The practical driving test is the final step to a full car licence. It checks that you can drive safely in different road and traffic conditions and that you know the Highway Code by the way you drive. This guide explains exactly what happens on the day, how faults are marked, what it costs, what to bring, and how to give yourself the best chance of passing first time.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Checked against the Highway Code and GOV.UK.
Before you can book
You can book your car driving test once you have passed your theory test (GOV.UK: Driving test, cars). Your theory test pass certificate number lasts for 2 years, so you must pass the practical test within that time or take the theory test again (GOV.UK). If you have not done it yet, start with our theory test guide and the hazard perception guide.
Some other booking points from GOV.UK’s booking page and its 2026 booking rule changes:
- You must book, change or cancel the test yourself. Your instructor is not allowed to do it for you, and it is against the law to book a car test for someone else.
- You must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for at least 185 days in the 12 months before your test.
- New appointments are added 24 weeks in advance and released at 6am every Monday. Earlier slots appear whenever someone else changes or cancels.
- Since 31 March 2026 you can change a car test booking only twice (this used to be six times). Changing the date, time or test centre, or swapping with another learner, each counts as a change.
- Since 9 June 2026, GOV.UK limits changes of test centre according to your current booking. The service shows the eligible centres when you change your test, including any permitted return to your original centre. Check the options shown for your booking on GOV.UK.
- Since 12 May 2026 you must not use unofficial “cancellation finder” apps or websites that scan the booking service for earlier slots. Check for earlier dates yourself on GOV.UK.
- There is no minimum number of lessons you must have had. GOV.UK says to take the test only when you can do everything in the national standard for driving cars without instruction.
How much it costs
| Test | Weekday | Evenings, weekends and bank holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Car practical test | £62 | £75 |
| Extended test (for disqualified drivers) | £124 | £150 |
Fees from GOV.UK, checked September 2026. If you need to change or cancel, you must give at least 10 full working days’ notice for a car test or you will have to pay again. Monday to Saturday count as working days; Sundays and public holidays do not. You can change a car test appointment up to 2 times (GOV.UK).
How long the test lasts
GOV.UK says you will drive for around 35 minutes. The extended test, for people who have been banned from driving, lasts around 65 minutes. Allow extra time on the day for arriving, the eyesight check, the “tell me” question and your feedback at the end.
The five parts of the test
GOV.UK describes four parts: an eyesight check, “show me, tell me” vehicle safety questions, general driving ability (including independent driving) and reversing. Independent driving is a big enough section that it is worth thinking about on its own, so we cover five stages below. The test is the same for manual and automatic cars.
1. The eyesight check
Before you drive, you will be asked to read a number plate from a distance of:
- 20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate (2 letters followed by 2 numbers, such as AB51 ABC)
- 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate
If you fail the eyesight check, you fail the test and it ends there. If you wear glasses or contact lenses to drive, wear them for the test. For the legal eyesight standard, see GOV.UK’s driving eyesight rules.
Practise first: try our free number plate eyesight practice, then check a real plate from 20 metres before test day.
2. “Show me, tell me” questions
You will be asked two vehicle safety questions: a “tell me” question at the start, before you drive, and a “show me” question while you are driving. Getting one or both wrong is one driving fault. You fail if your driving is dangerous or potentially dangerous while you do the “show me” task. Our show me, tell me questions guide lists every current question with an answer.
3. General driving
You will drive in various road and traffic conditions, but not on motorways. The examiner will give you directions to follow. You will be asked to pull over and pull away, including:
- a normal stop at the side of the road
- pulling out from behind a parked vehicle
- a hill start
You might also be asked to carry out an emergency stop.
4. Independent driving
For 20 to 35 minutes you will drive without turn-by-turn directions from the examiner. You will follow a sat nav, traffic signs, or a combination of both, and the examiner will tell you which. The examiner sets up the sat nav, and you cannot use your own.
The examiner will not give you a fault for taking a wrong turning, and will help you get back on the route. If a sign is hidden, for example by trees, the examiner will give directions until you can see the next one. Test routes are not published. Our direction signs guide will help you read signs early.
5. Reversing
You will be asked to do one of these exercises:
- parallel park at the side of the road
- park in a parking bay, either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner tells you which)
- pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for around 2 car lengths, and rejoin the traffic
Whichever you get, the examiner is looking for control, accuracy and, above all, good all-round observation.
How faults are marked
GOV.UK sets out three types of fault on the faults and results page:
| Fault | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dangerous fault | Involves actual danger to you, the examiner, the public or property |
| Serious fault | Something potentially dangerous |
| Driving fault | Not potentially dangerous, but if you keep making the same fault, it could become a serious fault |
You pass if you make no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults. Driving faults are often called “minors”, and serious and dangerous faults “majors”.
If you make a mistake, carry on. It might not affect your result if it is not serious, and the examiner will only stop the test if your driving is a danger to other road users.
Your result
If you pass, the examiner tells you about any faults, gives you a pass certificate and asks if you want your full licence sent to you automatically. You can start driving straight away, but you must have an insurance policy that lets you drive without supervision.
If you fail, the examiner explains the faults. You have to book another test and pay again, and choose a date at least 10 working days away. You can appeal only if you think the examiner did not follow the law, and a successful appeal cannot change the result, though it may lead to a refund or a free retest.
What to bring
You must take:
- your UK driving licence (if you do not have a photocard licence, bring a valid passport and your paper licence)
- your theory test pass certificate, if you have it (the examiner checks your pass anyway)
- a suitable car
If you do not take the right things, your test will be cancelled and you will not get your money back (GOV.UK). You must be recognisable from your licence photo.
Using your own car
Most people use their instructor’s car, but you can use your own if it meets the rules on GOV.UK’s own-car page. Your car must, among other things:
- be taxed, have a current MOT if it is over 3 years old, and be insured for a driving test
- have no warning lights on that show a safety issue, no tyre damage, legal tread on every tyre and no space-saver spare fitted
- have an extra interior rear-view mirror for the examiner
- have a passenger seatbelt and a proper passenger head restraint (slip-on types are not allowed)
- have L plates (L or D plates in Wales) on the front and rear
- have an officially fitted mph speedometer, and be able to reach at least 62 mph
- have 4 wheels and a maximum authorised mass of no more than 3,500 kg
Some cars cannot be used because they do not give the examiner all-round vision, including panel vans and certain convertibles, so check the full list. You cannot use self-parking, Tesla autopilot or your own sat nav during the test. A dashcam fitted for insurance is allowed if it faces outside and does not record audio inside the car. If you take the test in a semi-automatic car, you will only be able to drive automatic and semi-automatic cars once you pass.
If you have not found an instructor yet, you can compare driving instructors near you on our sister site.
Test-day checklist
- Licence (and passport plus paper licence if you have no photocard)
- Theory test pass certificate, if you have it
- Glasses or contact lenses, if you need them to drive
- Car checked: L plates on, no warning lights, tyres OK, extra mirror fitted, car tidy and smoke-free
- Arrive in good time, and use the toilet before you set off
- Have a short warm-up drive if you can, including a practice manoeuvre
- Decide in advance whether you want your instructor to sit in the back and hear the feedback
Frequently asked questions
Can I have someone in the car during my test?
Yes. The examiner will ask if you want someone to sit in the back during the test, or be with you for the result and feedback. It is usually your instructor, but it can be a relative or friend. They must be over 16 and cannot take any part in the test. The examiner’s supervisor may also sit in to watch the examiner; if you refuse, your test can be cancelled.
Do I get a fault for going the wrong way?
No. GOV.UK says the examiner will not give you a fault for taking a wrong turning and will help you get back on the route. You could still get a fault for how you drive, for example an unsafe lane change.
Is the emergency stop always included?
No. GOV.UK says you “might” be asked to carry out an emergency stop.
What makes someone fail?
You fail if you make a single serious or dangerous fault, or more than 15 driving faults. GOV.UK also warns that if you keep making the same driving fault, it could become a serious fault. DVSA’s Ready to Pass? site has official advice on why people fail, preparing for the test and dealing with nerves.
What if my test is cancelled because of bad weather?
GOV.UK has a page on tests cancelled for bad weather. Check it and your booking emails if the weather is poor on the day.
Next steps
Learn the show me, tell me questions until you can answer them without thinking, revise road signs and road markings, and brush up on rules of the road and vulnerable road users, which examiners watch closely at junctions and crossings.