 working days before booking another attempt. This rule is designed to promote fairness and ensure candidates have time to improve before retesting.

Here’s the most recent data* on waiting times across Great Britain:

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The official way to book

The easiest and safest way to book is online via the DVSA’s official driving test booking service

The service runs daily from 6am to 11:40pm. You’ll be placed in a virtual queue when you start, and wait times can vary depending on demand. DVSA

 releases new driving test slots every Monday at 6am, which is the main weekly drop for appointments up to 24 weeks in advance. These slots are highly competitive and often get booked within minutes, especially in busy areas. It's also worth checking in the late evening (between 10pm and 11:30pm) when fewer people are online.

• You can book up to 24 weeks in advance. If you need to reschedule, you can now change your test date or location up to six times. After that, you’ll need to cancel and rebook.

• To cancel without losing your fee, you must give at least 10 working days’ notice.

You can also book by phone if you prefer:

• DVSA booking line: 0300 200 1122

• Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

Tip: If you’re checking manually, use multiple devices and refresh often - persistence pays off!

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Other ways to book

If you’re one of the many learners still struggling to find a slot, don't worry - there are still other ways to book. Here are some of the best alternatives:

1. Book through your driving instructor

If you're struggling to book your driving test due to the backlog, it's a good idea to ask your driving instructor to handle the booking for you. Instructors are able to book tests through the DVSA business service website, by email, or by calling and using the fast-track service for quicker responses.

The DVSA business service (exclusive to instructors) also allows instructors to view all available slots with out having to enter pupils' details, swap slots between students and monitor cancellations more frequently.

If you’re learning with a driving school, they're likely able to book on your behalf, so it's always worth asking if they can.

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2. Try a different test centre

If you're struggling to find availability at your local test centre, consider looking further afield. Test centres in rural areas—especially in Wales and northern England—often have shorter wait times.

If you’re confident driving in unfamiliar areas, it might be worth travelling for your test. Just make sure to factor in the logistics, such as travel time and whether your instructor can accompany you. It’s also worth trying out the test routes with your instructor to familiarise yourself before the test.

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3. Book an intensive driving course

Some driving schools offer intensive courses with a pre-booked driving test at the end. These courses typically run over a few days to a week and are designed to help learners reach test standard quickly. If you're flexible with location and can travel, some schools may even offer earlier test dates than those available through the DVSA’s public booking system.

While this is a good option for those needing to pass on a tight timeframe, it's not for everyone. Intensive driving courses can be expensive, and the format can also be stressful, especially for learners who need more time to build confidence behind the wheel.

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4. Use a cancellation app

A great way to move your test forward is using cancellation services or apps. These services scan the DVSA site for earlier test dates and send you alerts when one becomes available. While they aren't always 100% reliable, they have helped many learners secure earlier test dates.

Also read: The 5 best theory test apps for learners in 2025

Here are our favourites:

1. DriveBot: A notification service that monitors theory test availability based on your preferences and alerts you via SMS, voice call, or email when a suitable slot opens up.

• Price: £19 for notification service, or £49 for auto-booking service

• Trustpilot rating: 4.4 stars

• Download here: DriveBot - Easily Book Your Driving Test Cancellations

• Key features:

  • Automatically books appointments and scans up to 100 test centres for availability

  • Lets you select preferred days and times

  • Compatible with or without an existing DVSA booking

2. Driving Test Cancellations 4 All: This service has had a good reputation for many years, and has a strong track record of helping users find earlier test appointments. It supports both manual confirmation and automatic booking.

• Price: £18 for standard package, £26 for premium package

• Trustpilot rating: 3.9 stars

• Download here: Driving Test Cancellations - Find Earlier Driving Tests

• Key features:

  • Full refund if no earlier slot is found

  • Covers all DVSA test centres across the UK

  • Sends updates via text and email

3. Testi: A mobile app for iOS and Android that links to your DVSA booking and regularly checks for earlier test slots.

• Price: FREE, or £11.99 for premium version

• App store rating: 4.1 stars

• Download here: Testi app

• Key features:

  • Free version allows manual slot checking

  • Premium upgrade unlocks instant alerts

  • Simple, user-friendly design - book directly through the app

While cancellation apps can be a useful tool for finding earlier driving test slots, it's important to use them with caution. These services are not officially endorsed by the DVSA, and some may lack proper data protection measures, putting your personal information at risk.

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Common mistakes to avoid

While the cancellation services listed above are tried, tested, and well-reviewed, not all providers are trustworthy. Here’s what to watch out for to avoid being caught out by scams.

Don’t pay inflated prices to third-party resellers

Some scammers have taken advantage of long wait times, charging learners up to £200 (on top of the standard £62 DVSA fee) to “arrange” earlier test slots. These offers often appear on WhatsApp, Facebook Marketplace, and other social platforms, promising instant bookings that seem too good to be true.

While reselling test slots isn’t technically illegal, the DVSA warns that it exploits learners and undermines the fairness of the system. These inflated prices don’t guarantee a legitimate booking, and you could end up losing your money entirely.

Avoid bots and brokers

Many of these third-party services use automated bots to block-book test slots on the DVSA website, snapping up appointments the moment they’re released. The brokers then resell these slots at a premium, often without transparency or accountability.

Using these services violates DVSA terms and conditions, and learners risk having their tests cancelled without refund if caught. Worse still, some brokers use learners' provisional licence number to book tests across the country without their knowledge or consent.

The DVSA is cracking down on test-buying scams, so stick to official channels wherever possible. This protects your booking, your data, and your money. If you plan to use a cancellation service always check its legitimacy (look at reviews online) first before entering your details.

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Key takeaways

• You must pass your theory test before booking your practical test.

• Book early: new test slots are released every Monday at 6am. It's also worth checking between 10pm and 11:30pm each night.

• You can reschedule up to six times, but must cancel with at least 10 working days’ notice to keep your fee.

• Use the official DVSA site to book your test, and try to avoid third-party resellers

• Ask your instructor: they may have access to slots not visible to the public.

• Try different test centres, especially in rural areas, for shorter wait times.

• Consider an intensive driving course if you’re confident and need to pass quickly.

• Cancellation apps can help, but they’re not DVSA-endorsed and may pose privacy risks.

Next guide: Where are you most likely to pass your driving test? →

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Sources:

*Driving Instructors Association - Driving Test Waiting Times – June 2025

*Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - GOV.UK

*BBC News - Desperate learner drivers in the south buying scam tests for £200