Dates confirmed for new driving test booking rules

New rules for driving tests will come into force over the next few months, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed, as it looks to make the booking system fairer.

From 12 May, only learner drivers will be permitted to book, change or swap a car driving test, while from 9 June, restrictions will apply when changing the location of a booked examination, the DVSA said.

This further change will only allow learners to move their test to the three nearest centres to where their test is booked.

Roads Minister Simon Lightwood said the move would reduce long waiting lists and prevent slots being sold at inflated prices.

"Learners deserve clear, honest access to tests – not being ripped off by third-party sites," Lightwood said. "Learning to drive is hard enough without an unfair booking system.

"These changes put learners back in control, stop the system being gamed, and help make sure tests go to those who really need them.

"I welcome DVSA's action to make things fairer and support learners on their journey to becoming safe, confident drivers."

Currently, instructors can book tests on behalf of their students, but this will be banned as part of the changes.

Touts would then use these login details to book driving tests in bulk and sell them to learners on WhatsApp and Facebook, charging as much as £500 for tests.

Tests have a standard fee of £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

The changes coming into force in May and June will only apply to car driving tests. If pupils book vocational or motorcycle tests using online booking services there will not be any changes, the DVSA said.

It explained the move will be a "significant change" for driving instructors.

"Misuse of the booking system has made it harder for us to offer slots fairly," the DVSA said.

"We've made a decision based on the evidence – our consultation found that the majority of learners wanted full control and we have acted to prioritise fairness for learners and tackle exploitation.

"But we recognise that reasonable professionals disagree on this and we respect that."

Introducing these changes in May and June means learners should only ever pay the actual fee DVSA charges, it added.

Beverley Warmington, the DVSA's new chief executive, said: "Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties and put them in control of booking their driving test."

It follows the DVSA's previous announcement that from 31 March the number of amendments a learner driver is allowed to make to a car driving test booking will be reduced to two, down from six.

The latest steps are aimed at making it harder for people to profit by using automated programmes - known as bots - to quickly book available slots and resell them for profit.

The NAO said there was a backlog of 1.1 million tests that were not carried out in the 2020/21 financial year because of the pandemic.