As part of our plan to reduce driving test waiting times, we want your views on options to change to how driving tests can be booked and managed.
We’re looking at 2 main areas:
1 Who should be allowed to book and manage driving tests
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only learner drivers can book and manage tests
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both learners and instructors can book, but only learners can make changes
2 How tests can be managed
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remove the ability to swap tests or change test locations
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limit test swaps and location changes
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keep current swapping rules and location change rules
We want to prevent reselling driving tests.
Some businesses typically do this by booking a test using a learner’s provisional licence details, then later finding another learner who will pay extra for that test. They then use the swap feature to transfer the test to the paying learner.
We’ve also seeing an increase in learners or businesses booking tests as a placeholder at any driving test centre with availability so they can get a booking. They then either use a cancellation finder service to find a test at their preferred test centre or keep manually checking. This is blocking appointments for people in the local communities around these test centres.
Preventing this type of booking would also allow us to get a better idea of the real demand at each test centre. This would mean we can better manage driving examiner resource and focus it more at test centres where the tests booked will actually take place.
These changes aim to make the system fairer and stop people being charged excessive fees for booking tests.
The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 23 July 2025.
The options in the consultation are only for car driving tests. The booking of all other tests such as instructors, motorcycle, theory and vocational will remain the same.
Our consultation does not include an option of only allowing ADIs to book driving tests.
The law allows learners to be taught by family or friends, and some choose this route due to cost or ADI availability. Restricting bookings would unfairly prevent these legally permitted learners from accessing tests.
We know that you play a vital role in preparing pupils for their driving tests and helping them develop lifelong safe driving skills.
We remain committed to working with the ADI community to improve the learning and testing experience for all.
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